Season Kickstarted with Big Win

A terrific bowling display saw Lancaster defend 105 against the Lancashire Colts last sunday. Despite the previous day's cancelled fixture, the wet weather had evaporated allowing a prompt start. With cloud cover, however, the visiting colts had no hesitation in bowling first on winning the toss.

The early conidtions suited the bowling side, as Lancaster lost both openers with the score on just 4. Ben Roberts' opening spell ensured runs were at a premium, conceding just 2 from his 7 over spell. Sub-professional for the day Rameez Ahmed kept the hosts innings from subsiding completely with an enterprising 46. The middle order couldn't build on their starts as Lancaster fell to 56-6. Ahmed was ably supported by Iain Perrieman's stubborn 19. Ahmed eventually departed four short of a deserved half century. Ben Simm and Perrieman took the total past the century mark before Richard Dempster and Rob Jones swept up the Lancaster tail.

Common knowledge would see 105 as a meagre total; local knowledge would say otherwise. Seamers Matt White and Liam Moffat put the county youngsters on the back foot early regularly beating the edge. At 15 for 2 it was game on with both numbers 1 and 2 back in the pavilion. Mark Waddington and Rob Jones becalmed the visitors' early nerves and looked to have averted a crisis at 44 for 2. However when Iain Perrieman entered the fray and removed both in quick succession, the door was ajar for a Lancaster charge. Skipper Ben Simm had seized the opportunity tearing through the middle order. A rearguard from the the Colts lower order was no match for Simm, who, supported by the safe hands of Matt White, signalled a welcome return to form with his 22nd division 1 5-for. The Colts falling 18 runs short to give Lancaster their first victory of the season.