23/06/2026
1st XI sponsored by - Decca Plastics Ltd
The weekend action started early at Middleforth Green as Robbie Sumner’s T20 side hosted Euxton on Friday night in the Supersports Smash.
In front of a sizeable crowd, Captain Sumner opted to field and saw the men from Balshaw Park rack up an imposing 220/5, thanks to Sri Lankan test star, Nishan Peiris’ blistering 63 from just 33 deliveries (four 4s and six 6s), Max Harper’s destructive 44 off 16 in which he cleared the ropes six times and Josh Boyden’s 41 off 23 at the top of the order. Tom Wilson (2-45) and Matt Halliday (2-49) bagged a brace each whilst overseas amateur, Connor Brown bowled smartly for his 1-28.
The three men who had taken the wickets for Penwortham also starred with the bat. Matt top-scored with 36 (five 4s and one 6) Connor chipped in with 31 (four 4s and one 6) and a breezy unbeaten 29 from number eight, Tom (three 4s and one 6) meant Penwortham closed on 159/7, Elliot Mackrael reeling in three victims for Euxton on his way to figures of 3-36 as the visitors were victorious by 61 runs.
Nathan Walmsley’s Penwortham 1st XI travelled to Woodhill Lane on Saturday to face Morecambe in Northern League Division Two, the skipper calling correctly and deciding to bat.
Madonna maniac, Matt Halliday picked up where he left off on Friday night to top score with 32 but Penwortham found it tough going with Morecambe’s overseas amateur, Siddarth Ahhuja (6/20) backing up Lloyd Smith’s (3-22) success with the new ball as the Martlets were dismissed for 80.
The hosts cruised to their target with openers, Lewis Smith (42*) and skipper Luke Pearson (31*) both remaining unbeaten to secure a ten-wicket success.
Mathew Walmsley’s Penwortham 2nd XI welcomed Croston 1st XI to Middleforth Green in a crucial PS Division One encounter, the visitors inserting the 2nd XI.
Opener, Muhammad Ilyas struck a typically eye-catching 29 (three 4s and two 6s) with number three Tom Nowlan chipping in with 27 but when the blonde bombshell who has recently passed 5000 runs departed, Penwortham were 95/4.
Penwortham pin-up boy, Isaac Richardson led the recovery with a vital 31 whilst Athenian adonis, Ashley Billington struck a classy 30 as Mat’s men posted 191/9, Jonny Driver snaring 5-44 for Croston.
Player of the Week, Jack Armer (5-63 off fifteen) and the in-form Nathan Patel (3-26 off twelve) combined to reduce Croston to 97/8 as Penwortham took control, despite 45 from Jack Marsh and 34 from Liam Gaskell.
A 58-run victory was sealed with wickets in successive Tom Wilson (2-13) deliveries as Croston were dismissed for 133, Penwortham leapfrogging their opponents into sixth spot in PS Division One.
Flyde 2nd XI were the visitors to Fortress Limbrick to face run-laden Matty Ward and his Penwortham 3rd XI, the visitors deciding to bowl first.
That decision paid dividends with the 3rd XI reduced to 45/6 thanks to miserly bowling from Richard Thomas (2-20 off eleven) and Danny Smith (2-12 off eleven). LiveScore lynchpin, Steve Lodge made a battling 23 and he received support from Aniket Sen (18*) to drag Penwortham up to 90 all out.
A rapid 47 off 32 from Fylde opener, Callum Davis as part of an opening stand of 58 looked to have ended any hopes of victory for the 3rd XI. After the opening partnership was broken, a cluster of wickets fell to Blue Lagoon bandit, George Bowdler (5-27) and former Ingol stalwart, James Tidmarsh (3-18) to give hope of a remarkable comeback win, but it was not to be as the visitors made it to their target for a two-wicket win.
Glynn Parkinson’s Penwortham 4th XI welcomed Standish 2nd XI to Penwortham Priory Academy, the Green Lane outfit choosing to bat first having won the toss.
Experienced number three, Mike Hadfield guided Standish to 159/7 with an excellent 89* from 95 (eight 4s and five 6s) with fellow veteran, David Storry the pick of the Penwortham attack as he returned figures of 2-19 from his ten overs.
The Penwortham reply was underpinned by a superb 56 from Stanley Keller at the top of the order and the returning ‘keeper-batter, Adam Gray, on his first appearance since 2017, made a crucial 26 before Harry Scarborough saw Glynn’s guys home to a two-wicket win with an unbeaten 18.
Tim Raynor’s Penwortham 5th XI travelled to Preston Grasshoppers to face table-toppers, Preston Royals in PS Division Eight.
After winning the toss, the hosts batted regally to amass 262/7 off their 40 overs with opener Dheeraj Dendi making 65 off 64 (seven 4s and three 6s) before retiring not out whilst Siddharth Gaikwad also raised his bat, making a blistering 59 off just 40 balls (four 4s and six 6s). Spinner Sam Jones, fresh from a tour of Asia bagged figures of 3-56 for Tim’s troops.
The daunting total was too much for Penwortham who were dismissed for 109 with number three, Neil Pilkington (16) top-scoring.
Sunday saw Nathan’s 1st XI in league action once again with a trip to Balshaw Park to face high-flying Euxton, the hosts being put into bat.
As on Friday night in the T20, Max Harper (43), Josh Boyden (34), Nishan Peiris (27) were the key contributors for Euxton, the hosts posting 214/8 from their 50 overs. Isaac Roberts (2-39), Charlie Parker (2-41) and Connor Brown (2-58) all impressed with ball in hand for Penwortham.
The Martlets were reduced to 53/3 when Matt Halliday vacated for 24 but an assured, maiden 1st XI half-century from Connor (52) kept Penwortham in the hunt. When Connor perished with the score at 160/8, the game looked up for Nathan’s men but the Skipper cracked 48* (four 4s and three 6s) to keep victory hopes alive until the last over but Joseph Barker (3-51) held his nerve, Euxton squeezing home by nine runs.
Middleforth Green hosted Loxham Cup quarter final action on Sunday afternoon with Matty Ward’s Penwortham 3rd XI taking on PS Division Two side, Standish 1st XI.
The visitors opted to bat first having called correctly and opener Muhammad Shah got them off to a good start with a run a ball 45 before Mitch Dwyers cracked a superb 133* (nineteen 4s and three 6s) as Standish amassed 264/5 off 40 overs. Harry Ferson (2-51) and George Bowdler (2-55) picked up a pair of victims each for the 3rd XI.
The chase started positively as Toronto titan, Ward continued his love affair with the pink ball, batting superbly for his 78 off 75 (twelve 4s) but Shah continued to be a thorn in the 3rd XI’s side, bagging 4-40 as Standish secured a semi-final spot, dismissing Penwortham for 210, despite 33 from best-selling author, George Bailey.
Credit - Christopher Robert Newcombe
