Lancaster 1st XI 266-7 (50) beat York 1st XI 216-9 (50) by 50 runs
Lancaster produced a fine all-round performance to claim a 50 run victory over their York counterparts. Following last year’s tense Roses match in Morecambe, where Lancaster won by 1 wicket, the margin here was far more comfortable.
Lancaster captain Marley Ali, fresh from a midweek 262* against Edge Hill, won the toss and decided to bat first. Zak Godfrey-Plews and Pete Barnes opened the batting for Lancaster and they punished some poor York bowling to put on an opening partnership on 95, before Barnes was stumped off the bowling of Crawford for 37. Godfrey-Plews followed in the next over, caught behind off Miller for 53 and Ali soon followed, also stumped off Crawford for 5.
Teetering at 99-3, Lancaster needed a partnership. Ed Markey and Adam Senn put on a superb 109 partnership for the fourth wicket, both displaying aggressive intent. Senn, having brought up his 50 with a quick single after a big six, was eventually stumped for 59.
It was, however, Markey’s 89 which helped push Lancaster’s total past the 250 mark. He took fourteen off three balls, hitting consecutives fours before following up with a booming six off the bowling of Tom Williams.
Following Senn’s wicket, Lancaster’s innings tailed off towards the end as quick wickets fell as incoming batsmen looked for the big shots. Lancaster finished their allotted overs on 266:7.
York’s run chase began in emphatic style as they raced to 30:0 off 6 overs. Matt Weller (4-52) provided the breakthrough as Nish Selvakumar was bowled on his leg stump.
Lancaster continued to chip away, with Weller picking up two more wickets to leave York 77:3. It was the introduction of the spinners, Senn and Basim Basheer, that put the squeeze on York’s chase reducing them to 82-5 with a wicket apiece.
Errors began to creep into Lancaster’s game, with Fraser Crawford being dropped by Molloy behind the stumps. Crawford didn’t get the chance to take advantage of this error as he was bowled from the next delivery by Senn for 49.
Following an interruption from a streaker braving the cool conditions, Sam Dyson picked up the wicket of Robert Wickham to leave York’s hopes in tatters at 138-7. Lower order resistance from Alex McDonald (50) and Rob Gillespie (26) kept York ticking over, but the target of 267 was always out of reach. Despite batting their full 50, York could reach only 216-9 in reply, meaning that the four points once again went to the Red Rose.
