Lowerhouse v Enfield
Lowerhouse performed a superb comeback on Sunday to go within two points of top spot after taking all 12 points against Enfield.
The visitors won the toss and elected to bowl first. Both of the hosts’ openers met the same fate as Jonny Whitehead (4) and Ben Heap (5) were caught behind off the bowling of Hassan Fazal. Jack Edgar (10) got caught out by a straight one from professional Werner Coetsee and Adam Bracewell took a simple catch at slip. This sparked a flurry of wickets for the South African spinner as Cobus Pienaar (6), Joe Martin (0), Charlie Cottam (6), Paddy Martin (4) and Joe Hawke all succumbed to the conditions. At this stage Lowerhouse were 54/8 and looking unlikely to even reach 60. Things were almost worse but Bracewell dropped Declan Bailey on 4 and the youngster would punish Enfield for his mistake. Along with Chris Bleazard, he managed to play sensible cricket (as well as some thumping boundaries) on his way to an excellent half century, his first in Lancashire League matches. He was shortly afterwards for 52 Overall, the 9th wicket stand was worth 86 runs and gave the hosts something to defend. Bleazard (35) was the last wicket to fall as the innings closed on 144 all out.
Enfield made a better start with Bedford and Wright rotating the strike well. The first bowling change brought their partnership to an end when Joe Hawke trapped Wright plumb LBW for 15 and claimed Bedford in his very next over for 20. Fergus Bailey, who was keeping things tight at the other end, took the big scalp of Coetsee for just 5 with another LBW decision (Bailey finished with tidy figures of 1/13 off 14 overs). Pienaar replaced Hawke (2/29) after 6 overs off to dismiss perennial blocker Greg Jones for 2 with the 3rd LBW of the innings. The experienced Adam Bracewell and Tiarnan Hamill began to edge Enfield ahead in the contest as they eeked out the runs before Bracewell handed Bleazard one of his easier catches just behind square for 29. Kieran Dermaine helped take the score into three figures (and their first batting point) before Pienaar got him LBW for 7. Then came the moment that put the home side back in charge. Joe Wrigley hit it round the corner and decided to take a quick single but Ben Heap picked up the ball and, with a swift turnaround, launched it towards the other end to produce a magnificent direct hit with Wrigley well short of the crease and was gone for just 2. Hamill was finally dismissed by Paddy Martin (another LBW, the 5th of the innings) for 21 and Hassan Fazal (1) followed almost straight away Joe Martin finally got a caught behind decision off the bowling of Pienaar after a number of unsuccessful appeals, The South African again posted impressive figures of 4/34 off 14 overs. Paddy Martin (2 took the final wicket as Ben Dowling (2) went for broke with a big bash straight down the ground but couldn’t get it over Hawke as Enfield crumbled to 117 all out after 43.4 overs (they managed 3 batting points for their efforts to go with the 2 bowling points from earlier so amassed 5 points in defeat).
MOM was Declan Bailey for his 52. Another bumper weekend in store as Lowerhouse and Burnley go to battle once more in the Twenty20 on Friday night (a 6.15pm start) then the following day there’s more cup action as East Lancs travel to the Neville Gee (Recruitment) Arena for a Worsley Cup clash then it’s back to the league and a trip to the Rossendale Valley as they get set to take on early pace setters Rawtenstall.
