Match Report
MORECAMBE PEGGED BACK FOR A DRAW
Gerry Wolstenholme
After an exceptionally early finish at Stanley Park, it was a joy to behold some proper cricket in the later afternoon at Vernon Road on Saturday. St Annes had made 214-4 aided by 84 not out from Stephen Twist and a quick-fire 55 not out from Adam Cotton. Peter Stephens had, by all accounts, been kept on too long and finished with two wickets for over 100 runs.
Morecambe's reply began badly, livened up and then died as the St Annes bowlers exerted pressure on the later batsmen and they had to settle for a draw that could so easily have been a defeat if Damien Gudgeon and Andy Bird had not dug in against some good bowling particularly by Geoff Love and Roger Banks.
Two wickets were lost for nine runs when the in-form Mark Woodhead was caught behind by Duncan Whalley off Twist for four. The pair then repeated the dose as young Lewis Edge, a junior goalkeeper on Blackpool Football Club's books, went the same way without scoring.
Stand-in professional Johan Louw, who had apparently bowled some pacy stuff earlier, made 43 with some sturdy blows. But trying to find the boundary again, he was caught in the deep by Twist off Love and that was 76-3. Phil Thornton came in and, despite two huge sixes, could not find his big-hitting form as he was tied down first by Gareth Evans and then by Love. The frustration cost him his wicket as Love switched his bowlers and gave a turn to Cotton. Thornton fancied his chances against 'Pies' but after a couple of sighting balls he hit down the ground only to find the safe hands of Sean Bickerdike at long-off. He was gone for 24 and Morecambe were 126-4.
Phil Dennison meanwhile was accumulating runs at the other end and with Tom Clough as his partner Morecambe, as is their wont, continued to go for the victory target. Clough was particularly strong on the sweep but when he and Dennison had put on 31 quite quickly the latter, having survived a confident appeal for a catch at the wicket off Twist, was dismissed. He had made 55 when Gareth Evans took a brilliant catch at point off the returning Banks and Morecambe were 157-5.
A comedy of errors saw the dismissal of Clough as he exchanged a 'Yes/No' interlude with Bird that ended up in his being run out for 19 at 166-6. Faruk Patel fell when he was leg before wicket to Banks for four and when Gulam Maje was beautifully bowled by Love for one Morecambe, at 179-8, slowed down the chase and seemed to be settling for a draw.
Then after two or three watchful overs, Gudgeon and Bird suddenly seemed to sense a victory chance again but 33 from three overs was never going to be easy especially with Love bowling tightly at one end. And so it proved as Morecambe had to settle for a draw at 205-8, bringing to an end a most entertaining game.
Morecambe's five points saw them to fourth position in the table, just four points behind leaders Chorley.
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