Play stops reign

Meanwhile, improving Lancaster also had cause to enjoy celebrating an excellent batting performance.

Only resilient batting by their visitors denied them victory against Blackpool in a game that ended in a draw.

On a day that always threatened rain, 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, who was keeping him impassive company at the other end, had put on 151 when Wright was dismissed.

He 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 and Fleetwood 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 in the 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.

And that was the last action of the afternoon as the rain became more persistent and the umpires took the players off for the last time.

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.

Meanwhile, Lancaster followed up their first victory of the season with a good performance against Blackpool at Lune Road.

Batting first, Lancaster made an excellent 206 for 7, with professional Rennier Munnick the outstanding performer, hitting an unbeaten 91, with good support from his team-mates, particularly Brendon Hetherington, unlucky not to make his half-century, finishing on 49 not-out.

Blackpool's response started poorly, and Lancaster were only denied by Stephen Mercer and Oliver Newby, who finished with an unbeaten 45 and 23 respectively as their side finished on 133 for 6.