Better batting effort brings 6 points

Blackpool 231-7 dec
Lancaster 222-9

An improved effort saw Lancaster come away from Stanley Park with six points on Saturday.

A spirited chase led by Rameez Raja, Jamie Heywood and Ben Simm took the visitors close to an unexpected victory.

Simm returned to the captaincy after a three week break and elected to bowl first on what looked a fairly benign surface.

Liam Moffat impressed from the off testing Blackpool’s top order with some probing line bowling outside the off-stump.

Youngster Tom Jefferson was first to go prodding at a length ball and edging to ‘keeper Sam Moorby for 10. And things got better for the visitors when stand-in professional Badruddin Iqbal Khan poked a thick edge to Charlie Swarbrick at gully to give Moffat his second at 31 for 2.

Opener Mathew Houston had threatened with a quick start but once again Moffat found the breakthrough trapping the right-hander plumb in front for 27.

And Moffat was the man again as Blackpool fell from 42 for 3 to 51 for 4 when Alex Smith drove away from his body and nicked off for 1.

Enter the experienced pair of Stephen Twist and Andy Furniss who took the innings away from Lancaster. Luck began to desert the visitors as Matthew Liver and Ben Simm bowled wicket-less and Moffat’s edges hit the gaps.

Furniss attacked the leg-side and ticked the score while Twist used his height to force the ball away as both put together a 129-run partnership.

With Lancaster’s attack depleted, Simm turned to Rameez Raja and Kieran Moffat for the breakthrough and it finally came when a Raja in-swinger defeated Furniss for 71 at 170 for 5.

Twist became Raja’s second as a top edge found Moorby running back but his 74 had taken Blackpool to the 200 mark.

Late cameos from Richard Gleeson and Ben Howarth boosted the total to 231 before Blackpool skipper Paul Danson called his team off after 49 overs.

It was a decision the Blackpool skipper almost regretted.

Veteran Danny Welbourne survived an early run out scare with Jamie Heywood but didn’t last long afterwards as an in-form Richard Gleeson found the right-hander fending to second slip at 5 for 1.

Jamie Heywood was in a belligerent mood and with Rameez Raja they put together a steady partnership that offered Lancaster a platform.

Both batted in positive fashion – Raja placing a ball over the long-off boundary off Khan while a Heywood highlight was a middle reverse sweep for four.

The pair took Lancaster to drinks but the breakthrough finally came as Raja skewed the awkward medium pace of Steven Mercer to long-off after bringing up his fifty. A big blow to Lancaster’s chances as Raja departed for 57 at 96 for 2.

Blackpool now had a path into Lancaster’s middle order and Gleeson found a way through.

First Charlie Swarbrick toed an attempted hook straight up before Lancaster’s anchor, Heywood, pulled a similar ball straight to mid-wicket one short of his fifty as Lancaster slipped to 116 for 4.

An injured Metcalfe didn’t last long – top edging a clip off his legs straight up and Kieran Moffat followed soon after skewing another short ball to give Gleeson his fifth and put Lancaster in the mire at 119 for 6.

Sam Moorby showed resolve against the short ball hooking Gleeson for a brace of boundaries while Ben Simm at eight opted to counter with all-out attack.

Moorby finally succumbed to a Gleeson nip-backer for 22 but Simm kept up the pressure on the hosts scoring quickly and keeping Lancaster in touch with the asking rate.

Shepherding the tail, Simm crashed 64 at faster than a run-a-ball with 10 fours and one six to take Lancaster beyond 200 with three overs left.

Despite losing Dakshina De Silva and Matthew Liver late in the piece, number 11 Liam Moffat kept the chase alive striking Gleeson through the covers off one knee.

With 14 required off the final over it was a bridge too far for Lancaster but a solid effort nonetheless – Lancaster finishing 10 short of victory and Simm finishing on an unbeaten 64.