Match Report
St Annes were denied a possible repeat of last year's final slot in the Wareing Trophy by a solid all-round show from Blackpool.
After a spectacular opening when Ahmed Hassan uprooted Dave Elgee's middle stump with the first ball of the match and Manoj Kuttappan took a well-judged caught and bowled to dismiss the highly rated John Caunce, St Annes bowled in snatches. The ship was later steadied by an excellent mid-innings spell from Tom Heap (2-21) and Mick Auty (0-15)each in 8 overs. Hassan came back to finish things and earn his 2-21 from 8 overs. Nick Jones and Adrian Speakman were outstanding in the field.
Auty and Vijay Chandrasekar started solidly but after they and Roger Hughes were dismissed, keeper John Dougall set about rebuilding. Jones looked stylish but after he was run out, St Annes were in trouble at 72-6. However, Speakman produced a personal best for St Annes and it was thanks to his excellent and mature 34 not out that St Annes got to within 23 runs of the target.
