Folkton & Flixton's Lord's dream curtailed by Carlton Towers

Flixton skipper Harry Walmsley won the toss and chose to bowl first and his side were made to wait for the early breakthrough as openers Tom Collins and Henry Bayston successfully saw off the new ball.

Shortly after their fifty partnership, Chris Mann (1-23) got his side’s first wicket, trapping Bayston for 18.

Skipper Walmsley (1-44) then combined with wicket-keeper Marley Ward to dismiss Ben Copeland for 21, the visitors sitting comfortably on 105-2.

Mark Holmes was the next to fall as Tom Norman (4-31) had him caught by Cameron Anderson.

The in-form Collins continued to prove a threat but was finally dismissed for 92 by Tom Norman with youngster Max Harland taking a smart catch on the boundary.

Towers then lost regular wickets throughout the second-half of their innings as Tom Norman added two more wickets to his tally and Edward Hopper (1-11) also claimed a wicket late on.

Carlton Towers finished on a competitive 197-7 of their 40 overs.

Richard Malthouse (34) and Hopper (28) began the chase in confident fashion passing 50 runs in quick time.

Malthouse however was to fall soon after, Robert Holah (5-23) picking up his first wicket of the innings.

Youngster Hopper then followed his partner back to the pavilion as Holah claimed his second of the game.

The off-spinner wasn’t finished there and had all-rounder Tom Norman (2) caught to leave the home side stumbling on 77-3.

Just four runs were added to the total before another batsman fell to the bowling of Holah.

Will Hutchinson (10) was caught out as his side had slipped to 81-4.

Former skipper Will Norman (14) was unable to see Flixton closer to their target but a promising partnership of 34 between Harland (12) and Walmsley (33*) gave the home fans something to cheer about.

Holmes put an end to it however as he removed Harland and then caught out Cameron Anderson (10) to leave Flixton on 143-7.

Opening bowler Connor Stephenson (2) was stumped and Chris Mann (7) caught to leave them on the brink of exiting the competition.

Skipper Walmsley tried to get his side within touching distance, but his partner Ward was bowled as they fell 23 runs short of their victory target, thus ending their dream of a return to Lord’s.

Flixton need to bounce back in quick fashion as they return to league action this weekend.

Walmsley’s outfit travel to Beverley for a top-of-the-table clash in York Senior League Division East One.