Blackpool 211-4 Fleetwood 178 all out

A BAY 96.9 Northern Premier League game of fluctuating fortunes at Broadwater on Monday saw visitors Blackpool end up winners by 33 runs.

Having looked like topping 250 at one time, Blackpool had to settle for 211-4 from their 60 overs and then Fleetwood -- looking on course for a surprise victory at 150-4 -- lost their last six wickets for 28 runs to give Blackpool a maximum 15 points.

Blackpool lost makeshift opener Gavin Armstrong early as he top-edged an attempted hook off Craig Pryor to be caught behind by Chris Buschini.

That was 12-1, but a further 129 runs had been added before Fleetwood gained another success. Richard Lamb and Mark Lomas fashioned the partnership in 112 minutes with both batsmen finding the gaps in the field with relative ease. Lamb pulled one superb six off Stephen Hill and when he was out for 70 he had added 10 fours to his tally in his 124-ball innings. His dismissal came through a call from Lomas for a quick single, but John Wright was too quick and hit the stumps with a direct throw. Lomas then laboured from 49 to 67 before he was bowled by Pryor having faced 126 balls and hit nine fours.

Prash Aga started slowly then blossomed to reach 34 before he was run out off the penultimate ball leaving David Bartholomew 16 not out and Blackpool at a formidable 211-4.

Fleetwood's reply began badly as Wright followed a lifter from the admirable Marcus Sharp in the first over and wicketkeeper Martin Hackett gratefully took the catch. Bobby Denning went for 10, superbly caught one handed at slip by Lomas, and it was 25-2. Craig Pryor was watchful but never got into his scoring stride, and when he had made 21 a ball from Bartholomew stopped on him and he hit a return catch. Bartholomew then bowled Michael Dewhurst for eight and Fleetwood were 96-4.

The two Blackpool old boys, Michael Clinning and Robin Bracewell, then set about a recovery and they had taken the total to 150 when Bracewell fended off a ball from Sharp to be caught by Lomas for 14. Clinning, stumped by Hackett off Mustafa, followed him to the pavilion two runs later for an excellent 96 made from 138 balls with 11 fours. After that only Nick Coultas, with 24, made any impression on the scoreboard.

Lomas had bravely brought on Billy Mustafa for his first bowl in the Premier League and he responded with 3-31, his final two wickets being Coultas, caught at long off, and Newman caught at short mid wicket. With Buschini run out when the run chase was still possible, Fleetwood fell 33 runs short at 178.

Marcus Sharp bowled magnificently throughout and his 23 overs earned him 4-35.