FLEETWOOD'S dreams of a Lancashire Cup Final at Old Trafford in September were cruelly washed away at Broadwater on Sunday (Aug 1) when a combination of stoppages for rain and Sefton Park superiority in a short run chase saw them lose their quarter final tie by seven wickets.

It could all have been quite different but for two rain stoppages which left Sefton Park with a revised target of 157 from 30 overs after Fleetwood had made 224-7 from their 45 overs.

The first stoppage came when Sefton openers Jude Mahadan and Richie Bann had made 63 without loss but they were at that time behind the asking rate of 5.12 per over, a rate required due to the loss of two overs to Sefton for bowling their overs too slowly. Five more overs were lost and on the resumption Mahadan was stumped by Keith Riley off Shawn Nicolson for 39 with the total on 72 in the 17th over.

In the 21st over Wilkinson caught Bann off Poxon for 44 and it was 96-2 with 21 overs gone.

The total advanced to 101-2 before rain again intervened and after a delay costing eight more overs Sefton's revised target of 157 from 30 overs left them requiring only 56 more runs from nine remaining overs and very much in the driving seat.

Having then lost Wilson left before wicket to Nicolson for 26, West Indian professional Marion Black and Howard Parker had no trouble in securing the win as Black edged, cut and drove boundaries while Parker square cut and then cover drove boundaries off Pat King to give Sefton the seven wicket victory with two overs and one ball remaining.

Earlier in the day the Fleetwood innings had been built round a solid 97 not out from 112 balls with 10 fours from Michael Clinning.

He was assisted by 30 from Nick Coultas, who was leg before wicket to Houghton, and a speedy 26 from only 16 balls from Mark Wilkinson who was caught off a skier when the pacy Black returned to the attack.

John Wright made 12 before being adjudged leg before wicket to Black, and Nicolson made 17 before edging a catch to wicketkeeper Nicholas off Sutherland.

John Whalley was caught in the deep and Tony Poxon edged Black to Nicholson for seven.

Pat King remained five not out and Black took 3-41.

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