Danny the Champion of the Fylde

I wasn't there... so some of this report is short of 'bulk'

Centurion Welbourne Hands Lancaster Third.

Veteran Danny Welbourne’s unbeaten 130 saw Lancaster secure third place for the 2013 season. Preston had no answer to the Northern League stalwart who scythed his way to his 100 in double-quick time before Matthew Liver, Ben Simm and Iain Burstow completed the job with the ball.

Recent rumours of problems with Preston’s ground were dispelled; when Lancaster were welcomed by a green but very firm pitch with a quick outfield at West Cliff. The city side had drafted a number of new faces for this fixture after they were left without 6 of their usual first XI line up. As a result Tom Williamson opened the innings with Welbourne but fell LBW to the ever persistent Andrew Starkie for just 8.

This was the only real hiccup Lancaster encountered, as Jannisar joined Welbourne in taking apart the Preston bowling. While Starkie did try and stifle the scoring rate, Preston’s attack and lacklustre fielding left a lot to be desired. Jannisar and Welbourne cashed in, with the senior man Welbourne outgunning his professional partner picking gaps and finding the boundary every over.

Welbourne has always been an enigmatic character with the bat, bottom hand dominated and eccentric at the crease, he is capable of both forgettable and memorable innings. Saturday’s effort certainly belonged to the latter as he motored past 50 thriving on a diet of loose deliveries. Jannisar was content to play second fiddle as he signalled a late resurgence in form by bringing up his 5th half century of the season so far.

The day belonged to Welbourne however, as he cut loose and raced to his century before the 40th over. Jannisar finally perished, caught and bowled for 67, as Lancaster breezed past 200. Welbourne finished on 130 not out with Sam Moorby on 9, as Ben Simm called his men in at a mammoth 230-2 in the 46th over.

While Preston are bottom of the league, they made Lancaster fight for their second 15 point victory in as many weeks. The swing of Matthew Liver replaced the absent Liam Moffat opening the bowling and was no less effective in removing the opposition’s top order. After finding the edge in his first over, Liver trapped skipper Zaid Patel LBW for nought before removing Sajid Patel and Javaid Hussain after they had made handy starts.

From then on it was trial by spin for Preston, as Ben Simm and Iain Burstow entered the fray. Miya Ahmed Lunat and pro Soyeb Dukanwala kept the visitors at bay for a fair while both making fighting 38s but once they departed the end was relatively swift. Burstow found his way through Lunat’s defences while Simm had Dukanwala smartly taken my Moorby behind.

The spinners tore through the lower order as Preston crumbled to 137 all out, Burstow finishing with 3 for 21 and Simm outthinking the tailenders to claim 4 for 37. Lancaster winning by 93 runs and cementing their Lancashire cup place for 2014.

The Second XI also secured victory against Preston successfully chasing down 120 in a close encounter at Lune Road. Earlier in the day Tom Burrow took 5 for 33 to restrict Preston to 119 with Syed Ajmal Abbas Shah making a quickfire 41 before Rik Ghosh's 31 and Steven Armstrong's unbeaten 21 saw Lancaster over the line and off the bottom of the table.