Batting collapse again halts firsts

Familiar errors sent Lancaster down to another league defeat in East Lancashire on Saturday.

Lancaster lost eight wickets in the space of four overs in two dramatic collapses – scuppering any chances of the visitors overcoming second place Darwen.

Darwen’s strong batting line-up made first use of the pitch and opener Ammer Mirza attacked Liam Moffat from the off - taking 13 from his first over.

Callum East bowled six-overs without luck from the other end as Mirza kept up the pace. Moffat trapped Scott Jackson LBW for 1 but the runs flowed quickly – Darwen 50-1 in the 8th over.

New skipper Alex Metcalfe turned to spin and Ben Simm immediately clawed back some control for the visitors.

Dan Chambers bowled with good control from the other end as veteran John Cordingley and Mirza were happy to consolidate to drinks, 98 for 1.

Simm finally got the wicket he deserved as when Mirza couldn’t resist a flighted ball above his eye-line and picked out Rameez Raja at long-on for 63.

On a pitch good for batting, Lancaster pulled the innings back well.

While Simm toiled from one end, Iain Perrieman’s final spell of the year was a tight one at the other extracting turn and bounce with his left-arm spin.

Liam Moffat returned and got his second wicket with the first ball of his new spell – sub-pro Wesley Lansdale clipping a full-toss low to Dan Chambers at mid-wicket – 146 for 3.

Cordingley manoeuvred the field well in his innings before he finally fell to Simm on 68 in the pursuit of quick runs.

Moffat and Simm fought through the remaining overs but with wickets in hand, Darwen could afford to throw the bat.

Cameos from Mark Friend (24) and David Bowden (26*) took the hosts beyond the two hundred mark but Lancaster could be happy chasing 215 for victory on an easy paced pitch. Simm the pick with 4-70 from his 20-over spell.

With plenty of work to do Lancaster’s innings got off to the worst possible start. Jamie Heywood edged a wide Niall Burke delivery behind first ball – 0 for 1.

Rameez Raja signalled his intentions early. He played his natural game striking the ball aerially over the off-side.

Despite the fall of Alex Metcalfe LBW for 5, Raja and number four Charlie Swarbrick motored along at north of six-an-over to pile the pressure back on the hosts.

Passing 100 in just the 18th over, Raja brought up his quick-fire fifty while Swarbrick showed his good form by planting Wes Lansdale over the far wall.

Then came the collapse as 102 for 2 became 103 for 6 in a matter of minutes.

Swarbrick (33) was well set but tried one big shot too many picking out mid-on off left-arm spinner David Bowden. Sam Moorby followed Swarbrick back next ball – adjudged LBW to an arm ball.

Kieran Moffat was next to join the procession – this time Lansdale got in on the act finding a way through the left-hander’s defences, 103 for 5.

All hope looked lost when Raja fell for 60 skewing to his opposite number to long-off to complete a gut-wrenching middle-order collapse.

Iain Perrieman (48) and Dan Chambers (6) looked to rescue the situation. The pair batted for 20 overs and gave Lancaster an unlikely opportunity for a late charge at the winning post.

But at 163 for 6 with 8 over remaining another collapse but pay to any Lancaster chances. Perrieman’s fine innings ended short a deserved 50 when the returning Neil Cordingley found the outside edge of an attempted drive.

Ben Simm and Callum East fell in the same over with both edging Cordingley to Lansdale at slip and the final blow came when Bowden trapped Chambers in front – Lancaster slipping to a 50 run defeat.