Lytham 239 for 6. Lancaster 229 all out.
 
Centuries from both Roberts & Hilton guide Lytham to last 16.
 
Lytham beat Lancaster by 10 runs to become Regional Champions for the second year in succession.
 
Lytham lost the toss & were invited to bat on a wicket offering early assistance to the bowlers. Lytham experienced the most catastrophic of starts, with both openers Antony Mulligan & Simon Long back in the pavillion without troubling the scorers. Worse was to come, when Skipper Jimmy Wisniewski who had flown from Florida to Manchester on the red eye & then directly to the match, perished to a forcing shot off a ball from Tim Barry which nipped back through the gate. This left Lytham at 14 for 3 & with 2 new batsmen at the crease, things did not look good.
 
Patiently, Guy Roberts & Lee Hilton steadied the ship until a flash outside off stump from Roberts presented a chance which Lancaster keeper spilled diving accross first slip. At the time, Roberts was 10. The two Lytham batsmen gradually turned the tide as the wicket eased. As their undoubted talent blossomed, the previously boisterous Lancaster team became subdued. Roberts was first to his century, as an array of boundaries, (11 x 4, 3 x 6) put the Lancaster attack to the sword.
 
When Roberts was eventually out, adjudged LBW for 112 (11 x 4, 3 x 6) the score was 221 with the partnership worth an impressive 207. Lee Hilton pushed on as other Lytham batsmen tried to help him towards his well deserved century. This duly arrived in the final over (6 x 4, 3 x 6) & to scenes of tumultuous applause, Lythams fighting spirit had rescued then from a perilous start to a total of 239 for 6.
 
Lancasters reply faltered early as Michael Rigby removed Stevens for 4. Walling (14) was next to go LBW to Marcus Sharp & J Heywood (6) was bamboozled by the leg spin of Jimmy Wisniewski. Hodge & Phillips then began a fight back & although constantly just behind the run rate, they kept Lancaster in touch. Hodge (57) who had batted beautifully was eventually undone by a Wisniewski googly which turned square.
 
Other Lancaster batsmen tried to increase the run rate & perished as a result, with Richard Openshaw removing Barry (6) & Sparks (15) Phillips duly reached his half century, before falling to a spectacular running catch by Guy Roberts off the bowling of Rob Dingle. Wicket Keeper Hetherington then joined the fray & a flurry of boudaries started to give Lancaster hope of a dramatic win. The crowd which had been melting away, stopped at the gate as the ball flew to all corners. Eventually with 12 required from the final over, Richard Openshaw bowled Lancaster's Keeper second ball for a breezy 39 to give Lytham a close, but well deserved victory & the right to be called Regional Champions once more.
 
Lytham's prize for reaching the last 16 in the country is a tough trip to West Indian Cavalliers in Nottingham on Sunday.