THE juggernaut -- or in the words of skipper Phil Thornton "The Travelling Circus" -- that is Morecambe Cricket Club came to a shuddering halt in the Northern Premier League game at Broadwater on Saturday (June 29) thanks to some resolute batting by Fleetwood and the weather.

Fleetwood were put in to bat and made an impressive 264-5 to which Morecambe replied with 150-4 before rain finally had the last word and the game was abandoned.

It all started very well for Morecambe as opener Michael Dewhurst was run out off the first ball of the game when he and partner John Wright hesitated over a single. It was just enough for Ramesh Powar to throw down the one stump in his view and Dewhurst had gone without facing a ball.

Wright then took over the Fleetwood innings as he powered the ball to all parts of the field, aided by some very un-Stephens like bowling by Peter of that ilk. He came off with 0-44 from his eight overs and Wright moved serenely on past his half century, interrupted only by a short break for rain.

He and professional Ghulam Bodi had put on 151 when Wright was deceived by the wiles of Powar, who was bowling many varieties, and edged a catch to wicketkeeper Damien Gudgeon when he had made 93 from only 96 balls with 14 fours and one six.

Bodi and Clinning then added 76 runs for the third wicket before Clinning, having despatched the previous ball from Powar over long-on for six, tried to repeat the dose. This time Powar had cleverly held back what looked like the same ball and Clinning could only find the safe hands of Stephens at long-on. He was gone for 33 and Fleetwood were 227-3. The remainder of the innings belonged to Bodi who passed his century and went on to 123, made from 169 balls with 17 fours and two sixes, before he was caught by Ghulam Maje at gully off Powar.

The highlight of the afternoon came when Tommy Clough took a stunning diving catch after running backwards at mid-wicket to dismiss Mark Wilkinson for nought. Three further runs were added before Fleetwood's innings closed at 264-5 with Powar returning 4-102 from his 22 overs.

The Morecambe reply stuttered at the start as Phil Dennison, having already hit Steve Hill for four, found himself playing a long hop straight into the hands of Wilkinson at gully. He was out for four and it was 4-1. Clough survived a difficult head-high chance to wicketkeeper Keith Riley on his way to a little cameo of 18 at which point he edged Dave Fish to Clinning at slip and Morecambe were 37-2.

Mark Woodhead, meanwhile, had been gathering runs and he took the lead in a partnership of 75 with Powar, who initially struggled to get the scoreboard moving. He did so once he had settled and he had made 33 when he edged Bodi to Riley with the total on 112-3.

Phil Thornton came in and signalled his intentions with one huge six but when he had made 24, and been off for rain again, he too was caught by Riley, this time off Zac Taylor.

That was the last action as the rain became more persistent and the umpires took the players off. Woodhead remained 62 not out made from 108 balls with nine hard hit fours. Morecambe's two points kept them at the top of the table, 10 points ahead of nearest rivals Darwen.