Cricket - Leading question for Parkside duel (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Cricket - Leading question for Parkside duel

2:40pm Thursday 19th May 2011 in Sport

NETHERFIELD were toppled from the top of the First Division by St Annes on Saturday, but have a swift chance to reclaim the leaders' mantle when the top two meet at Parkside Road on Saturday.

Chris Parry's men have found Morecambe to be a bit of a bogey side in recent seasons and last Saturday they suffered their second defeat at Woodhill Lane in successive weekends.

Hopes of avenging defeat in the ECB National Knockout were dashed in a 48-run defeat.

The saga of overdue South African professional Brady Barends rumbles on, meanwhile, despite assurances to the club that a vias was in his possession and he was ready to travel.

The club turned to Ockert Erasmus, the East Lancashire CC paid man, to act as stand-in on Saturday and he arrived primarily as a spin bowler not expected to make runs.

It didn't turn out that way as he failed to take a wicket but ended up hitting a top-scoring 71.

On winning the toss, Parry asked Morecambe to bat and his bowlers made early inroads with Stuart Nixon removing openers Ikram Ullah and Mark Woodhead to leave the visitors at 25-2 by the 13th over.

When Nixon struck again to account for Paul Dennison's for 26, he has taken 3-23 but it was to become 3-49 by the close.

Two significant partnerships shored up the innings. Professional Anwar Ali (58) and Chris Williams (35) came together for a fourth-wicket half-century stand in 13 overs that lifted Morecambe from 48-3 to 98.

It was Marc Hadwin's introduction that split them but the score moved on to 140 before Netherfield took three wickets for nine runs to make it 149-8.

Thirty more runs were added to reach 179 for eight as Tommy Clough (16) and Richard Cupit (9) ffrustrated the attack.

With Ben Haddrick unavailable, Parry opened the Netherfield innings with Marc Brown but both openers fell to Ali with only nine runs on the board.

Alex Atkinson, whose 12 runs came in boundaries, and John Huck (0) went cheaply and it was left to Erasmus's unbeaten 71 to delay Morecambe's progress.

Stans of 32 and 34 with Ben Barrow and Robbie Lambert inched Netherfield to 127 - l53 short of victory with 14 overs left - when Lambert's lbw decision sparked off the loss of the four wickets for just four runs and they were all out for 131 in the 40th over.

Ali (4-47) anbd Jono Gates (4-26) shared the bowling spoils, leaving Netherfield keen to regroup with a settled side as fast as possible.

Netherfield are also in action on Sunday at Whitehaven in the second round of the Bluefin Cumbria Cup (2pm).