Morecambe Cricket Club beat Fylde in rain-affected thriller

Morecambe travelled to Fylde looking to get back to winning ways after three consecutive losses in the league. 

After three hours of rain eventually there was a start time and a 25 over game.

Fylde won the toss and elected to bat first.

Morecambe made a positive start getting the wicket of Will Smith for 3 as he was caught and bowled by Rizwan Patel.

In came overseas player Ted Bain. He hit five fours in the space of three overs to accelerate the score to 64-1 off 10 overs.

But he departed two overs later as he was stumped by Ashton Ward for 30.

Dan Smith brought up a well worked 50 as the score passed 100 inside 19 overs, and five overs later Dan Smith retired himself out on 78 from 66 balls.

In the last over Rizwan Patel (2-21) got the fourth Fylde wicket as Theo Smith was out for 29.  

Fylde ended on 149-4 from 25 overs. 

Morecambe opened up with Luke Pearson and Alex Briggs and got off to a rapid start as the away side were 25-0 off three overs.

Luke Pearson was caught by wicketkeeper Ian Green an over later though as the score became 28-1.

It didn’t stop Alex Briggs playing any differently to how he has been doing the last few weeks and hit Theo Smith for 17 runs in the over and Dan Smith for 18 runs.

By doing so Briggs brought up his 50 in just 23 balls to get Morecambe well in front of the game at 68-1 off seven overs.

The boundaries would keep coming but on the last ball of the 11th over, Briggs was trapped LBW by Will Smith for 70 off 38 balls.

Another brilliant innings by the Morecambe opener.

Lewis Smith made 17 and David Rhoda made 11 as spinner Will Smith picked up both Morecambe batters.

125-4 off 19 overs and Morecambe needed a further 25 off 36 balls.

Davies and Ward hit back to back fours but when Davies was bowled by Ted Bain and two overs later Ward also had to go for 5 as he was run out,m the game was really in the balance.

138-6 off 23 overs and all of a sudden the equation was a run a ball.

Dan Smith replaced Ted Bain for the penultimate over and five runs came off the first three balls making Morecambe needing seven off nine balls.

The drama was not finished yet as Rizwan Patel was bowled trying to flick one down the leg side and very next ball Michael Bland was dismissed LBW.

Seven off seven balls with just two wickets left, Jamie Holmes joined Lloyd Smith at the crease and from his first ball, pushed the ball down the ground and Lloyd Smith just managed to get back for two at the non striker's end.

Five from the last over was required for Morecambe.

Will Smith (3-31) to bowl to Lloyd Smith and the first ball was a dot. Five off five required.

Next ball, Lloyd swung to the leg side and the ball just went over the rope for six, by a couple of inches just in front of the Morecambe team sending them into delight.

A terrific game of cricket as Morecambe won by two wickets. Lloyd Smith finishing 13 not out. 

The win sends Morecambe third just seven points behind leaders Preston as their match was abandoned due to rain.

Morecambe are next in action on Friday night away at Lune Road to face Lancaster in the T20 competition and on Saturday as they travel to Penrith trying to go back to back wins away from home.