Torrisholme see great work with ball go to waste

Former Lancaster off-spinner Iain Burstow has arrived at Torrisholme and took 3-41 on his debut in the defeat to Great Eccleston on Saturday.

Torrisholme suffered a disappointing 39-run defeat at home to Great Eccleston in the Palace Shield Premier Division on Saturday.

Matt Jackson’s side appeared to have put themselves well in command at Boundary Meadow when Graham Lee (6-19) and new signing Iain Burstow (3-41) helped dismiss the visitors for 112 in a rain-reduced game.

But the hosts’ batting display was limp with only Andy Butler (18) and skipper Jackson (10) reaching double figures as Torrisholme spurned a potentially winning  position.

Having lost the toss Jackson (1-19) and Dan Woods (0-33) bowled well in tandem with the captain removing the dangerous Imran Sadiq for a duck.

Adam Green (41) held the visitors’ innings together and with overseas amateur Mohammed Fazil (27) looked to have given Great Eccleston a platform to push on and finishing strongly.

However at 52-1 a double bowling change had the desired effect with former Lancaster man Burstow claiming a wicket in his first over as Fazil was caught at mid-off by Butler.

Michael Rigby (1) joined Green but Lee was in the mood and never let the batsmen settle, Rigby trapped in front before Swarbrick departed without scoring.

A brief resistance from Mohammed Nadeem (22) steadied the Great Eccleston ship but when Green was trapped leg before wicket by Burstow and Lee combined with Woods to have Nadeem caught at long on the innings had collapsed.

When Lee took a fine one-handed catch to remove Jon Jefferies (3) caught and bowled it was in tatters at 90-7.

Burstow continued to support Lee and was rewarded as he trapped Will Thistlewaite (9) plumb leg before wicket.

Lee mopped up the tail to complete an outstanding effort with the ball as the innings ended in 32 overs.

Torrisholme couldn’t capitalise however and no batsman ever truly settled.

Instead the experienced Jim Proctor (2-13) and Jon Jefferies (3-15) dictated proceedings as only Butler and Jackson showed any real resistance.

Fazil (4-14) benefitted from the opening bowlers’ hard work to dismantle the tail inside two overs.

The seconds lost the reverse game against Great Eccleston by three wickets, seeing their 167-6 chased down.

Paul Batty (36) top scored with Joseph Wills the other standout performer with 3-34 with the ball and 25 with the bat.

Torrisholme are again on home soil this weekend when Thornton Cleveleys travel to Boundary Meadow.

The 2nd XI make the opposite journey to Illawalla.

On Sunday the Torrisholme’s Sunday XI travel to South Shore.