Morecambe warm up for derby with Kendal win

Batting first the visitors posted 204-6 with skipper Josh Dixon making 79 and Ryan Pearson a maiden Northern League Division One half century with 72.

In reply Kendal were swept aside for 98 with the wickets shared between an impressive bowling unit.

Dixon won the toss and chose to bat, backing his side’s ability to post a total before applying pressure on the side batting second despite being without the likes of Phil Dennison, Tommy Clough and Gareth Pedder for the trip to Shap Road.

Morecambe made a watchful start but were to lose Adam Derham (2) and shortly after professional Suraj Randiv to a peach of a delivery from Stuart Parkin.

The Woodhill Lane side looked to be in trouble at 25-2 and questions were beginning to be asked about the decision to bat first on what was a damp pitch.

Cue however Dixon and his vice Pearson who battled hard early on as the pair both rotated the strike well to build a platform.

The pair then began to express themselves both striking the ball to all corners piling the pressure on the Kendal attack.

Dixon was first to pass his 50 with a straight drive down the ground and looked well set to convert to three figures.

Pearson also continued on his merry way, reaching his first top tier half century as the pair brought up Morecambe’s 100.

With eight overs remaining runs were ticking forward with no alarms but as Dixon looked to accelerate the scoring further he was caught in the deep for an excellent captain’s knock of 79.

The pair had added 138 for the third wicket and put Morecambe firmly in he driving seat.

As Morecambe looked to push on it was inevitable wickets would fall including that of Pearson but the middle order, including an entertaining cameo of 21 from Lewis Edge, ensured Morecambe passed 200.

Kendal’s reply started steadily as they repelled the bowling of Jamie Cassidy and Eddy Read.

However their resistance was soon broken as skipper Dixon’s excellent afternoon continued when he took a spectacular one-handed catch at second slip to dismiss Darren Braithwaite off the bowling of Cassidy (3-14).

They say one brings two in cricket and that was the case as Cassidy dismissed Paul Dodds caught smartly by Randiv before trapping Ryan Shepherd leg before wicket.

Read however not to be outshone then took the wicket of Kendal sub-professional Azeem Ghumann without scoring.

Morecambe were well on top but Kendal were to show some fight through Saieed Bariwala, Shane Hyland and Oliver Field.

The claiming of their wickets by the ever present Randiv (3-24) and the returning Read (4-28) ensured Morecambe dismissed Kendal for 98 and took 15 points back to Woodhill Lane.

Morecambe next host Lancaster at Woodhill Lane on bank holiday Monday in a 1pm start.