Preston 195 all out Fleetwood 110 all out IT WAS very much a case of cricketing suicide by Fleetwood on Saturday which allowed Preston to win the Bay 96.9 Northern Premier League in the final over.

Preston had batted first and made 195 all out and Fleetwood in reply were 110-9 with just one over remaining.

What followed was almost unbelievable as a run out from the first ball cost Fleetwood, 110 all out, the game by 85 runs.

Nick Coultas and Keith Riley had battled through to the final over by a mixture of smart manoeuvring of the strike, stern defence, some wayward Preston bowling and a smattering of runs here and there from Coultas.

But the first ball of professional Raouf Akbar's final over cost them the game as Riley pushed forward on the off side and set off on an improbable single.

Akbar followed through, fielded the ball, turned and threw down the non-striker's wicket with Riley nowhere to be seen and the game was lost.

In fairness it had looked lost for Fleetwood much earlier when the top order was blown away by Akbar and Manoj Parekh and the middle order collapsed to Rehman Shah and Parekh again.

Skipper John Wright, 10, was caught behind off Parekh and Akbar accounted for Michael Dewhurst, five, and Michael Clinning, six, bowled and adjudged leg before wicket respectively and that was 28-3.

The total had reached 70 before four wickets fell in the space of six runs. Paul Willis on 14, lofted a gentle catch to James Anyon off Parekh and then Craig Pryor was run out by a superb piece of fielding by Paul Paynter before he had scored.

With Shah having Alex Laird caught behind without scoring and bowling Jeremy Newman for one, and Parekh bowling debutant Mark Emsley for nought, it was almost all over at 76-8.

But Stephen Hill kept Nick Coultas company until the total had reached 96 and Fleetwood were in sight of holding out for a draw.

He was then comprehensively bowled by the pacy Akbar and this brought in Riley to see it through.

Alas for Fleetwood he did not do so and Coultas was left stranded on 58 made from 113 balls with one six and nine fours.

All this followed Preston's 195 all out that stemmed from a spirited opening partnership of 55 by Ian McDonnell and James Anyon. Newman split them up by bowling McDonnell for 17 and then he had Oliver Clayson caught at slip for nought.

Anyon was adjudged leg before wicket for 46 from 55 balls with eight fours, and when Paul Richardson, 18, lofted a simple catch to Mark Emsley it was 86-4.

Thereafter Shah made 30 before he was caught at slip by Clinning off Pryor and Parekh made 36 before he was bowled by Emsley.

Paul Paynter contributed 12 until he hit a long hop from Hill back to the bowler, Namajee and Mann made six each and Glenn Johnstone was not out two as Preston finished on 195 all out. Pryor, removed from the attack after his third beamer, had 2-50 and Laird 4-28.

Then came Fleetwood's reply that culminated in the suicidal run out of Riley to give Preston their first victory of the season.

Delighted Preston chairman Dave Wilson said after the game "I am thrilled, this win has been just what we need as a club having come close to winning three or four of our previous games."

Preston scorecard:

Batsmen: James Anyon 46, Rehman Shah 30, Manoj Parekh 36, Paul Richardson 18, Ian McDonnell 17, Paul Paynter 12, Oliver Clayson 0, Namajee 6, Mann 6, Glenn Johnstone 2 not out

Bowlers: Akbar 3 wickets for 48 Manoj Parekh 3 for18, Rehman Shah 2-26.