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: 21st & 22nd June
ECB Premier Division
Saturday was the longest day of the year, but the Love Lane Liverpool Competition’s two leading lights still couldn’t find time to force a result.
Mid-afternoon rain had the decisive say, stopping leaders Ormskirk in their tracks after a strong start at Northern’s Moor Park.
After the resumption, George Politis was able to complete his third 1st XI league century, before he fell for 101 with the score 143/2.
Captain Gary Knight then joined George Lavelle for a stand of 108. With his side in control of the game and ahead in the table, the skipper was in no rush to declare and only pulled the plug shortly after he was out for 67, with Lavelle unbeaten on 71 and the board reading 257/3.
There was time, it turned out, for 35 overs – Ormskirk’s bowlers had a puncher’s chance, while Northern’s batters had somewhat less.
In the end, both landed a few blows – the hosts slipped to 62/4 before half-centuries from Louis Bhabra and Alex Vincent led them to safety.
Ormskirk’s two-point advantage on the day stretches their lead in the table to 16.
Knight admitted it was difficult to balance trying to push for a win while also not conceding ground to their rivals. It’s becoming a theme when they meet, with five of their last 10 league encounters ending in stalemate.
They have traded blows in the cups – Northern ended Ormskirk’s defence of the Ray Digman Trophy earlier this month, while Ormskirk returned the favour in the ECB National T20 knockout last Wednesday.
But when a draw is an option, with so little to choose between the sides, caution often wins the day – the last time a team successfully defended a total in the El Compico was May 2021, when Northern won by 15 runs on their way to the title.
Knight said: “You want to make the smartest decision you can, and we had a good crack at them and pushed as hard as we could.
“But it was a fast-scoring ground and I didn’t want to give them too much freedom in terms of being able to throw six wickets at a run chase, knowing they could block out in the end.
“Personally I felt I pushed the game on as much as I could with the bat, but we went 20 or 30 runs more than we usually do because we didn’t want to risk losing.
“I still wanted a good crack at them but as soon as the ball got soft, there weren’t too many opportunities.”
Ormskirk remain the team to beat in the league, with early exits from the Digman and the Lancashire Cup helping them stay fresh and focused.
But there are still cups to be won – Northern are the opponents again in the last 16 of the 40-over ECB National Knockout on July 6, and a week later Rainford, Formby and Wallasey await in the regional finals day of the T20 version.
“Wednesday was massive for us,” said Knight.
“I was really buzzing because we’ve missed out in the T20 for the last couple of years. And in the league we’re a match for anyone when we play our best cricket.
“George’s knock sums up the last two or three weeks – he batted really well against Wallasey and Roe Green in the national without getting a big score, then Saturday was a chanceless knock against one of the best attacks in the league.”
Bottom side Colwyn Bay surprised Leigh by chasing 180 for a two-wicket win.
Zack Gidlow and Dan Russell’s opening stand of 115 got them off to the best possible start after a sporting declaration; Paddy Allan roared back with 5/82, including three wickets in an over, but Jack Parry got his side over the line with a six off visiting skipper Mattie McKiernan.
Adam Shallcross continued his excellent season with an unbeaten 68 in Leigh’s innings of 179/6.
Formby are third after they chased 226 inside 34 overs for a four-wicket win against Firwood Bootle.
Half-centuries for Tom Billington and Ollie Sutton, in a stand of 108 for the fourth wicket, did the bulk of the job; St Lucian spinner Larry Edward claimed 5/72 for the hosts in the first innings, with Ivan Kriek’s 57 the top score.
Archie Davies bowls to Joe Adderley during Formby’s win over Firwood Bootle (Picture by RAY HIBBS)
Wallasey’s Seb Botes claimed his best-ever figures of 9/41 to blow Rainhill away and earn a 72-run win. Khalid Usman’s 6/45 had held the hosts to 151, but he was quickly usurped by the former New Brighton man.
Rainford captain John Dotters made his best ever top-flight score of 81 not out to set up a 49-run win over Wigan. Helped by half-centuries from Jason Login and Will Threlkeld, he was able to declare on 260/5 inside 47 overs; in reply, Ashutosh Sharma hit six sixes in his 58, the highest of eight double-figure scores for the hosts, but Dom Hayes’ 6/46 sealed the win.
It was a bad day for Birkenhead Park, who were leapfrogged by Newton-le-Willows with a four-wicket win. Captain Ben Walkden’s 5/39 rolled the hosts for 112 and, despite a wobble to 17/3, the visitors completed the job.
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Division One
Spring View sprung clear at the top of Division One with a 76-run win over Southport & Birkdale.
The batting was a team effort – seven men made double figures but none more than Supun Samarathunga’s 24 – but the bowling was dominated by Marc Birch, who took 6/18 to roll the visitors for 68.
View started the day dead level with Liverpool, but pulled away thanks to the Aigburth side’s 38-run defeat at Highfield. The visitors reached 105/4 in pursuit of 161 but as soon as Rob Rankin was dismissed for 56 they stumbled – Madduma Lakmal wrapped things up with a spell of 4/9 in just 20 balls.
Sutton’s spell as the surprise package of the division continued with a seven-wicket win over Sefton Park. Captain Joe Noctor’s unbeaten 54 anchored their pursuit of 94, after the visitors failed to really recover from 3/3.
Orrell Red Triangle are also going strong after a six-wicket win at Hightown St Marys, set up by Matty Wareing’s 5/47 and confirmed by captain Andy Baybutt’s unbeaten 52.
Lytham veteran Anthony Mulligan took 5/34 to dismiss bottom side Old Xaverians for 97; the hosts wobbled to 31/5 in response but Stewart Davison and captain Ryan Norris saw them home.
Maghull and New Brighton played out a rain-reduced draw, the Wirral side closing on 158/6 in reply to 183/9. Alex Watkins made an unbeaten 58 for the Rakers.
Division Two
Ainsdale held on to top spot thanks to a 101-run win over Southport Trinity, after half-centuries from Harry Beddard and captain Oli Green helped them to 220/6.
But Beddard’s old club Caldy remain hot on their heels after Rohan Sanjaya’s 5/11 set up a chase of 87 and an eight-wicket win over Wirral rivals Parkfield Liscard.
Northop Hall’s Paul Jenkins had winless St Helens Town in a spin, taking 6/54 to dismiss the visitors for 124 at Smithy Lane. Matthew Jones’ unbeaten 57 sealed an eight-wicket win.
An unbeaten 87 from Dan Fisher, backed up by 51 from Harbir Singh, led Norley Hall to a nine-wicket win at another side still looking for their first win, Prestatyn. Ben Hughes made 51 and Nauman Ahmed 46* from number 10 to help the Welsh side post 173.
Wavertree skipper Theo O’Brien made 92 out of Wavertree’s 202/7 against Whitefield, before his bowlers wrapped up a 94-run win.
Fleetwood Hesketh couldn’t force a win over Prescot & Odyssey, despite posting 245/4 with 72 for Nathan Condon and an unbeaten 67 for Raja Immi. The visitors closed on 153/7.
Sunday: Ray Digman Trophy
Messrs Duckworth, Lewis and Stern shone brightest on semi-final day, deciding both clashes and setting up a final between Northern and Leigh.
The September showcase will be a repeat of the 2012 final, which Leigh won by five wickets.
It was their last such triumph, while Northern have lifted the trophy three times since then – most recently in 2022.
The Crosby side progressed at the expense of Birkenhead Park, who recovered from 22/3 in the ninth over to 186/4 after 37 thanks to an unbeaten 74 from skipper Alex Harris and 64 from Andrew Clarke.
Northern reached 81/2 by the time play was abandoned – just one run ahead of the DLS target.
Leigh overcame Division One side Liverpool in similar circumstances. The visitors posted 202/9 from the full 45 overs, with an unbeaten 67 from Finn Hulbert against his former side. Rain reduced the hosts’ target to 76 from 13 overs, which they reached with four balls and six wickets to spare.
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)
