FLEETWOOD'S passage through to the second round of the Lancashire Cup at Broadwater was no more than a Sunday afternoon stroll (May 16).

In a rain-reduced contest they easily defeated their Merseyside competition opponents Sutton by nine wickets.

Sutton batted first and made 132-8 in their 45 overs and then, after a half hour rain delay, Fleetwood raced to their target of 117 by scoring 120-1 in only 21.3 of the revised total of 39 overs.

The Sutton innings started brightly as Indian professional Shiv Dass raced to 11 of the first 13 before he was bowled by Gregson when essaying a typical wristy Indian shot through mid-wicket.

Rimmer and Anders then took the total to 58 before professional Shaun Nicolson took the first of his three wickets when he bowled Rimmer for a top score of 33.

Pat King had Anders caught by Clark for 32 and thereafter only Barr with a well struck 22 and Bowley with 13 reached double figures. Nicolson, 3-24, Clinning 3-21 and King 2-21, aided by debutant's James Ingle's tidy 0-19 from his nine overs stifled the Sutton batsman to restrict them to a modest 132-8 from their 45 overs.

In reply, Fleetwood raced away with Nick Coultas in particular taking heavy toll of some loose Sutton bowling.

Coultas reached 58 from 49 balls with nine lusty fours before he was superbly caught and bowled by Dass with Fleetwood in sight of victory at 95-1 from only 16 overs.

Nicolson had played a delightful supporting role to that point and then took over, finishing with a rush to end on 51 not out made from 69 balls with six fours.

Fleetwood's total of 120-1 gave them victory by nine wickets and earned them a home tie with Liverpool Competition side Highfield in the next round.

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