Ten man 1st XI power to 15 point win

A depleted Lancaster took all the points after an excellent all round performance at St Annes.

Rameez Raja continued his fine run of late season form with an 113-ball century while an unbeaten 59 from Ben Simm helped Lancaster to their highest total of the year.

With both sides enduring indifferent seasons it promised to be a tight affair before Ben Simm won the toss and elected to bat.

Openers Alex Metcalfe (12) and Charlie Swarbrick (24) started positively but the former attempted a rash drive on the up against Matthew Grindley to give St Annes the first breakthrough at 20 for 1.

Swarbrick looked in good touch on the slow pitch and the entrance of Rameez Raja boosted the run rate further.

Disaster struck for the visitors when a well-set Swarbrick set off for an ill-advised overthrow only for Geeth Malinda Kamburugamuwe to atone for his misfield and throw down Swarbrick’s stumps. 65 for 2.

With one end open Lancaster looked more vulnerable. Raja consolidated with Jamie Heywood (17) at number four who watchfully ensured his wicket would not be part of a collapse.

Raja went on the attack against his opposite number Xander Pitchers and youngster Mitchell Bolus highlighting the lack of depth in the St Annes attack.

A change in the bowling brought Heywood’s downfall. Leg-spinner Matt Taaffe trapped the right-hander pushing his front foot down the line leaving umpire Bob Cairns lifting his finger.

And Taaffe had more Joy when Sam Moorby (5) attempted a slog-sweep across the line to suffer a similar fate – 125 for 4.

Ben Simm was the perfect foil to Raja. Lancaster’s skipper has been in good form with bat in hand and it showed as gaps were found early and the score ticked along at five-an-over.

With fifty long behind him Raja upped his scoring another gear lifting Pitchers into the houses and threading the St Annes attack through the off-side field.

Simm moved around the crease to good effect manipulating the St Annes field to his will using deft touches and brute bottom-handed force.

Raja endured a nervous half-dozen deliveries on 99 but eventually brought up a deserved second ton of the season.

His innings came to end almost immediately after when an attempted hoick found Adam Holt at long-off – the Pakistani international finishing with 100 exactly.

While 200 had been breached Lancaster wanted more. Late wickets fell to Grindley as both Lee Sparks and Iain Burstow were stumped looking for quick runs.

Simm remained to the end and was rewarded with an unbeaten 59 for his efforts while Matthew Liver (8*) played a handy cameo to take Lancaster to 240 for 7.

With an outfield akin to an upturned saucer, defending runs at Vernon Road is a tough task no matter what the total. In the end Lancaster needn’t have worried.

Adam Holt (17) started in a positive vein pulling Matthew Liver for a flurry of boundaries through the leg-side to get the hosts moving. But from then on it was one-way traffic.

On the back of his batting exploits, Raja got in on the act with the ball. St Annes skipper Andy Kellett was struck on the toe by a Raja in-swinger third ball to depart for 1. While Adam Holt’s attempted paddle sweep ended in failure as Raja snuck the ball through his defences to give Lancaster the upper hand.

Matthew Liver recovered from a shaky start to his spell to find his rhythm. He was justly rewarded by finding the leading edge of Tim Le Breton’s bat leaving Ben Simm to complete an exceptional left-handed diving catch inches above the turf at straight-mid-wicket – 28 for 3.

St Annes pro Xander Pitchers and number five Matthew Taaffe (17) then offered some resistance. Simm rested Liver and introduced himself while Raja continued to work away.

Despite the recovery the required run rate was rising above six-an-over and the pressure finally told when a horrible mix-up saw both batsmen at the same end with Taaffe the man to go.

Nathan Armstrong was the next to go as a flail across the line gave Raja his third of what was turning into a memorable afternoon for the Lancaster pro at 70 for 5.

Simm claimed the big wicket. The well-set Pitchers (38) misjudged an arm-ball and the subsequent leading edge looped back to a grateful Simm to leave St Annes staring down a heavy defeat.

Nathan Bolus and Geeth Malinda didn’t last long either. Bolus outclassed and castled by another Simm arm ball while Malinda edged to Simm at second slip – 90 for 8.

A late flurry from Matthew Grindley (17) and a 28-ball 44 from Mitchell Bolus spared some of the St Annes blushes – Bolus helping himself to 9 boundaries in all. But it was merely delaying the inevitable.

Iain Burstow entered to mop up proceedings – first removing Bolus with a straightforward caught and bowled before having number 11 Dave Watson caught behind to seal an important 15 point win for the visitors.