Nearly but not quite once again

A fighting lower order display by Fleetwood combined with the elements scuppered Lancaster’s chances of 15 points on Saturday.

Adam Sharrocks’ unbeaten 39 took the hosts from a precarious 151-8 to victory in the final over as Lancaster struggled to cope with a wet ball.

Earlier in the day Fleetwood skipper Matt Clark inserted Lancaster on a well-worn and dusty track.

Openers Jamie Heywood and Alex Metcalfe had little to worry about early in the piece as Iain Holland and David King struggled to apply pressure.

Heywood rotated the strike well with quick singles while Metcalfe got the scoreboard moving from the off – pulling any short balls on offer to the boundary.

Lancaster passed the 50 mark with few alarms in the 14th over and continued unabated towards three figures.

Clark rotated his bowlers and, after some pressure from Adam Parker, it was 14 year-old James Amor who got the breakthrough trapping Metcalfe lbw for a well-made 46.

From 90 for no loss, Lancaster entered into a familiar batting stumble. Despite reaching drinks unscathed Jamie Heywood’s tidy knock was ended by Parker – the right-hander bowled playing-on for 35.

Two more wickets fell quickly. First Charlie Swarbrick spooned a ball that stuck in the pitch to the diver cover fieldsman off Parker for 0 before Sam Moorby was casted for 8 to give the left-armer his third.

At 100-4 Lancaster looked to be letting their position of strength slip but Rameez Raja applied himself in difficult conditions and was merciless on anything loose.

While wickets continued to fall steadily Raja kept the Lancaster total moving in the right direction.

Kieran Moffat fell to a great catch at slip by King off the returning Holland for 7 before Raja departed 8 shy of his half-century as a sharp piece of work by Dean Bell saw the Pakistani international stumped at 150 for 6.

Lee Sparks tried the only way he knows but became Parker’s fourth – bowled missing a full-toss. While Iain Burstow fell to Holland looking for quick runs.

A cameo 17 from skipper Ben Simm boosted the visitors past the 180 mark to establish maximum batting points. Ian Holland mopped up the Lancaster tail to pick up his five-for as Tom Whitehouse and Simm holed out. Lancaster finishing 185 all out.

With the pitch dry and three spinners in the Lancaster armoury Fleetwood faced a stiff chase.

Top scorer in the league David King was busy at the crease from the off taking any opportunity for quick singles.

His opening partner Adam Parker, has been in less imperious form and Simm worked his man out well drawing Parker across the crease and then trapping the left-hander on the back foot plumb in front for 12.

King proved stubborn however putting away every bad ball on offer and taking Fleetwood past 50 in good time.

Simm worked in partnership with Iain Burstow to try and pry out the Fleetwood top order but found the going difficult as Tom Wilson supported King with some lusty blows in his 20.

Simm got the much needed breakthrough before drinks as a diving Sam Moorby collected a ball which spat and turned to remove Wilson.

King moved past fifty almost unnoticed targeting the short leg-side boundary off Burstow as the hosts approached three figures.

But the game turned once more. Dean Bell was caught sweeping by Charlie Swarbrick after a deflection of Moorby to give Simm his third and Burstow picked up his first scalp with James Wilson holing out to Liam Moffat at mid-off.

With pressure applied with these two wickets King looked less assured at the crease. Simm set up the Australian beautifully – trapping the left-hander LBW prodding forward for 67 to give Lancaster the upper hand.

With the run rate climbing to above 5 an over Adam Sharrocks and Ian Holland went on the attack and found success as the rain began to fall.

Mistakes began to creep into Lancaster’s fielding as the required runs ticked down below 50. But Iain Burstow once again put Lancaster back in contention with two wickets in two balls.

Holland played one sweep too many and was caught in front of all three before Burstow completed his quick-fire brace having Mark Wilkinson caught by Charlie Swarbrick first ball.

And 150 for 7 became 151 for 8 as Burstow picked up his fourth having Wayne Clarke stumped after defeating the number 9 in the flight.

But as the rain got heavier the game began to slip from Lancaster’s grasp. Sharrocks and Matt Clark worked the ball into the wet outfield and both took full toll on loose deliveries as Lancaster’s two off-spinners struggled to get a grip on the ball.

With 4 required from the final over, Sharrocks’ fine innings was capped off with a lofted boundary over mid long-on to leave Lancaster rueing another missed opportunity for points. Fleetwood getting home with two wickets to spare.