Dominant Morecambe rip through Preston order to claim all 12 points

Morecambe travelled to West Cliff to face a struggling Preston side on another scorching Saturday afternoon and came away with a convincing victory.
Morecambe batsman Luke Pearson in action. Picture: Tony North.Morecambe batsman Luke Pearson in action. Picture: Tony North.
Morecambe batsman Luke Pearson in action. Picture: Tony North.

Once again captain Ryan Pearson lost the toss and the Preston skipper surprisingly decided to put Morecambe into bat.

The visitors’ opening pairing of second team captain Luke Pearson (97) and the returning Lewis Smith (29) proved to be more than adequate with Morecambe finally getting a partnership worth more than 10 at the top of the innings.

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The partnership continued to grow until Smith was dismissed caught and bowled by Momia (1-6) who was injured taking the catch and couldn’t bowl again after that.

Jongwe (56) joined Pearson at the crease with 89 on the board and they continued to pile the runs on with a partnership worth over 100, this put Morecambe thoroughly in control of the game and into a winning position before the halfway point in the day.

Jongwe was dismissed caught behind in the 42nd over and new man Briggs (15no) was bumped up the order to build confidence for the upcoming weeks in the season.

The only thing left in the innings was to see Luke Pearson convert his maiden first division 50 into his maiden first division 100.

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Unfortunately. he was to come agonisingly close to it and got caught at long off for 97 with 10 balls left in the innings.

What had been a great innings didn’t have the ending he wanted but a chanceless innings nonetheless.

Captain Ryan Pearson (16no) replaced his brother and with a few lusty blows led Morecambe to 237-3 at the close of the innings.

As well as a new opening partnership with the bat Morecambe also had a new bowling partnership to blood into the game with the returning holiday goer Jamie Cassidy (4-23) and the evergreen 
Tommy Clough (1-26) opening up with Cassidy taking a wicket in the first over with a well directed yorker.

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These wickets were to keep coming for Cassidy, who bowled well on his return to the side, at a perfect time in the season with the games stepping up a notch and coming thick and fast.

Wickets continued to fall and apart from a captain’s run out, all nine wickets fell to the bowlers with Edwards (3-9) chipping in also with Jongwe the only man not to take a wicket from his two overs.

Preston were bowled out for 61 in a gamethat was not going to end up any other way from ball one.

Morecambe have a much more difficult and intense game next week against reigning champions Netherfield at Woodhill Lane, which for both teams is the closest they will be getting to a local derby this season after the relegation of Lancaster and Kendal respectively.

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Then, on bank holiday Sunday, Morecambe travel to Fulwood and Broughton for the early 12pm start in their second T20 game of the season looking to go two for two in their group and put them in a great position going into the double header t20 fixtures against Garstang and Fulwood at Woodhill Lane on Sunday, June 17.