Skipper Nicky Burns has called on Penrith Cricket Club’s first team players to keep their good run going after they chalked up a third win on the trot in all competitions.
Penrith are approaching the midway point of their Palace Shield Premier Division season with the 10th of 22 scheduled matches on Saturday ending in a 44-run triumph at home to Westgate.
Burns admits his side have been guilty of some “sloppy losses” so far in 2025 but is cheered by the way they have learned from previous defeats.
Against Westgate, Penrith batted first after winning the toss. Openers Burns and Ali Craig shared a first wicket partnership worth 62 before the latter departed, and the hosts then lost wickets in their middle order to leave the skipper contemplating a total of only around 170.
Burns scored 74 and life was breathed into the late stages of the innings as Farmer hit an unbeaten 53 with good support from Dylan Simpson (18) and Nathan Ellwood (11).
That allowed the home side to post 225 from 44 overs. “The tail really wagged. It was a huge score,” said Burns. “We batted really well and were happy at tea time.”
Westgate were six for two early in their reply before rain then intervened and reduced the number of overs available.
“We stressed the importance of taking wickets,” said Burns of a team talk during the unscheduled stoppage. “We came back on after rain and took two wickets straight away.”
Westgate, chasing a revised 191 from 32 overs, were 25 for four before a 77-run fifth wicket partnership gave them hope.
Australian overseas amateur Harry Walker scored a measured 51 before he was clean bowled by Ellwood with the opening ball of his fourth over.
“He (Walker) was a danger, but you just felt it would be too much for him,” said Burns, who was delighted by another excellent display in the field by his side.
“Westgate could never just keep up with the rate. We knew we needed to win more than them and that proved in the commitment and effort we showed.”
Westgate’s innings closed on 146 for nine. Penrith’s overseas amateur Donovan Zealand claimed three wickets, with Simpson and Ellwood taking two each.
Burns said the team had taken plenty of things on board from recent weather-affected, reduced overs fixtures, adding: “We’ve played a few games during the last two or three weeks which have almost been like three games in one. You’ve just got to be ready to adapt. The experiences have helped us massively when we’re going through it again. We’ve learned very fast.”
Since losing at leaders Morecambe in mid-June, Penrith have reeled off three victories in a row after beating Fylde in the league and then Eccleston in a Meyler Cup quarter-final clash. That has set up a semi-final showdown at Morecambe next Sunday, July 13.
Before then, Penrith — curently 10th in the table with four wins from their 10 matches so far — visit Kirkham & Wesham this Saturday before hosting Burneside on July 12.
“It’s a case of keeping it going,” said Burns. “We have two big weekends coming up. But we just take one game at a time. We don’t want to lose sight and get ahead of ourselves. There is an opportunity there having won the last three games. We’re going into this spell in the best form we could be.
“There have been sloppy losses but we’re learning from those: batting more patiently and putting a score on the board to defend.
“Going into the second half of season we’re currently the second best form team in the league. We’re very much optimistic. We have some big games coming up and we need to start the second half of the season well. If we do, that will set us nicely. Things are looking ok.”
