IF anything in the game of cricket can be predictable it was that second-placed St Annes would defeat eighth-placed Blackpool in their Vaux Northern League Division One game at Vernon Road on Saturday (June 19) and also that, at some point in the game, Blackpool would suffer one of their now all-too-regular batting collapses.

St Annes duly won the game with relative ease and Blackpool did not disappoint either as they went from the riches of 81-2 from only 20 overs to 99-8 before partially recovering, thanks to youngsters Steve Mercer and 16-year-old debutant Karl Marsland, to reach 142 all out.

Even that was small beer to St Annes who knocked off the runs to make 143-3 and win by seven wickets with more than 18 of the final 20 overs remaining.

Batting first, Blackpool got off to a shaky start.

Bracewell edged his first runs at catchable height through the slips for four and Pickles was dropped by Kellett of a sharp chance in the gully when he had made just one.

Pickles did not get much of a reprieve as, with five to his name, he edged St Annes South African professional Dave Callaghan to Russ Bradley at second slip.

Bracewell was missed again before he had reached double figures as Kellett dropped another hard hit chance in the fully and the batsman then profited from his let-offs.

In a superb exhibition of driving, cutting and pulling Bracewell struck one six and eight fours as he raced to 41 off only 54 balls.

Then Stephen Twist produced the breakthrough that St Annes desired as he bowled Bracewell with an inswinging yorker and Blackpool were 58-2.

Gavin Armstrong and Chris Cornall carried on the good work and had taken the total to 81 before Kellett hung on to a powerful cut from Cornall to dismiss him for 16.

John Cotton was then brought into the attack and the bowling change worked as Jabbir Namajee was well taken by Callaghan at slip before he had troubled the scorers and it was 84-4.

Callaghan then had Armstrong, 17, caught behind by substitute wicketkeeper Sean Bickerdike and trapped the out of form Paul Danson in front of his stumps for nought and Blackpool were in a sorry state at 92-6.

Blackpool skipper Rudra Singh then played the worst shot of the day as, having watched Cotton very closely, he lofted a gentle catch to Bradley fielding at mid-on and it was 94-7. That quickly became 99-8 as David Bartholomew tried to hoick Cotton to leg and was bowled for a duck.

Steve Mercer joined Marcus Sharp and the pair took the total to 111 before a further bowling change brought about the downfall of Sharp as Twist returned to bowl the Blackpool professional for seven. It was only Mercer and Karl Marsland who then added some respectability to the total.

The pair defied everything that St Annes could throw at them and in addition Mercer, in particular, played one or two flowing drivers, none better than a sweetly timed cover drive for four.

They took the innings into the final over when Marsland was adjudged leg before wicket to Davies for seven.

The pair had added 31 runs in 9.1 overs and 33 minutes as Mercer was left 26 not out, from 58 balls with five fours.

Callaghan finished with 4-59 to take his League wickets tally for the season to 40 and Cotton had 3-7.

When St Annes began their reply the weather, which had taken a turn for the worse, was threatening and therefore Adrian Darlington launched a one-man attack on the Blackpool bowling.

He raced to 31 out of the first 49 with the aid of a six and four fours before skying Singh to third man where Sharp raced back from slip and held the catch.

With persistent drizzle now falling, Kellett, 14, edged Sharp to Bartholomew behind the wicket and it was 51-2.

Twist joined Callaghan and the pair took advantage of some extremely loose Blackpool bowling to rush the total to 104 before Twist, whose 26 at a run a ball included six fours, was caught behind off Singh.

Callaghan, who was dropped off a simple chance to the wicketkeeper when he was on 19, then raced on to 52 not out, from only 60 balls.

After hitting one six and seven fours, he struck the winning run just as the rain began to fall more heavily.

With seven wickets in hand and plenty of overs to spare, St Annes were home and just about dry!

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