Lowerhouse made the short trip to The Arbories for the annual T20 charity clash against local rivals Padiham in a fixture that never fails to entertain. Padiham won the toss and chose to bat first — with Lowerhouse handing the reins to their younger talent.
The hosts started steadily, reaching 45 before losing their first wicket. But what followed was a dramatic collapse, with Padiham slipping from 45 for 1 to 78 for 6, undone by a superb spell from Shaukat Ali, who claimed 4 for 21, including a devastating burst of 3 wickets in 4 balls. He was backed up brilliantly by Paddy Martin (3 for 17) and Keagan De Vries (2 for 17), as Padiham were bowled out for 123 with just two balls remaining.
In reply, Lowerhouse started confidently, reaching 72 for 2 at the halfway stage. However, a mid-innings wobble saw them fall to 91 for 5 with five overs left, setting up a tense finish.
With 9 runs needed from the final two overs, Shaukat Ali and Dec Metcalfe kept their cool. The pair knocked off the target in just five deliveries, securing the win with an over and a ball to spare. Jonny Whitehead top scored with a composed 39 off 34 balls, while Dec Metcalfe (19*) and Shaukat Ali (18*) guided House to victory.
That result levels the Padiham Charity T20 saga at 2-2 — roll on next year!
A massive thanks to hosts Padiham for this evenings event played in front of a bumper crowd with significant funds raised for Casual Minds Matter
📊 Full scorecard available on Play-Cricket
#UTH 💛💙