Rain Rule Derails Lancaster

Lancaster 105ao
St Annes 90-7
Northern Premier League Division One

St Annes won by 3 wickets on the Rain Rule

It was a familiar story for Lancaster as another flaky batting display left them chasing a rain affected affair at Lune Road on Saturday. Despite a valiant effort in the field, the hosts were eventually scuppered by the combination of a stubborn 7th wicket partnership and the new rain rules that reduced the total required below 90.

Andy Kellett was happy to invite Lancaster to bat first for the 3rd time this season, a decision that looked sensible when opener Danny Welbourne was trapped plumb in front for nought. His partner, Jamie Heywood, was victim to both a lack of foot movement and the probing of Lukman Vahaluwala as a nip-backer found timber to leave Lancaster in a familiar struggle at 12-2.

Michael Barry and Iain Burstow tried to consolidate against Vahaluwala and left-arm spinner Toby Bulcock, playing in a watchful manner not dissimilar to last week. It wasn’t to be a repeat performance, however, as Barry was rapped on the pad playing back to Bulcock and sent on his way for 13.

Charlie Swarbrick looked to be positive as the dark clouds gathered, planting Matthew Grindley onto the tarmac to take the hosts past 50. With rain now falling, Bulcock crafted another breakthrough castling Swarbrick for 14 after being pulled through mid-wicket the ball before.

Rain forced the players from the field for the first time at 51-4, to reduce the game to 45 overs apiece. Iain Burstow kept the scoreboard moving, with two sixes over square leg, but regular wickets checked Lancaster’s progress. Dylan Conroy became Vahaluwala’s third scalp before Burstow was bowled by a peach of a delivery by Mitchell Bolus for a well-made 30.

When Alex Metcalfe came and went for a pained nought, it was down to the lower-order to take Lancaster past the three figure mark. Some unorthodox strokeplay from Lee Sparks combined with the hard running of Ben Simm and Sam Moorby pushed the hosts towards the realm of a competitive total.
The lower-order like those above them didn’t occupy the crease for long however, as Lancaster were dismissed for 105 in just 39.1 overs.

With a long outfield and rain around, 105 was no cakewalk for the visitors, particularly with Liam Moffat and Michael Barry finding their rhythms early on. When Andy Kellett was removed by a brute of a ball from Moffat for just 2 Lancaster smelt a hint of a chance.
The dangerous Vahaluwala and opener Adam Holt both worked their way into double figures but never looked comfortable at the crease. Vahaluwala chopped a Moffat slower ball onto his stumps for 10 before the elements came into play once again.

The rain meant Lancaster lost the psychological advantage of having a three figure total on the board, with the target reduced to just 90. The hosts were up for the fight though, as a sprightly fielding effort and tight bowling kept St Annes under pressure.

Barry found Holt’s edge before Sam Moorby took an excellent caught-behind standing up to the stumps to give Moffat his third. Lancaster had their tails up, as Nathan Bolus and Matthew Taaff both departed cheaply leaving St Annes stumbling at 59-6.

Things kept getting better for the hosts as Toby Bulcock was given caught behind to another jagging Moffat delivery, 62-7. St Annes’ last line of defence proved decisive in the end hwoever, as Michael Harling, David Watson and a late flurry of extras moved the visitors surreptitiously towards their new target.

Simm tried one last throw of the dice, introducing Conroy from the Atherton Road end, but it wasn’t to be, as St Annes overhauled their revised target with 10 overs to spare.