Morecambe beat Longridge in dramatic cup tie finish

Morecambe Cricket Club first XI are into the semi-finals of the Meyler Cup after a dramatic bowl out finish against Longridge.

Captain Luke Pearson won the toss and elected to bowl first. 

Morecambe made an early breakthrough as Lloyd Smith got Gregson for 11.

Whitehead and Garstang though hit regular boundaries on this small ground as the score went past 40.

But both were out in quick succession, firstly Garstang bowled for 17 and then Whitehead bowled for 13 both via the bowling of Lloyd Smith.

A partnership of 48 held the innings together from Morgan and Holt Jnr but was broken as David Rhoda’s first ball was hit straight to Creech on the boundary, Holt Jnr out for 23.

Rhys Morgan brought up his 50 with a 6 but was clean bowled by Smith which was his first delivery of the game.

He would go onto bowl Mullin three balls later and pick up his third in the next over as Louie Trayers was LBW for 1.

A brilliant two overs from Smith brought Morecambe right back into the game as Longridge 2nds went from 136-4 to 140-7.

Procter was next to go as Lewis Smith made middle stump fly out the ground as the 32nd over came to an end.

The rain began to get a lot heavier and the covers were on.

160-8 with eight overs to go.

After a rain delay of 15 minutes, no overs were lost and play resumed.

Longridge 2nds would only get 12 more runs and finishing on 172 all out, Lewis Smith ending on five wickets for just 20 runs from his six overs. Lloyd Smith's figures were 3-40 and spinners Rhoda and Dixon also picked up one wicket each. 

Longridge would have wanted more after being in a strong position at 136-4 and early wickets would be key if they wanted to progress into the semi finals of the Meyler Cup.

It would be early boundaries instead as Lewis Smith clipped a full ball into the leg side which raced away for four and hammered the ball down the ground which flew away for four narrowly avoiding Mullin on his follow through.

Ashton Ward would be the first wicket for Longridge as he flashed hard at one but found the edge and was well caught by Greenall at third man.

With rain around and 20 overs needed to constitute a game, Morecambe would need to be on 67.

Smith hit five fours in just three overs to get Morecambe past 50 and he brought up his 50 in the 14th over with the score being 78-1 off 13.4 overs .

Morecambe were well ahead of the game and well ahead of DLS but the rain began to get a lot heavier and the covers were back on.

6.2 overs were still required for the match to be completed.

After 30 minutes of waiting and the outfield getting worse, no more play was deemed possible.

With it being a cup game a bowl out would determine the winner and see who would progress to the semi final. 

The bowl out has all 11 players bowling one delivery and the ball must bounce before hitting the wicket. Whichever team hits the most after everyone has bowled is the winner. 

Morecambe went first with Bland who just narrowly missed and Mullin missed for Longridge as well.

Dixon missed but spinner Trevalyan was the first to hit as Longridge went 1-0 up after two bowls each.

The score was still 1-0 after three bowls each.

Lewis Smith after his 5-fer and 50 was next up and he hit the wicket but was on the full so it didn’t count and the score remained the same.

After Longridge missed with their fourth ball, Morecambe levelled the score via Lloyd Smith and it was 1-1 after five bowls each.

David Rhoda would send Morecambe 2-1 up in the bowl out as he hit.

No more hits from either teams as the score was 2-1 to Morecambe going into the final delivery each.

Rizwan Patel was last up to win it for Morecambe but narrowly missed and meant that wicketkeeper Louie Trayers would have to hit to send it to sudden death.

But he missed. Morecambe won the bowl out 2-1!

The semi finals of the Meyler Cup will be played on Sunday July 13. Morecambe will host Penrith after they won in dramatic style versus Ecceleston and the other semi final will be played between Leyland 2nds and Torrisholme.  

With thanks to Ethan Packard.