Salesbury are through to the semi-finals of the Lancashire Knockout Cup after winning an all-NWCL last-eight clash with Blackrod on Sunday.
Salesbury are the last Anthony Axford North West Cricket League side standing having beaten Blackrod at home by four wickets chasing a 183-target in the quarter-finals.
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They will now host Liverpool Competition side Formby at the Toplex Salesbury Cricket Ground on Sunday, July 20.
The other semi will be between Lancashire League side Burnley and Northern, another Liverpool Competition side.
Formby beat Fleetwood in Sunday’s quarter-final, Burnley beat Netherfield and Northern were victors over Clitheroe.
Salesbury’s triumph against reigning NWCL Premiership champions Blackrod was set up by a real team effort with the ball as the visitors totalled 182-9 from their 45 overs.
Five of the six bowlers used by captain Pete Richardson struck, including Elliott Simpson’s 3-28 from six overs. Sam Bristol and Daniel Rawson also took twice apiece.
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Simpson’s haul included the prized scalp of Blackrod’s Sri Lankan professional Navod Paranavithana for an innings high-score of 43.
From 101-2 in the 26th over, Blackrod will be mightily frustrated they did not post a more imposing total. The loss of three wickets for five runs to slip to 106-5 hurt them badly.
But they still had a great chance to prevail in this game and progress, with Salesbury in all sorts of trouble at 2-2 and then 31-4 in their reply.
New-ball duo Matthew Readey and Charlie Fletcher, the latter who finished with 3-46 from eight overs, did some early damage.
South African professional Garnett Tarr fell to Fletcher with the score on 15-3.
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However, a quartet of middle and lower-order contributions helped Salesbury recover to win with an over to spare.
Toby Furbush from number four top-scored with a patient 50 off 116 balls, only hitting three fours.
He shared a settling 77 for the fifth wicket with Callum Grantham, who made a well-paced 38 off 51.
Tom Stones was the most aggressive Salesbury batter on show with 44 not out off 34 balls, including two sixes, and Simpson chipped in with 14no.
Stones finished the game off in style with two sixes in as many balls off Readey at the end of a 44th over which went for 18, leaving Salesbury dreaming of some silverware later on this summer. They finished on 188-6.
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