Derby day fails to ignite for Lancaster

Morecambe all but sealed their status as 2015 Northern League champions in a crushing defeat of Lancaster at Lune Road.

Suraj Randiv terrorised the Lancaster batting line-up with 5 for 15 before opener Gareth Pedder blasted an unbeaten 49 to seal an emphatic nine-wicket win.

With a line-up bolstered by more batting Ben Simm won the toss and elected to bat. Alex Metcalfe and Charlie Swarbrick opened up well as Jamie Cassidy and Eddie Read toiled for a breakthrough.

Lancaster’s openers moved the score onto 40 for none before Read finally got his just rewards yorking Swarbrick for 21.

Metcalfe had survived two early dropped catches but with his opening partner gone the long collapse began.

Randiv replaced Cassidy and made immediate inroads. His opposite number Rameez Raja didn’t trouble the scorers dancing down and missed a big-turning off-break before Jamie Heywood (1) did exactly the same thing a few overs later to give Randiv his second.

With Randiv into a rhythm 47 for 3 quickly became 48 for 4 as another sharp, spitting off-break gave Sam Moorby little chance as an inside scratch ballooned to Lewis Edge.

Metcalfe stubborn knock came to a close as Josh Dixon looked to change his bowlers around. Tommy Clough joined Randiv in tandem and removed the left-hander lbw prodding forward for 31 in his first over.

Randiv returned from the River End to have Stuart Phillips (3) lbw sweeping before capping off his five-wicket haul as Lee Sparks (3) holed out to deep mid-wicket.

Ben Simm offered some resistance at number 7, looking to attack both spinners rather than succumb to the turn and bounce. Simm and Matthew Liver ticked Lancaster past 80 but the recovery didn’t last long.

Clough wrapped up the innings first finding Liver’s leading edge before bowling Simm through the gate for 16 to pick up a tidy three-for.

With Lancaster’s 11th man failing to make an appearance, the nine wickets to fall equated to a paltry 89 all out for the hosts.

With little scoreboard pressure, Morecambe openers Mark Woodhead and Gareth Pedder attacked from the off.

Woodhead tore into Simm from the Atherton Road end planting 14 off the spinner’s first over while Liam Moffat suffered at the bat of Pedder.

Pedder struck boundaries at will planting the ball onto the River End banking with ease as Morecambe raced to 50 in quick time.

Simm picked up the consolatory wicket of Woodhead gloving behind for 26 but by then the innings had become less of a chase and more of a procession.

Pedder finished unbeaten on a swashbuckling 49 while Suraj Randiv’s 8 not out ensured an emphatic 9 wicket win for Morecambe and a huge step on their journey to the league title.

Lancaster need to pick themselves up for their final home game of the season against Chorley on September 5.