Browse Sections

• Local football
• Local cricket

Central Lancashire win major cricket trophy

20/ 9/2002

THE Central Lancashire League lifted the Manchester Evening News trophy after a hard fought five-wickets win over the Bolton Association, at Walshaw, on Sunday.

The CLL won the toss and Bolton were asked to bat.

It proved a good decision by captain Lee Wolstenholme, as tight bowling frustrated the Bolton batsmen, and wickets fell at regular intervals.

Only Faulkner with 29, and Kelly with an unbeaten 34, offered any real resistance as Bolton were restricted to 149 for eight in 48 overs.

Spare a thought for Bolton number eight Tripathi. He was bowled first ball in the abandoned match a few weeks ago, and repeated his feat on Sunday when he was trapped leg before by the first delivery he received.

Pick of the bowlers for the CLL were Lee Wolstenholme with five for 29, John Henderson with three for 10, and Stephen Holt who didn't take any wickets but conceded only 15 runs in his 10 overs.

The CLL's reply started with a flourish, and Peter Wilcock looked in superb form as he hammered his way to 27.

He was run out with the score on 32, and with Jimmy Ryan and Simon Brierley back in the pavilion CLL nerves were jangling. When Matt Dawson was out leg before the match looked evenly poised.

Hero of the hour for the CLL side was Stu Fern. The Norden batsman had replaced Bobby Cross who is on holiday, and he repaid the faith of the selectors with a fine unbeaten 58.

He was well supported by Henderson who hit 22 before Kelly caught him off the bowling of Wakefield.

Nick Kennedy and Fern guided their side to victory to record the CLL's first outright MEN win since 1990. They shared the trophy in 1992 after the final was abandoned.

Fern was named man of the match for his superb innings.