Cricket - Star man Laughlin leads Barrow rout (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Cricket - Star man Laughlin leads Barrow rout

10:45am Thursday 7th July 2011 in Sport

A POLISHED all-round display from Australian Ben Laughlin led Netherfield to a 109-run victory over Barrow in front of a crowd basking in glorious sunshine at Parkside Road on Saturday.

His focus and temperament impressed and the team were definitely up for a big performance after some recent setbacks.

Even an unlucky dismissal when bowler Graham Dawson fingertipped a straight shot on to the stumps at the non-striker's end while Laughlin was backing up, failed to unsettle him.

Batting at No 6, Laughlin, made 42 but Chris Parry's side had to show plenty of character to get themselves back into the game after a few hiccups.

Barrow's decision to bowl was instantly rewareded when Marc Brown was dismissed first ball.

Parry put himself at No 3 and he and Ben Haddrick prospered for 61 in 20 overs before the Daryl Wearing bowled the skipper for 36.

Five runs later, Haddrick had followed for and that became 77-4 as John Mason fell to Liam Livingstone's call-up to the attack.

Laughlin joined Alex Atkinson (32) for a half-century partnership but after Laughlin'ds dismissal, it required a lively unbeaten 37 from Ben Barrow to drag the hosts pver the pyschological mark of of 200-8.

Two key blows knocked the stuffing out of Barrow -and Laughlin delivered them both.

He had South African professional Pieter Malan caught behind by stand-in keeper Shane Dixon - one of four catches taken by the second-team skipper.

Faces dropped when Malan appeared to offer a chance into the slips that went down, but next ball he tickled one down legside that Dixon pouched.

In-form all-round Livingstone met his end for four when Atkinson took a juggled catch at point after reacting well to get his hands to a fast-moving ball.

Opener Lightfoot hung around for 26, trying to hit straight, but Stuart Nixon got his just reward when he edged to Parry and five runs and five overs later Dawson went for 12 off 42 balls.

It set the scene for Laughlin to run through the tail, taking four victims in ten balls as Barrow were all out for 91 in the 39th over.

It sealed a well-deserved 15-pointer much to the home crowd's delight .

.