VIDARBHA player Atharva Taide is fast making a name as an all-rounder. The southpaw excelled with bat and ball to help Lancaster Cricket Club thump Fleetwood Cricket Club by 95 runs in Northern Premier Cricket League’s Division One match at Lune Road Cricket Ground. Taide top-scored with a half century and then returned with a six-wicket haul in his side’s convincing win. Fleetwood won the toss and elected to field. They removed opener Jamie Heywood (1) cheaply but one down Taide (59; 67b, 7x4) and the other opener Eddie Steinson (29; 35b, 4x4) steadied the innings stitching a 69-run partnership before the latter was dismissed.

 

 

 

Taide was joined by David Rippengal (49; 26b, 6x4, 3x6) who played some bold shots. Placed strongly at 144-2, the side lost its way as the last eight wickets fell for 44 runs. Skipper Ben Simm contributed 29 down the order and the team managed 188 in 35.5 overs. For Fleetwood, James Amor (12.5-3-43-5) and Alex Ryder (11-1-62-4) were the most successful bowlers. Chasing a small score, Fleetwood were given early blows with new-ball bowlers Damar Graham (1-20) and Irfan Qayyum (2-20) removing the top three in quick succession. Left-arm orthodox Taide took over from there and ran through the middle and lower order scalping six wickets conceding just 25 runs from his nine tight overs. Fleetwood were shot out for a meagre 93 in 32 overs.. With the huge win, the team collected 15 points and are presently placed third in the league with a cumulative 140 points.

 

Lancaster are behind leaders Blackpool Cricket Club (176 pts) and Longridge Cricket Club (141 pts). Fleetwood occupy the 12th and last spot. Faiz hits fifty but Chore steals the show VIDARBHA skipper Faiz Fazal’s another good knock went in vain as his former team-mate Aniruddha Chore stole the show with an unbeaten hundred, his second in a row and third overall of the season. Chasing Lisburn’s 188, North Down made 192 losing just one wicket in mere 29 overs in their Premier League match played at The Green Comber. Making first use of the turf after being put into bat, Lisburn made slow start. Openers Faiz (67; 71b, 5x4, 2x4) and Stuart Lightbody (4) added 31 runs.

 

After Faiz’s, who hit five crisp boundaries and two huge sixes in his composed knock, dismissal, D Simpson (27) and Jonathan Waite’s (25) contribution down the order helped them reach 188. Seamer P Davison (10-1-56-4) was pick of the North Down bowlers. It looked like an altogether another surface when North Down started their innings. Skipper A Shields (47; 55b, 6x4) and stumper Chore (121*; 105b, 17x4) set the tone with a solid partnership of 142 runs for the opening wicket. Shields was unlucky to miss what would have been a deserving fifty. Chore and G Maneeshan (10*) ensured there were no further casualties.