Nelson v Accrington
Sunday July 28th 2013

Fosters Lancashire League
Sunday July 28th	Score		Score
Nelson	116-7	Accrington	184-5
Scorecard		Table
Accrington (10pts) beat Nelson (5pts) by 1 run (Target: 117 from 23 overs)

Ash reverse sweeps during his unbeaten 82 ©Nigel Stockley

With just seven matches to play Accrington need 38 points to clinch an eighth Lancashire League title. Only three matches finished today with league leaders Accrington stretching their lead at the top to 47 points.

So once again Accrington beat the rain but this time Nelson ran them all the way before the league leaders came out on top by the narrowest possible margin. Accrington had made 184-5 when rain terminated their innings in the 45th over. Professional Ashar Zaidi made an unbeaten 82 from 78 balls with eight fours and three sixes on a difficult wicket. Harrison Phelan took 3-33 along with two catches to dismiss Graeme Sneddon (24) and Simon Hanson (18) off Richard Meade (2-43). Aijaz Shah also made 27 in Accrington's innings. Rain reduced Nelson's target to 117 from 23 overs. Max Howells (15) and Tyler McGladdery (5) put on 21 before both were dismissed by David Ormerod (3-53). Nelson professional Ryan Canning put on 20 with David Crotty (11) before the amateur fell to Zaidi. Russell Bradley made 16 before Zaidi struck again at 74. Ormerod accounted for Nelson skipper Neil Thompson at the same score but Lewis Bradley kept Nelson on track by adding 21 with Canning before Zaidi (3-39) clean bowled him for 12. Richard Meade then joined Canning. With 2 overs to go 21 were needed. A great stop on the boundary by Marley Ali saved a vital run but the 20 year-old went crashing into the wall. Fortunately he recovered to help defend the final over which saw 8 runs needed for victory. Singles came from the first two balls of Zaidi's over and two from the next ball. Two more singles left Nelson needing one for victory with Canning on strike. The South African hit the ball straight back at Zaidi who threw down the wicket before Meade could make halfway leaving Canning unbeaten on 38 and Accrington the same number of points from the title.