WITH just eight runs required for victory, Chorley batsman Richard Grayson crashed Paul Danson for six deep into the adjacent graveyard and it was very much a case of RIP Blackpool, certainly as far as the Abbot Ale Cup was concerned, at Chorley on Sunday (June 28).

In the regional final of the competition, their most inept batting performance of a so-far disappointing season saw them collapse to 77 all out, having been put in by Chorley who replied with 78-2 with almost 20 overs remaining to win by eight wickets.

A single from Pickles in the second over had just set the scoreboard moving when Simmonite attempted to pull spinner Graham Gibson only to succeed in getting a top edge and being caught by Richardson at backward point.

Pickles and Bracewell then added 32 runs slowly before Bracewell, 17, was caught at point off Purnell with the total on 33.

Wiggans only made two before he was leg before wicket to Heaton and then Pickles, a top score of 20, was another batsman caught at point as he essayed a cut at Heaton.

Blackpool were struggling at 45-4.

Danson was bowled by Critchley for two to make it 51-5 and then Cornall, having hit two of Blackpool's four boundaries, got a ball that leapt up at him, the resultant leading edge looping gently back to bowler Critchley.

He was gone for 12 and Blackpool were in even deeper trouble at 60-6.

The situation worsened as Sharp was leg before wicket to Eccleshare for one and at 63 the same bowler tempted Cresswell to a big hit which only found Critchley on the mid-wicket boundary.

A few extras and some improvisation from Pat Newell, who ended 10 not out, took the score to 77 before Gibson finished the innings off with the last two wickets.

First he bowled Higham for nought and then accounted for Kirkby caught behind by Senior also without scoring.

The wickets were shared by the Chorley bowlers, Purnell 1-17, Gibson 3-14, Heaton 2-10, Eccleshare 2-14 and Critchley 2-12, all figures enhanced by the poor display of the Blackpool batsmen.

It was always going to be an uphill task for the Blackpool bowlers and giving away more wides, 12, than runs scored by nine of their batsmen did not help the cause.

Indeed, when Cake scored the first single from the bat to take the total to five, all four runs to date had been wides.

Senior and Cake took the score to 36 before a cavalier Senior had a rush of blood and was bowled by Sharp for 15.

Cake hit one huge six off Higham and the ball was lost in the long grass beyond the boundary; a gentleman from St Annes obliged by finding it and, sadly for Blackpool, the game continued in much the same way as previously.

Kirkby did manage to dismiss Cake, 23, by having him well caught by Wiggans but Chorley skipper Roland Horridge came in and made an unpressured 20 nor out and with Grayson adding a single to his huge six, the game was Chorley's with 19 overs and four balls left to be bowled.

The only highlight of a disappointing day for Blackpool supporters was to be able to return to Stanley Park in time to see the fourth XI hold on for a deserved draw with veteran Keith Gleeson taking a stunning tumbling catch with only two balls remaining.

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