Norden through to round two of the LWC Lancashire Cricket Board knockout

Norden Cricket Club

Norden are safely through to round two of the LWC Lancashire Cricket Board knockout following their away win over Swinton Moorside on Sunday.

Norden went into the match without three usual first-team players, and due to competition rules they were also unable to field overseas player Nicholas Fairchild.

In came Jay Collin, Ross Collin, Phil Docker and Dexter Fitton - all played their parts well.

The end analysis shows a comfortable win for Norden, but at one stage of their innings they were struggling against some tight bowling and tottering on the brink between a low total and a reasonable one.

The fact they finished on 155 for eight was down to good late knocks from Jay Collin and Hashum Malik, and 49 from professional Michael Price.

The general opinion was that score would be far too many for Swinton to chase down, and so it proved as Simon North took four wickets to help reduce the home side to an all out 72.

North also took a superb one-handed catch to rival that taken by Steve Pimm in the recent league match at Glodwick, and if this continues the Stags might well have to introduce an extra trophy at the end of the campaign for catch of the season.

North was triggered leg before with the total on 19, hit by a delivery that might well have been called a wide had it not connected with him.

Five runs later Ash Gowers was bowled by Davies, and Norden were 24 for two when rain forced a lengthy delay.

Price and Dexter Fitton pushed the score along to 57 before Fitton skied a delivery from Khan when trying to hit to leg and was comfortably caught.

Steve Pimm looked set, but on 10 he snicked Flatley in to the hands of the keeper, and Davd Bebb was stumped soon after to make it 78 for five with the reduced 39 overs fast running down.

Swinton sniffed blood, but three figures went up on the board with 11 overs left, just before Price was out to a low return catch by Milligan one short of a half century.

Phil Docker was out on 111 when he set off for a run and couldn’t reach the crease when sent back.

One 'in the known' observer felt Norden already had enough runs to secure victory, and the doubters changed their views as Jay Collin and Malik piled on late runs.

Collin smacked one delivery into the next door park, but he was stumped in the same over, and it was left to brother Jason and Malik to see out the innings.

Swinton’s hopes of a good start in reply were quickly shattered as North took a stunning catch at mid-wicket to leave batsman Wade rooted in disbelief.

The innings never really got going, and on 23 Higham snicked a Malik delivery to Gowers behind the sticks.

Flynn fell to a catch on the drop by Malik, and the middle order was destroyed by North.

Milligan was bowled middle stump by North, Hereran was leg before, and Norvall was caught on the run by Price to give North another wicket.

Dexter Fitton then entered the attack to take two for 14 in three overs, 10 of those runs coming off two strokes.

He had Khan caught on the boundary by Price, for a duck, and Wood well caught by Hartley.

In between North hit middle stump again, and the match was rounded off when Malik had Hughes caught by Steve Pimm.

Norden will now entertain Moorside in the next round.

Norden

M Price c and b Milligan 49
S North lbw Khan 4
A Gowers b Davies 5
D Fitton c Norvall b Khan 14
S Pimm c Herreran b Flatley 10
D Bebb st Herreran b Wood 0
P Docker run out 9
J Collin st Herreran b Milligan 25
H Malik not out 20
Extras 19
Total (for 8 wkts) 155
Bowling: Khan 8-2-18-2; Davies 7-1-34-1; Flatley 8-3-19-1; Wood 8-0-25-1; Milligan 6-0-39-2; Higham 2-0-13-0.

Swinton Moorside

D Flatley b North 18
J Wade c North b Malik 0
G Higham c Gowers b Malik 6
C Flynn c Malik b Price 7
N Milligan b North 0
J Herreran lbw North 6
C Norvall c Price b North 4
R Khan c Price b Fitton 0
T Hughes c Pimm b Malik 13
J Wood c Hartley b Fitton 2
D Davies not out 0
Extras 16
Total 72
Bowling: Malik 6.4-1-14-3; Hartley 5-0-6-0; North 8-2-14-4; Price 5-1-11-1; Fitton 3-0-14-2.