Cricket: Narrow defeat for Morecambe in league opener at Fleetwood

Morecambe suffered a narrow defeat at Fleetwood in their opening game of the Northern Premier League campaign.

Morecambe had started the 2026 season with back-to-back wins in the 40 over cup and travelled to Broadwater for their first fixture in Division Two.

The visitors, back in the Northern League for the first time since 2021, were put into bat against Fleetwood who for many are the favourites to win Division Two after last year's relegation from the topflight.

A rocky start with the bat saw Jeremy Davies dismiss Lewis Smith LBW in the third over. Luke Pearson hit the first boundary of the day but in the same over, off spinner Matthew Siddall trapped the Morecambe captain LBW and after four overs, Morecambe were 14-2.

Andy Creech and Siddarth Ahhuja revived the innings, and both played positively as the boundaries started to flow. The pair put on 87 which included the half century of Ahhuja before the drinks break as Morecambe had a platform at 98-2. A change of bowling was implemented as Clerkin came into the attack and bowled Creech for 31.

The Indian overseas Ahhuja (70) was next to go, holding out on the leg side boundary as Charlie Clark took the catch. At 187-5 from 44 overs, a big score was on the cards, but what followed was a collapse for the away side.

Captain Siddall bowled a triple wicket maiden, and left Bradshaw stuck at the non-striker's end. He took a single first ball of the 45th over but next ball Bland was bowled by Wali. Regan Jackson saw the over off, but Siddall (5-34) wrapped the innings up, Bradshaw came down the track but didn’t connect as the fast hands of Harry McAleer whipped the bails off.

Morecambe had lost five wickets for one run and a score of 189 was set.

Early wickets were needed and Lloyd Smith provided them with three, including Fleetwood Pakistan professional, Mohammad Hurraira. Regan Jackson bowled Davies as Fleetwood fell to 30-4.

A partnership formed between McAleer and Clark, and the 100 was brought up in the 26th over, with a further 89 needed from 24 overs.

Ahhuja got the breakthrough as Reuben Orr took a good catch at slip. 106-5 soon became 131-9 as the spinner had two more and Michael Bland bowled the Fleetwood wicketkeeper for 54.

Jackson was brought back and Clerkin took 14 off the 44th over to set up a grandstand finish to the contest.

At 174-9 off 46 overs, only 15 was needed but Morecambe were penalised 10 penalty runs for a slow over rate as the equation became 5 off 24 balls.

Jackson bowled to Clerkin and the ball looked to be going into the hands of Orr on the offside boundary, but it was dropped and to rub salt into the wound the ball trickled over the rope for 4. Next ball, Clerkin inside edged past Ashton Ward for consecutive boundaries and the hosts went into jubilation.

Fleetwood won by one wicket.