Batting woes firmly behind the 1sts

Lancaster put their batting woes firmly behind them with a consummate top order display at Parkside road. Once again, a half century from Jannisar Khan steered the visitors to victory after Ben Simm's 5 wicket haul had restricted Netherfield to 199.

Lancaster were made to work hard early on as the bone dry Cumbrian surface lived up to its reputation as a seamers' graveyard. Netherfield openers Marc Brown and Ben Barrow set a quick pace early on regularly finding the fence as Liam Moffat and Jannisar Khan found little asssitance from the pitch. In need of a breakthrough and with Moffat breaking down with a pulled shoulder muscle, Simm brought himself and fellow off-spinner Scott Sparks into the attack.

Following a straight six off Simm, Brown looked to be on for a sizeable score. It wasn't to be for the Netherfield skipper though as he gifted his wicket to Sparks after slapping a friendly full toss straight to Charlie Swarbrick at mid-wicket.

From 92 for no wicket after 17 overs, the Lancaster spinners began to wrestle back the initiative as the scoring rate slowed and the pitch began to turn. Simm's first wicket of the afternoon was a big one, as Netherfield professional Colin Ackermann inside edged a sharp turning delivery to the quick hands of Lee Sparks at short-leg.

Ben Barrow looked to rebuild, but found runs more difficult to come by after his fluent start. The big hitting John Huck displayed his intentions early, planting Simm over mid-on, but the repeat effort against Sparks ended in his demise as he was completed defeated in the flight and bowled for 12.

At 114 for 3 Netherfield's progress had been stunted, and it got worse for the hosts when mainstay of the innings Barrow fell in the same fashion as Ackermann after reaching a well made fifty. Chriss Parry and Greg Hall kept the innings together with handy contributions before Simm struck again to remove both via top edges. Craig Walmsley threatened to push Netherfield past the 200 mark with two mighty blows to mid-wicket off Sparks, but Simm was more than equal to the challenge as an in-ducking quicker ball saw the back of the big left-hander.

Despite the middle order recovery, the innings ended in a skittish fashion as Lancaster were gifted two late run outs after Chambers and Hadwin underestimated Liam Moffat's injured arm. Netherfield finishing on a respectable but not insurmountable 199.

Lancaster needed a positive start and got just that. Charlie Swarbrick immediately took to Netherfield's opening bowlers as the pitch allowed the strokemaker to play through the line. At the other end Jamie Heywood was more sedate but no less effective as he scored his runs through point early on. Brown, like Simm, turned to his spinners for answers but they few initially as Swarbrick punched Ackermann into the sightscreen while Heywood looked to go inside out over cover.

Veteran leg-spinner Marc Hadwin brought the hosts their first scalp as Swarbrick had a rush of blood and ran past a dipping delivery on 35. Where Netherfield had failed Lancaster prospered as Jannisar Khan and Heywood built a partnership that ensured the scoreboard kept moving and pressure did not build.

Ackermann kept the game alive however when he removed Heywood gloving a lifting delivery to short leg for 45. A veteran of both sides, Danny Welbourne, entered at four and played a vital innings with Jannisar. Punishing anything short from both spinners, Welbourne picked gaps in the offside field while Jannisar picked up where he left off last week, quietly and calmly building his innings with nudged singles to the now numerous boundary riders.

Welbourne even overtook professional Khan as he ensured the run rate never rose above a run a ball. He fell one short of a deserved half century top edging Marc Brown to short fine leg, but by then the damage was done. Jannisar brought up his second fifty in as many weeks before Lee Sparks killed off the game by putting Brown over the pavilion. Lancaster knocked off the runs with 16 balls to spare and only 3 wickets down, to give them 12 points that keeps the club in a handy position should the league leaders slip up.