Lancashire League: Holders lose in sudden death bowl out (21 June 1999)

21 June 1999

Lancashire League: Holders lose in sudden death bowl out

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Lowerhouse booked a place in the semi-finals of the Inter League Cup after beating holders Haslingden in a bowl out at Bent Gate yesterday.

Heavy rain meant the match never got started so both skippers opted to settle the tie by bowling at a set of stumps shortly after 4pm.

Only Haslingden's Paul Blackledge and Lowerhouse's Jez Hope hit the target as all 11 members of both sides bowled a delivery.

That meant it went to sudden death and Blackledge missed before Jez Hope then hit to send Lowerhouse through to the semi finals.

Roger Harper ensured Nelson joined them in the last four with another star performance to see off Rochdale.

He took 3-18 as the Central Lancashire League outfit were bowled out for 138 and then hammered 69 not out as Nelson finished on 139-4 to wrap up a six wicket win. Last year's runners-up East Lancs fell at the quarter final stage this time as Middleton cruised into the semi finals on a faster run rate.

The Lancashire League outfit were dismissed for 121 as Andy Clague top scored with 30.

Six overs were then lost to the rain and Middleton's target was reduced to 106 off 39 overs.

And they looked in trouble at 76-5 when Nasir Iqbal struck back with 2-19.

But Sri Lankan pro Rubin Peiris (59 not out) saw his side home as Middleton reached without further loss and five overs to spare.

And Crompton became the second Central Lancashire League side to make the semis with a 13 run victory over Accrington.

They made 126-9 after the match was reduced to a 38-over contest by the weather as Zahir Afzal claimed 4-32.

But that still proved too much for the Lancashire League side who were bowled out for 113 in 36.3 overs.

Source :: The Lancashire Evening Telegraph