Stand get sweet taste of victory (From Prestwich and Whitefield Guide)

Stand get sweet taste of victory

4:39pm Wednesday 8th July 2009

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STAND returned to winning ways with a 104-run victory over the Lancashire County League’s bottom side Irlam at the SCG.

How Irlam must have regretted their decision to field first to try to exploit the damp conditions early on.

Their star bowler Rick Blackman was licking his lips in anticipation, but the Whitefield men racked up a total of 207.

Although Blackman bowled a marathon spell of 25 overs for just 54 runs, Stand took full advantage of what was was offered to them at the other end.

Professional Amila Wesththasinghe hit a superb chanceless knock of 105 not out after Dave Taylor and Gary Penchion had got the innings off to a decent start.

Wesththasinghe’s first 50 came up in 65 balls, his ton, including 10 fours and two sixes, 47 balls later.

Paul Duerden hit 14 late on with the Stand innings coming to a premature end as rain forced the players off for an early tea.

With seven overs lost, Irlam’s revised target was set at 185 from 43 overs.

After Penchion had run out Tahir, for two and Carl Sutcliffe and Wesththasinghe had reduced Irlam to 28-3 the visitors were always going to struggle.

Only Irlam’s aggressive Ahmed on 17 reached double figures.

Wesththasinghe then bowled a treble wicket maiden to leave the visitors 29-6.

The Irlam lower order tried to hand around and reached 58-9 with Wesththasinghe and Sutcliffe again in the wickets.

Blackman, then in at number 11, showed the top order how to do it as he hit a 12-ball unbeaten 21 with some fine shots square of the wicket.

Wesththasinghe returned to clip Yates’ outside edge to wrap up Irlam for a total of 81, the professional finishing with 6-40 and Sutcliffe returning 3-36.

Stand entertain top-of-the-league Denton West on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Stand’s second string completed an almost identical win to their first team in their fixture at Irlam.

After hitting 224-8, Irlam could only score 81 in reply.

That was before they hosted Flowery Field in the Cup semi-final, enjoying a superb wicket for batting at the SCG to finish their innnings on 160-9.

Flowery fancied their chances of overhauling that total, but were dismiessed for 69.

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