Clydesdale Bank 40, Lancashire prevail in last ball thriller
Lancashire prevailed in a last ball 2-wicket victory over Unicorns in a Clydesdale Bank 40 match played at Colwyn Bay Cricket Club Ground on Monday, 30th August. Chasing Unicorns’ competitive 40 overs total of 253 for 7, Lancashire was taken home with a last ball straight six off Jonathan Miles.
A 115-run opening stand coming from openers, Karl Brown, and, Paul Horton, inside 21-overs put the Red Rose County on its way to an easy run chase. But 34-year old Hancock had other ideas. Hancock, a former Somerset player, achieved his career best figures of 5-64 from his quota of eight overs to put Lancashire’s fifth win of the season in major doubts. The Red Rose County was 93 runs behind the target off the final 10 overs and it took Steven Croft’s pugnacious 51 off 43 to get the side back on a winning track even though wickets kept on falling at the other end.
Half centuries from skipper, Keith Parsons, and wicketkeeper, Josh Knappett, had earlier spearheaded the recovery when Unicorns were struggling at 31 for 2, taking the hosts to a daunting 40-overs total of 253 for 7. Keith Parsons played an unbeaten knock of 84-runs from 69 balls, while wicketkeeper batsman, Josh Knappett scored 64 off 70. The hosts would surely have mustered too many for the Red Rose County to chase had they not squandered four wickets in the last ten overs of their innings. Luke Procter returned with an impressive 3 for 29 from his medium pace six overs, while Kyle Hogg finished with 2 for 27 from his allotted quota of 8 overs.
The Unicorns opening duo, after being put into bat, was back in the pavilion after a combined contribution of 14 runs. Jackson Thompson was the first one to lose his wicket on the first ball of the fourth over, slashing Daren Powell to Luke Procter. Thompson could only earn the hosts three runs from nine balls. Thompson’s opening partner, Chris Murtagh, shared a 23-run partnership with Michael O’Shea, the bulk of the runs coming from the latter. Murtagh departed in the ninth over nicking Kyle Hogg to wicketkeeper Gareth Cross. Murtagh scored 11 runs after a testing 25 deliveries.
Michael O’Shea and the wicket keeper, Josh Knappett, posted 38 runs to the scorecard for the third wicket stand before the former was bowled out by Luke Procter. O’Shea scored 28 runs from 36 balls, plundering four muscular boundaries. O’Shea’s departure in the sixteenth over brought skipper, Keith Parsons, to the crease and in partnership with keeper Knappett. The pair played a succession of sweet shots to put the side on its way to a competitive score. Lancashire bowlers had to wait for 16 overs to claim another success.
Both partners shared a three digit partnership as the hosts reached 189 for 3 in the 32nd over. Meanwhile, both players scripted their half-centuries. The partnership was worth 120, when Gary Montgomery broke it having Knappett caught by Paul Horton. Knappett’s 70-ball innings added 64 runs to the team’s total. During his 88-minute stay at the crease, the wicket keeper entertained the home crowd with six muscular fours and two lofty sixes. Unicorns had lost four wickets in the last nine overs for 64 runs. With the wickets falling at other end, Parsons played sensibly and remained not out for 84 as the hosts were able to amass 253 for 7 from their allotted 40 overs.
Lancashire began reasonably well before running into a red-hot Neil Hancock, who scythed through the visiting line-up to finish with five wickets. An opening stand of 115 runs inside 21 overs meant the visitors would reach the target well in time but Hancock’s five-wicket haul made the hosts sniff a victory. However, Steven Croft’s 43-ball 51, complemented by Hogg’s unbeaten 35 off 26 shattered Unicorns hopes, as the visitors sealed a 2-wicket win off the last ball.