Mason leads charges to narrow win

UNDER-12s ON PARADE . . . team manager, Gary Kershaw (back). Middle row: Jacob Pauline (left), Jacob Holt, Adam Ali, Jack Fawcett , Adam Chadwick, Lucas Selby. Front row: Neasan Shipley (left), Alfie McMylor, Mason Everton, Joe Aston, George Barnes, Will Potts

SKIPPER Mason Everton led from the front as the Pennine Cricket League's under-12s League representative team achieved a thrilling one-run success against the Lancashire League.

Young Everton compiled a mature 72 in the PCL's total of 149 for seven at Royton's Paddock ground.

Asked to bat first in dull conditions, the innings didn't get off to the best of starts when opener Joe Aston was adjudged leg before wicket with only 11 runs on the board.

The innings stuttered quite badly with wickets falling at regular intervals, but Everton was unruffled and remained a constant fixture at the crease in the 40 overs.

The score looked a little below par, but an early wicket for Sam Holt pegged back the Lancashire League to 22 for one off the first 10 overs.

Adam Ali and Will Potts also bowled with great accuracy, and the pressure started to toll on the visitors.

Ali picked up the key wickets of Henry Butterfield and Declan Metcalfe before eventually finishing with figures of three for 29 from his eight overs.

Max Harrison and Kiegan Devries immediately started to accelerate the run rate, and it took an excellent piece of fielding by George Partington to run out the former with a direct hit.

Despite the loss of his partner, Harrison continued to dominate the PCL bowlers and it was only with the introduction of Jack Fawcett that things started to swing back the PCL's way.

BAGGED

He bagged two wickets, including main man Harrison, in the last over of his spell for figures of three for 19 from his five overs.

The Lancashire League were 140 for nine when the last pair came together.

Batting patiently, they had added eight runs when Holt (one for nine from 6.1 overs) removed the middle stump of the No.11 batsman to secure victory by the narrowest of margins.