Pieter Perfect for the 1sts

For the second year in a row, Lancaster 1sts found themselves travelling to Darwen first up in the league programme. As many know, Darwen away has rarely been a productive fixture for us, but Saturday's game bucked the trend as a solid performance saw 9 points taken back up the M6.

After arriving early and following a thorough warm up, Jordan Clarke asked Lancaster to bat on a green but fairly firm strip. Charlie Swarbrick and Pieter Malan, whose call-up as sub pro received a cheerful reception, started solidly without major cause for alarm. Charlie opened up and showed his class, playing a fierce pull through mid-wicket and a trademark classy cover drive off Wade. Pieter started more sedately, waiting for the rank bad balls and biding his time. It was unfortunate that Charlie couldn't convert his start, as he was castled going for one drive too many off Wade. 34-1 became 42-2 soon after as Jamie Heywood fell without scoring miscuing a cover drive to a grateful Reece Davies.

Alex Metcalfe entered offering some stodgy assurance, while Pieter, after surving a shout for caught behind down the leg side, continued to try and find his timing on the slow pitch. While the scoring rate wasn't electric, the important things at Drinks were that Neil Cordingley had been seen off without taking a wicket, and Pieter was still there with plenty of wickets in the shed. Metcalfe perished for 17 offering catching practice to gully trying to open up. Lee Sparks fell next ball to what was a fine delivery from Wade and an even more impressive diving catch by Darwen Sub-Pro Clinton Perren. At 81-4 Kieran Moffat again played foil to Malan who mercilessly hammered any particularly loose bowling passing 50 and looking ominous. It's testament to how good an innings it was by Malan that he was never particularly comfortable or timing the ball all that well until very late in his innings. A sign of a quality player is battling through the tough periods and still churning out results. As he has proven in the past, Malan reminded Darwen how damaging he can be. Kieran supported Pieter past 40 overs, before falling in the chase for quick runs.

It was in the last few overs that many balls were lost, Perren coming in for some particularly harsh treatment as surrounding houses came under fire as Malan's 100 came up in quick time. Ben Simm sacrificed himself after a direct hit from Jordan Clarke at mid-off before Malan became Wade's 5th scalp of the afternoon caught at long off by John Cordingley for a memorable 122. 18 year old debutant Matt White rubbed salt into Darwen's wounds with his heavy bat, dispatching 2 late maximums as the visitors closed their 50 overs on 190 for 7.

A good platform had been set but, as the cliche goes, 'only half a job'. Ian Perryman opened with Liam Moffat, both starting tidily and beating the outside edge. The initial breakthrough was some time coming as Mirza, formerly of Bamford Fieldhouse, following some pleasant strokes, went for one too many and found Kieran Moffat at mid-off off Liam. Ben Simm entered the attack and removed the stubborn Christopher Clarke with his first delivery of the season, hitting him in front of all 3 after tossing one up above his eyeline.

Clinton Perren and John Cordingley put up solid resistance from then onwards, with some pleasant strokeplay but never really kept the required run rate in check. Matt White replaced Moffat from the far end, and generated some decent pace, hitting Perren on the shoulder in his first over. He did, however, struggle with his run up on occasion, but that's nothing that cannot be ironed out for next week. At 101-2, the home side had worked a good platform to attack the target. The return of Ian Perryman signalled the end for John Cordingley, after he was cleaned up trying to go over the top. The run rate, meanwhile, had climbed above 6 an over, when Perren played a rash stroke and top edged a Moffat slower ball. Kieran Moffat's good day continued as he snatched the tricky skier. Gareth Cordingley played some pleasant cover drives off Simm, taking advantage of the 6-3 leg side field. Simm had the last laugh, however, as a duffed sweep presented Lee Sparks with a simple catch behind. The game was still within reach for the home side with 40 required from 6 overs. Neil Cordingley's lusty blows were effective, as the Lancaster fielding became ragged around the edges. Moffat and Perryman came full circle, closing out the game with some tight and intelligent bowling as Darwen left it too late for the launch, finally finishing on 173-8 from their 50 overs. Moff finishing with 4 for 46, Perryman 2-35 and Simmo 2-45.

It was an entertaining game, and a pleasing performance, but, as always there is room for improvement as Leyland travel up to Lune Road this Saturday.

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