CHRIS Cornall was instrumental in Blackpool cantering to victory in the third round of the National Knockout Cup at Fulwood on Sunday (May 23).

Replying to Fulwood and Broughton's modest 117-9 from their 45 overs, Cornall faced only 74 balls, struck two sixes and six fours and with 52 was the mainstay of Blackpool's reply of 121-3 made with 8.2 overs of the game remaining.

Fulwood chose to bat first and struggled to get the scoreboard moving right from the start.

Marcus Sharp and David Cresswell bowled a tight line and length which prevented Cooper and Irvine from making much headway.

When Cresswell retired from the attack having bowled his nine overs he had dismissed Cooper caught by a diving Sharp at slip and Andy Wiggans, caught behind by Bartholomew, in a return of 2-11.

Namajee accounted for Irvine, 13, caught by Armstrong at point and Whalley bowled for nought and Fulwood were struggling at 37-4 from 24 overs.

Lee, five, was run out by a direct hit from Armstrong who later similarly accounted for Davey, four, and with Brookes bowling captain Chris Gunn for an attacking 25 Fulwood, at 74-7 from 33 overs, looked unlikely to reach three figures. But no-one had accounted for John Mansford.

He came in and struck a top score of 321 from 48 balls including a six off Sharp and two fours before the Blackpool professional extracted his revenge by bowling him in the final over.

John Davey had been bowled by Bracewell for nine and the Fulwood innings closed on 117-9 with Namajee taking 2-20, Sharp 1-26 and Bracewell 1-11.

Blackpool started circumspectly in reply but Bracewell had just begun to open up with a six onto the pavilion roof when he pulled slow left armer Mansford into Martin's hands at deep backward square leg.

That was 32-1 from 11 overs.

It was another 15 overs before Fulwood struck again and by then Cornall had accelerated to his 52 and the total had risen to 102 before, striving for a third six in quick succession, he was caught on the boundary by Martin, once again off Mansford who finished an excellent spell with 2-32.

Gavin Armstrong, 22, had kept Cornall company through their 70 run partnership but at 103 he was bowled by the immaculate Gunn who emulated Cresswell by conceding only 11 runs from his nine overs.

It was then left for Danson, 10 not out and Singh, six not out, to administer the last rights to a brace Palace Shield who had put up a good fight against their stronger Northern League rivals.

The seven-wicket victory sets Blackpool up for an early June clash in the regional semi-final with the old enemy Chorley.

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