With thanks to Tom Evans @ Merseyside Cricket Online (merseysidecricket.com can be supported @ https://buymeacoffee.com/tomevanscricket). This week, we present the Liverpool & District results & round up along with a review of Liverpool District Cricket events.
Reports, reaction & round-up: 26th & 27th July
Game of the weekend: ECB National Club Championship – Knight’s men charge into semis after edging two-run thriller
As they set out to defend 204 from 36 overs, Gary Knight urged his Ormskirk side to create some memories – they did as they were told.
One match from Lord’s, they will have the opportunity to create even more.
Their rain-reduced quarter-final at Tyneside’s South Northumberland came down to the last over, bowled by Sam Marsh, with the hosts needing 10 for a tie and having lost two fewer wickets.
The first ball went for four – “we thought the dream was dead,” Knight admitted.
But the next three were dots and the penultimate ball a wicket. Six off the last would still have done it, but Jonathan Wightman managed only four.
“I’ve got a few more grey hairs, that’s for sure,” added Knight.
“But it was a really special day for the club, and the coach journey back was something that’ll live with us all.
“These are the days that stick with you.”
After a rain delay, Ormskirk had flown out of the blocks, with George Lavelle and Calum Turner helping them to 84/1 in the 11th over.
But Knight believes the fast start seduced his middle order into thinking scoring was easier than it was, and it took a last-wicket stand of 26 between Ian Robinson and Jamie Barnes to nudge them over 200.
Sam Holden’s first five-over spell cost just eight runs, and when Knight stumped skipper Chris Hewitson off Tom Brown, the hosts were 100/5 and needed 105 from 70 balls.
Will Alexander’s unbeaten 52 kept things interesting, but Ormskirk prevailed.
Tom Brown starred for Ormskirk against Northern (Credit Ray Hibbs)
Knight hailed two of his supporting cast – former captain Robinson and all-rounder Holden – for their key roles in the win.
He said: “Robbo was my captain when I joined Ormskirk and I always wanted him to stick around as he gets a little bit older and a little bit stiffer in the field because I know he can produce performances like that.
“He has a calm head in a big moment and won us the game effectively because it was that close.
“Sam has been a massive player for us these last three years. Good pace, he can whack it out of the park and he’s a great lad as well.”
Birmingham League side Knowle & Dorridge will come to Brook Lane on August 17, with Penzance or Wanstead & Snaresbrook lying in wait at the Home of Cricket.
Knight added: “It won’t be easy and we’ll need another really good performance.
“But if someone came up to you at the start of the season and offered you a home semi-final to get to Lord’s, you’d take it.”
ECB Premier Division: Golden Brown’s ton puts Ormskirk 50 points clear in title race
Ormskirk opened up a 50-point lead on Northern, with their quest for a third successive league title heading towards the final stretch.
All-rounder Tom Brown’s second century for the club led their chase of 224 after a necessarily aggressive declaration by Northern skipper James Cole, who knew only a win would do.
Louis Bhabra’s unbeaten 112, supported by 58 from Stephen Lucas, enabled Cole to reach maximum bonus points within 46 overs and set a competitive target.
Bhabra then struck twice early on, but Aussie-English all-rounder Brown made 111 to get his side within striking distance of the winning line.
Captain Gary Knight said: “It was a really professional knock, a proper first-class knock against one of the best bowling attacks in the league.
“I was at the other end for a lot of his innings and I didn’t have to fire a shot.
“I was watching him in awe.”
Brown is still just 19 and, after being selected for Australia’s U19 side last autumn, has a bright future ahead of him.
Knight added: “He offers so much in all three facets of the game.
“He’s a brilliant fielder, and his off-spin speaks for itself – and his batting has come so far over the past 12 months.
“His technique stands up really well to good seam bowling, and he can hit spinners wherever he wants to with a lot of power.
“I know he’s got big plans to push harder this winter in Australia when he goes back home – hopefully we’ll see him in the first-class game soon.”
Elsewhere, Formby’s Ian Cockbain continued his stellar individual season with the highest score in the Comp’s top flight in the three-division era… and finished on the losing side.
Cockbain’s unbeaten 188 at Firwood Bootle – his former club, and where his late father played for many years in his prime – included 23 fours and nine sixes, making a total of 146 in boundaries.
The next highest score in Formby’s total of 296/6 was 29. But cricket remains a team game, and Bootle – led by 94 from Alastair Andrady and 72 from stand-in captain Steve Rimmer – managed to chase it down for a three-wicket win.
Another impressive chase came at Rainford, where Wigan eased their relegation fears with their own three-wicket win. Jake Leyland and Daniel Yates made 59 each, after Jason Login top-scored with 54 in the hosts’ 220/8. Young spinner Brad Barrow took a personal best of 6/94 for Wigan.
Newton-le-Willows also earned a crucial win, over bottom side Birkenhead Park. George Bell top-scored with 47 in the hosts’ 166; four of Park’s top five fell for ducks as they slumped to 26/5 in reply, but their lower order rallied and got them an agonising 10 runs from parity.
Park and Colwyn Bay are now beginning to look a little bit adrift. Bay mustered just 117 against Leigh, before Tom Grundy and Luke Prescott did the bulk of the chasing in a six-wicket win.
Wallasey played the long game and won at Rainhill, taking 73 overs to compile 173/8 then managing to take 10 wickets in 35.2 overs – including the last five for 20 runs in 32 balls – to win by just five runs.
Check out all the 2025 Premier League Centurions HERE
Division One: Liverpool thrash Highfield to stretch lead
Liverpool earned their second successive 10-wicket win to secure their spot at the top of the table.
Highfield were Saturday’s victims, rolled for just 55 by tall seamer Adam Stringer’s 7/18, his best ever 1st XI figures.
Second-placed Spring View, leaders for much of the season, lost their third successive game, falling 69 runs short of Southport & Birkdale’s 209. Former Northern and Lytham man Matthew Wood made 80 for S&B, before Edwin Geary’s 64 was in vain for View.
Orrell Red Triangle failed to capitalise, held to a draw by Hightown St Marys and staying in third. Mark Waddington made 97 for the hosts, as Gordon Bryan took 5/46; the visitors closed eight down and 26 shy of their target of 220.
Sefton Park’s Jimmy Dixon took 5/28 to roll Sutton for 83, before openers Haroon Khan and Ben Percival knocked off the runs.
New Brighton moved up the table at the expense of Maghull, courtesy of a 29-run win. Damitha Silva top-scored with 64 in the hosts’ 187, and while Nick Richie made 94 in reply, Sheshan Silva’s 5/43 carried the day.
Bottom side Old Xaverians earned their third win of the season, over Lytham. Josh Dilworth made 59 as Sabbir Patel’s 5/26 dismissed the hosts for 124, but it proved enough thanks to Colin Gibson’s 5/39.
Division Two: Ainsdale and Northop neck-and-neck after big wins
Ainsdale’s Dilanka Auwardt took 6/23 to dismiss Southport Trinity for just 60 and set up a seven-wicket win which keeps his side top of the league.
They lead Northop Hall on batting points, after the Welsh side blew past St Helens Town. Finley Jenkins’ unbeaten 73 was the top score in their 220/9, before Paul Jenkins and Carwyn Johnson took five wickets each to wrap up a 124-run win.
Caldy kept up the pressure with a 93-run win at Wirral rivals Parkfield Liscard. Rohan Sanjaya made 127 out of their 217, then took 5/32 to wrap up the victory.
The highest-scoring game was at Whitefield, where the hosts hung on for a five-run victory over Wavertree. James Anderson made 74 and Cronje Van Greunen 52 in their 279; Christanieo Giby and Hamish Farrell managed half-centuries in reply.
Prescot & Odyssey’s Harsh Shonak made 130, his second successive century, to set up an 82-run win over Fleetwood Hesketh.
Norley Hall were held to a draw by Prestatyn, who closed on 181/8 in reply to 230/6. Kieron Tidswell and Andy Taylor put on 107 for the first wicket for the Welsh side, after Alex Martlew and Ryan Wood’s unbroken stand of 96 for the hosts.
Ray Tyler Cup: Spring View and Sefton Park set up final showdown
Spring View will face Sefton Park in the final after they overcame Old Xaverians and Maghull respectively.
View did the damage to Xavs early on, with Marc Birch’s opening spell helping to reduce them to 34/6. They recovered to an extent but still could only post 86 – the hosts knocked the target off with nine wickets to spare.
Sefton Park compiled 259/9 thanks to half-centuries from Haroon Khan and Scott Aitchison, then induced a collapse from 31/0 to 46/5. Daksh Singhvi claimed 4/12 as the hosts subsided for 92.
You can follow all the fixtures & results HERE (ECB National Club Championship)
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With thanks to Tom Evans @ Merseyside Cricket Online (merseysidecricket.com can be supported @ https://buymeacoffee.com/tomevanscricket)
