BLACKPOOL moved comfortably into the third round of the Thwaites Lancashire Cricket Knockout on Sunday when they beat Ribblesdale Wanderers by 38 runs.

Blackpool batted first and, led by skipper Mark Lomas, scored 212-3 in the allotted 45 overs and then the bowlers restricted Ribblesdale Wanderers to 174-9 in reply.

There were only two blots on the Blackpool landscape, Richard Lamb, caught at slip by Davies off professional Shaeed Nawas for four and Chris Barrow, surprisingly elevated in the order to number four, LBW to Wanderers' man-of-the-match Martin Briggs for seven.

But in between Martin Pickles and Mark Lomas put on a scintillating 134 runs in 31 overs with some excellent shot selection and superb running between the wickets.

The pair came together when Blackpool was 12-1 and were not separated until there were only 10 overs of the innings left. Pickles was the man out having made 61 from 96 balls with one six and two fours when he was bowled by Briggs.

Barrow came in and things slowed down but when he was out David Bartholomew came to the wicket and the tempo increased again.

At the close he was 12 not out but Lomas had stolen the show with 109 not out made from 160 balls and with six fours and three huge sixes. Briggs was the most successful bowler with 2-25.

The Wanderers reply started encouragingly until Karen Knott, of the unusual husband and wife umpiring team - Clive Knott was at the other end - raised her finger to give Nawas out leg before wicket to a sick Marcus Sharp for a quick 16.

Davies went quickly, caught by Bartholomew off Walton for three but then skipper David Howard, 42, and Briggs put on 40 runs for the third wicket.

Howard eventually edged one from Walton to be caught behind by Martin Hackett and thereafter it was only Briggs whose 65 came from 92 balls with one six and three fours that kept the innings going. None of the other batsmen reached double figures as Barrow and Stephen Croft took a wicket each, there were two run outs and none-bowlers Pickles and Lamb claimed wickets in the final two overs.

Former Northern League player Graham Monk was the best of the rest with nine not out but the Wanderers had to settle for 174-9 at the close and defeat by 38 runs.

Gerry Wolstenholme