Poor day in field as Blackpool take full advantage

Stanley Park offered little assistance to seamers as Blackpool pro Daryl Mitchell racked up a chanceless hundred in his side’s 241-6.

It looked promising for the visitors early on when the combination of Liam Moffat and Ben Simm kept the runs down in the first ten overs.

Simm got rid of Matt Houston thanks to a smart catch by keeper Lee Marshall, who clung on to an under edge.

From then on it was the Mitchell show. The Worcestershire man took few risks through his innings, milking the ball at will, while Ciaran Johnson (33) provided steady support.

Callum East and Abhimanyu Khod performed admirably on the benign surface, bowling one side of the wicket – Khod was rewarded with Johnson’s wicket, and East cut Blackpool back to 90-3 by removing Tom Jefferson caught at deep gully.

Stephen Twist joined Mitchell and immediately found his feet as Lancaster began to look ragged in the field.

Moffat returned to no avail as the right-hand, left-hand combination began to run twos and threes with ease.

Mitchell brought up his 100 before Lancaster took the only chance he offered – Simm completing the smart catch at long on off Moffat, with Twist having fallen to another good catch by East at deep mid wicket.

Cameos from Andy Furniss (10) and Josh Boyne (19) added insult to injury.

The chase got off to a bad start when Jamie Heywood was bowled neck and crop at 5-1.

Alex Metcalfe and Abhimanyu Khod looked good and took Lancaster to 54-1 before Metcalfe gloved a sweep off left arm spinner Dan Pile behind. Blackpool turned to spin and Lancaster capitulated. Khod’s good start went unfulfilled when Boyne found a way through the pro’s sweep and Kieran Moffat (14) picked out long on trying to break the shackles.

With the run rate creeping up, Ramon Shah fell attempting a reckless third run to the pro’s arm leaving Lancaster floundering at 83-5.

With a tight ring field, the game was put beyond Lancaster. Rajat Agarwal (43) fought through a tough period to deny the hosts an easy win alongside Danny Welbourne (22).

Wickets fell late as Lancaster looked to hunt down a batting bonus point – Simm (17) and Lee Marshall (10no) tried their utmost, but the target of 193 proved elusive.

East handed Blackpool a 12th point with a suicidal run out off the final ball – a dismissal reflective of Lancaster’s sub par day as they finished well short on 182.