Lancaster beaten again after batting collapse

After opting to bat first against Fleetwood the hosts lost Jamie Heywood (6) and Alex Metcalfe (6) early in the piece.

At 20 for 2 things didn’t improve – pro Abhimanyu Khod was trapped in front by his opposite number Travis Dean before Kieran Moffat was cleaned up for a duck.

Charlie Swarbrick looked to stop the rot with a quick fire innings but his luck was not in when he rifled a cover drive straight to Dean at cover – 47 for 5.

Iain Perrieman was adjudged lbw to give Dean his fourth scalp soon after and when Ben Simm spooned Adam Parker to cover it looked like curtains for Lancaster at 60 for 7.

In-form Rajat Agarwal (37) and experienced Lee Marshall (39) rallied taking quick singles and pouncing on loose deliveries from Fleetwood’s back up stocks.

The pair took Lancaster beyond the 100 mark and looked in good shape going into the final 10 overs.

Marshall’s rearguard ended when he timed a full toss sweep off Mike Clinning too well and picked out deep mid wicket.

At 130-8 Agarwal took the lead role but disaster struck when he was turned back attempting a third run. 
The Lancaster University student looked to have made his ground but umpire David Lightburn thought otherwise and Agarwal had to go.

Callum East was the final wicket to fall in Lancaster’s total of 139.

Fleetwood’s reply started well as Parker and Dean found the going easy early on.

Liam Moffat had a chance to remove Parker, spiked by his brother at mid on, and the left-hander attacked after the reprieve.

It took a Charlie Swarbick loosener to make the breakthrough – Dean playing on for 23. With 50 up the momentum was still Fleetwood’s and Parker continued to find the fence.

Swarbrick and a fired up Callum East gave the hosts hope, however removing Parker and Wayne Clarke respectively.

At 82 for 3 the rains came reducing Fleetwood’s target to 26 from 14 overs.

Despite East’s continued aggression yielding the wicket of Patrick Ashton caught at slip, the weather had ultimately extinguished any lingering Lancaster hopes.

Dean Bell and Tom Wilson easing Fleetwood home and leaving Lancaster on the wrong end of another league result.