Poor batting display costs Morecambe against Fleetwood

Ashan Priyanjan in action for Morecambe against Fleetwood. Picture: Tony North

Unable to back up their win over Chorley, Ryan Pearson’s side were dismissed for just 94 batting first on Saturday.

The Fylde coast visitors then had no trouble in knocking off the runs, romping to a seven-wicket win in the 22nd over.

After losing the toss and being put into bat, the hosts were in trouble in no time at all, Joseph McCluskie removing Viraj Bhatia and Lewis Smith to leave Morecambe 9-2.

Professional Ashan Priyanjan (43) and captain Pearson then set about rebuilding the innings and had taken the score to 40 in the 11th over when one over from young Fleetwood seamer James Amor changed the course of the game.

The score went from 40-2 from 40-5 when Amor removed Pearson, Eddy Ready and Luke Pearson leg before wicket.

Morecambe felt they were hard done by, the skipper believing he had got an inside edge before the ball crashed into his pads.

But the heart had been ripped out of the innings, Amor bowling with great control to end with figures of 3-11 from his seven overs.

Veteran Tommy Clough (15) then combined with Priyanjan to attempt the second rebuild of the innings.

A partnership of 30 ended when a ball from Joe Bell crashed off Clough’s off stump, leaving the Sri Lankan all but stranded and looking to salvage something from nothing with the tail.

Unfortunately for Morecambe he was the ninth wicket to fall as he looked to hit boundaries and push the score on.

It meant the hosts’ innings was wrapped up inside 30 overs with Fleetwood sensing a comfortable afternoon’s work.

Despite Morecambe’s best efforts it turned out to be just that.

Read, Smith and Priyanjan toiled away with the professional taking two of the wickets to fall as he finished with 2-9 from his six overs.

Read, 1-30, also got rid of Mat Clark, but Fleetwood cruised to the 15 points as they finished on 95-3.

Morecambe will look to bounce back when they travel to St Annes on Saturday.

It has also been confirmed that eight days later, on Sunday June 18, Pearson’s side will play their two home Twenty20 fixtures.

A bumper day of white-ball cricket at Woodhill Lane will kick off with the game against Netherfield at noon before the derby with Lancaster at 3.30pm.