A behind-the-stumps look at the bowl-out as Northern and Formby look forward to all-Comp Lancashire Knockout final

They were at the centre of all the drama in last Sunday’s Lancashire Knockout semi-finals… but they couldn’t do a thing to influence it.

Thanks to miserable weather at both grounds, Northern and Formby had to rely on bowl-outs to progress at Burnley and Salesbury respectively.

And all the wicketkeepers could do was watch, and hope the ball didn’t make it to their gloves.

Northern skipper James Cole and Formby’s Jack Carney agreed on one thing: It was a deeply unsatisfactory way to settle a semi-final, and a reserve day should have been made available.

Nonetheless, winning a bowl-out is better than losing one. 

Cole has plenty of experience of them. His side became the Comp’s first ever national champions last September by winning one against Oundle Town at Derby, and also outbowled Wallasey in the Ray Digman Trophy final on a rare rainy day in 2022.

Going back even further, Northern’s first Lancashire Cup came via a bowl-out in 2013, Cole’s first season at the helm.

He said: “We’ve had a handful of bowl-outs in the last few years and they’re not ideal for anyone. 

“It’s out of your hands, but at least as keeper I could see where the ball was going. 

“It’s a bit strange that there wasn’t a reserve day, but the rules are the rules. 

“It was that wet at one point that I didn’t think it would even be fit for a bowl-out.

“Everything was soaked, there were puddles everywhere; people were trotting in and there was water coming up. 

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“There was water under the wicket as well, so when the ball hit the stumps it would go on the ground and get wet, and they kept changing it. 

“It helps having been in a couple over the last few years, as you know what kind of pressure the bowlers are under. Three or four of them will have bowled in all of them.”

Liam Grey hit the stumps on Sunday, just as he had in Derby, while Dan Wilson and Josh Thompson also found the target in a 3-1 win.

Formby had to do things the hard way, coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 through Ollie Sutton, Junaid Farooq and the last ball from last bowler George Evans.

“It was getting a little bit tense,” said Carney. 

“Larry Edward bowled two absolute snorters that pitched on leg stump and spun past off.

“Ollie and Junaid brought it back to 2-2, then their last guy missed both his. 

“George’s first one was literally millimetres from hitting, and that put the pressure on him, and he hit.

“It’s not a nice way to win and it was pretty disappointing for both sides, but the weather was just horrendous.”

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Cole has been at Northern all his life, while Carney joined Formby over the winter from Southport & Birkdale. 

Both keepers are looking forward to the final at Blackpool on August 31, the first between two Comp sides since Ormskirk beat Sefton Park after a replay in 1999.

Carney added: “It’s the biggest game in the club’s history.

“I came here to win trophies – we’ve managed a win at finals day and now we’re in the Lancs final. Hopefully we can make it a couple of wins this season for the club.”

Cole said: “It’s a great achievement by Formby getting there, and it’s a bit of a derby. 

“Formby is also where my dad started playing cricket. It’ll be a good day for both clubs.

“We’re two good sides – it’s a shame it’s not at Old Trafford but Blackpool is a county ground in its own right. 

“We know we’ll have to play well to beat them, but we’re confident if we can perform, we’ll come out on top. 

“It’s a great spectacle for the league to have two sides in it – and it means the trophy will be coming back to the Comp again.”

from Merseyside Cricket Online https://ift.tt/sc5GMQV