After winning the toss and batting first, we made poor start losing both openers early as Manny Khan and the Irlam bowling machine Rick Blackman controlled proceedings early doors. Amila Weththasinghe increased the run rate with his cavalier approach, but with wickets tumbling around him the signs weren’t encouraging. He moved the score along from 16/2 to 75/5 before a rash shot off Rick Blackman presented Thomas with an easy looping catch at gully – Amila departing for 38.

However, Carl Sutcliffe and Gary Penchion constructed a 53 run partnership to get us back in the contest and also reach double figures with the bat - something which the rest of the top order failed to do. Skipper Penchion played the anchor role, with Sutcliffe the aggressor. The pair moved the score along to 125 before Penchion (19) was dismissed caught at gully, by a brut of a delivery from Blackman. Sutcliffe made a fine 47 before getting caught trying to hit over the top, but for once our tail wagged with OJ Beirne (13*) and Jack Ritchie (12*), ensuring that we batted the overs, as we finished 164/9. For a change Blackman was the pick of the Irlam attack with 5/59 from his 25 over spell.

Irlam skipper Matt Hood led the fight with the bat as he hit a run a ball 21 before falling to Sutcliffe leg before. Our openers Sutcliffe and Weththasinghe then put the handbrake on the Irlam charge as we removed Ahmed (0), Shah (0) and Taylor (2) to leave the visitors 35 for 4.

Fifteen year old opener Lewis Jackson was still at the crease and he was joined by veteran Ben Johnson. Jackson played exceedingly patiently and cautiously for a youngster, whilst Johnson adopted exactly the opposite approach – if was pitched up and straight it was going! Unfortunately for us the pair managed to instigate a match winning partnership of 99 as two dropt catches offered by Johnson attributed to our downfall. He was finally caught and bowled for 53, which left Quinn (22*) and Jackson who hit a mature unbeaten 54, saw Irlam home by five wickets, as again fielding and lack of runs cost us.

Next weekend could prove to be a defining weekend in our season as we entertain second placed Woodhouses at the SCG on Saturday, before travelling to Denton West on Sunday in the Walkden cup quarter final.

Stand v Irlam

Sat 12th June

Lancs County League

Irlam won by

5 wkts

1st innings:

Stand

Batsmen

How Out

Score

D.Taylor

b Khan

4

C.Holt

ct Payne b Khan

7

A.Weththasinghe

ct Thomas b Blackman

38

M.Curphey

ct Jackson b Blackman

0

M.Holt

ct Jackson b Blackman

4

I.Yahathugoda

ct Ahmed b Khan

4

C.Sutcliffe

ct Taylor b Blackman

47

G.Penchion

ct Thomas b Blackman

19

J.Bond

lbw b Shah

3

O.Beirne

Not Out

13

J.Ritchie

Not Out

12

Extras

13

for 9, from 50 overs

164

R.Blackman

25 - 6 - 59 - 5

M.Khan

16 - 3 - 49 - 3 

B.Johnson

  5 - 1 - 29 - 0

P.Shah

  4 - 1 - 14 - 1

2nd Innings:

Irlam

Batsmen

How Out

Score

M.Hood

lbw b Sutcliffe

21

L.Jackson

Not Out

54

S.Ahmed

ct Penchion b Weththasinghe

0

P.Shah

lbw b Sutcliffe

0

K.Taylor

ct M.Holt b Weththasinghe

2

B.Johnson

ct & b Weththasinghe

53

J.Quinn

Not Out

22

Extras

16

for 5, from 45.2 overs

168

A.Weththasinghe

   17 - 4 - 78 - 3 

C.Sutcliffe

17.2 - 2 - 54 - 2

J.Ritchie

     6 - 1 - 17 - 0

M.Curphey

     5 - 1 - 14 - 0