NWCL T20/20 Cup Quarter Finals and T20/20 Finals Day Draw By Bill Slinger
Salesbury v Padiham
The Quarter Finals got underway on a hot and sunny evening at Salesbury.
Padiham won the toss and elected to field.
J James 26 and N Gibb got Salesbury off to a fast start with an opening partnership of 40. They then lost wickets on a regular basis and when Liam Parkinson was runout for 29 to make the total 103-6 it looked like Salesbury might set a low target. However a 7th wicket partnership between T Stones and C Grantham of 34 gave Salesbury a final total of 137-7.
Padiham’s innings started in a similar fashion as openers I Nasser 23 and Declan Bailey 32 got them off to a fast start in the power play. They looked well set for a win at 80-2. However a sudden collapse took the total to 88-7 and then 97 all out. Zander Van Tonder who had come in at number 3 was left stranded on 25 not out. The spin duo of J James who took 5-9 off his four overs and Daniel Rawson 4-8 off 3 overs turned the game on its head and Salesbury eventually had a comfortable win by 40 runs.
All three remaining Quarter Finals were completed on Friday evening despite the thunderstorms in the area.
Blackrod v Little Lever
The earliest finish was at Blackrod who were quickly reduced to 30-5 batting first. Ben Jones 15 not out and Jacob Ashworth 16, managed to get the score up to 80 all out which looked a long way below par. Mukhtar Nasir took 3-16 and Callum Hill 3-17.
Openers Jade Smith 51 not out and Jp King 32 put on 79 for the first wicket as Little Lever raced to victory with 9 overs and 9 wickets to spare.
Farnworth Social Circle v Eagley
Farnworth Social Circle batted first and a 107 run 4th wicket partnership between Jameel Stuart, 77 off 37 deliveries including 3 fours and 7 sixes and Daniel Hughes 28 enable FSC to set a target of 189 all out. N Smith taking 3-20.
In reply, five batsman, J Wainman 22, Harvey Signe 20, A Baig 24, W Owen 22 and M Eccles all got into the twenties but none could go on to make that significant contribution and they ended on 151-9, giving FSC a 38 run win.
Read v Barrowford
Cup Holders Read continued the defence of the trophy with a match against Conference Team Barrowford.
Read got off to a fast start Zadian Muller making 21 off 13 deliveries, a couple of quick wickets forced consolidation with J Evans 20 and Sehan Weerasinghe adding 50 for the third wicket. Weerasinghe continued to make 64 including 4 fours and five huge sixes. Late acceleration was provided by Kyle O’Connor 22 off 14 deliveries and Oliver Dinning 25 off 9 deliveries, in a total of 176-7.
Barrowford made steady progress and a 57 run 2nd wicket partnership between A Wahab 12 and sub professional I Ullah kept the game in the balance. S Waheed 39 off just 15 deliveries including 4 sixes looked to have tipped the match in Barrowford’s favour as Ullah continued scoring freely. Two run outs include that of Waheed, put the pressure on Ullah, he looked to have almost got Barrowford over the line when he was caught in the penultimate over for an excellent 84 off just 66 deliveries including 9 fours and 4 sixes.
In a very tense final over Read held their nerve and Barrowford ended on 170-8 six short of what would have been a memorable win for the Conference Club.
T20 Finals Day
The four winners Salesbury, Read, Little Lever and Farnworth Social Circle will compete for the Birtwistle Cup on Sunday 26th July.
The draw for the venue has been made and the Finals Day will take place at Salesbury Cricket Club.
The semi-final draw is:
Read v Little Lever
Salesbury v Farnworth Social Circle
followed by the Final.
The arrangement for Finals Day will be circulated once discussions have taken place with the hosts Salesbury.
No Reserve Date has been currently set due to Kearsley’s involvement in the Lancashire Knock Out Cup and Read’s involvement in the National Village Cup. (Kearsley,Read and Little Lever are also still in the Hamer Cup Quarter Finals).
Best wishes,
William W Slinger(Bill)
Chairman- The Anthony Axford North West Cricket League
