Sutton - Lancs aren't chokers | Manchester Evening News

Sutton - Lancs aren't chokers

Chris Ostick

July 06, 2009

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Luke Sutton watches on as Jimmy Adams goes on the attack

LUKE Sutton has denied Lancashire are big-game chokers.

Lightning's Lord's dreams were again left in tatters by their humbling 64-run defeat by Hampshire Hawks in the Friends Provident Trophy semi-final at Old Trafford on Sunday - the club's ninth defeat in the last four of a major competition in 10 years.

And despite that dismal run, which has seen them fail to pick up a trophy despite fielding a host of stars, Sutton insists there isn't a problem at the club.

"People accuse Lancashire of not getting over that final hurdle, but I don't believe in that," said the wicketkeeper.

"There are different groups of players involved over those years and a different coach who has very different methods than the coach we had when we lost the Lord's final in 2006.

"The top sides in England play some good cricket now, there are not a lot between sides in these big games.

"I don't think there is a problem. It is just an unfortunate run."

Lancashire, who have been the country's top one-day side this season, were blown away by Hampshire openers Michael Lumb and Jimmy Adams, who put on 159 for the first wicket.

Struggling

And despite a half century from VVS Laxman, Lightning were always struggling to reach their target of 272 and in the end were bowled out for 207.

"We put in as big an effort as we could and we just weren't good enough," said Sutton.

"I don't think we can have any complaints. We were outplayed, it is a game we should have won.

"271 was a good score, especially in a semi, but it was gettable. We didn't bat to our usual standard, we lost wickets at cru-cial times, and put pressure on ourselves. We were beaten by the better side."

Coach Peter Moores, looking to guide his side to Lord's after just five months in the job, admitted Lancashire just didn't play well enough.

"They played better than we did," admitted the former England chief.

"They got off to a great start and then they put us under pressure.

Having lost two and drawn one of their last three Championship matches, Lancashire now have to pick themselves up quickly before the crucial visit of Worcestershire to Old Trafford on Friday .

"You can hurt a bit, you should hurt a bit because it is a big game, a chance of a Lord's final," added Moores.

"You can lick your wounds, but after that 24 hours you have got to get your head on the next game."

What do you think? Have your say.

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Showing comments 1 to 8 and replies | View All

dessie, manchester (06/07/2009 at 10:21)

yes they are, we were very poor and not up to the big occasion!!!!

Chapman (06/07/2009 at 10:41)

Let's close this charade of a club down and enter teams in the Lancashire and Cheshire leagues instead.

Twistinmymellons, Mancunia (06/07/2009 at 12:06)

....choked was exactly what we did...AGAIN! Home tie, won the toss, perfect conditions??? What more do we want!

Alan Hornsby (06/07/2009 at 13:27)

I've been going to watch Lancs for many years and I have never seen a performance as poor and insipid as that one. It's not the fact we lost, it's the fact that the batsmen showed no desire for the run chase. The ponderous running of Laxman and the woeful defensive blocks and little attempted fiddles of Croft and Sutton was pathetic. Only Mahmood had the right approach when it was too late. Oh and the decision to bowl was absolutely unbelievable. I'm not being wise after the event, everyone I was sitting near was incredulous about the folly. Pathetic Moores and Chapple, get it sorted!!!

SouthportBlue, Southport (06/07/2009 at 13:48)

Being a Lancs and Man City fan (me) is a complete nightmare. With both it's been the same old story of missed opportunity and unfulfilled potential for nigh on 30 years.
A great many good young batsmen & bowlers at OT have failed to push on & become top players over the years. What has Watkinson achieved with the club since he stopped playing? In the one day-ers, why do some batsmen get out trying to slog good deliveries out of the ground (Horton, Loye) and others pad the odd single whilst letting the required run rate rocket? (Laxman yesterday, Chilton every innings). Why have Lancs failed to achieve max. batting points in every match bar 1 over 2 seasons?
There are many other questions about the running of the club, but it should be the OT heirarchy asking (and answering) them.
SouthportBlue

Hugh Mills (06/07/2009 at 19:47)

Luke Sutton is correct, Lancashire are not chokers they are simply not a top quality team. Hampshire this time, Sussex at Lords & Gloucester at Bristol a few years ago. Every time we come up against a good side we look way out of our depth. It is becoming embarrassing how far behind these teams our side have become We carry Loye & Laxman when fielding, poor field placing and an inability to bowl to the fields we have set, all these flaws together with Batsmen who cannot pace an innings leave us strictly a poor second. Unfortunately i grew up watching Jack Bond lead Lancashire to the Forefront in all these departments, so i now find our latest offering painful to watch. Perhaps now Peter Moore will realise how large a task he has taken on. I hope he is man enough and has the where for all to achieve at Lancs what he did at Sussex. I must say however that Hampshire look to be well on the way down the road to be a consistently top team. Come on Lancashire.

big g, sale (06/07/2009 at 20:47)

Well said SouthportBlue, maybe if the club put as much time and effort into the cricket as they do raising revenue we might make some progress!

Red Bear, Heaton Park (06/07/2009 at 22:33)

What can you do with a side that can blow Notts away like we did last weekend and then revert to normal or worse in the two following matches? But if you've been at OT these last 20 years you'll have got used to it! Only in Carl Hooper's time did we have all batsmen firing on all cylinders together, getting 400+ regularly on 1st innings. Even in the nineties glory days, the lower order (eg Hegg, Akram, Austin, Chapple & even Martin) had to rescue the batsmen. I've lost count of how many innings have gone through a 30 for 3 phase. In contrast the bowlers have been magnificent and still are, hence our creditable second places in the 2000s and England's calling them up. Digits extracted, please, for the Championship and T20, put some scores together. To the poster who criticised Laxman, he is the standard, they all need to be as good as he is instead of believing their own publicity.

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