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: 6th & 7th September
ECB Premier Division: Northern in with a chance of title heist as Ormskirk frustrated at Formby
Almost out of nowhere, a title race has broken out.
Defending champions Ormskirk are still in control of their quest for a third consecutive crown.
But Northern are breathing down their necks.
Six weeks ago, after Gary Knight’s side completed a five-wicket win over their rivals, the gap was 51 points; now it is just 16, the lowest it has been since June.
A quirk of the fixture list – namely the quirky decision to hold the ECB National Knockout final on the last Saturday of the season – could prove critical.
Ormskirk, who face Penzance at Lord’s in the showpiece on September 20, have had to rearrange their game with Birkenhead Park for Sunday, September 14, meaning their league season will be over six days before Northern’s.
A week is a long time in weather forecasting – but the outlook for next weekend is currently dismal. And with Ormskirk due to play twice, they have more to lose from a washout.
We could end up with a scenario where they take to the field at the Home of Cricket while their league fate is decided hundreds of miles to the north.
It would be an unsatisfying end to the season, but Northern deserve credit for clinging to Ormskirk’s coat tails for long enough to give themselves a chance.
Title race – The Remaining Games
| Club | Points | Sep 13 | Sep 14 | Sep 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ormskirk | 366 | WAL (h) | BPK (a) | |
| Northern | 350 | RFD (h) | WIG (h) |
Their trip to Leigh for the Ray Digman Trophy final on Sunday was a waste of time due to a three-hour spell of rain which left the outfield sodden, and the lack of any sun to dry it off.
The finalists will try again at Moor Park next Sunday – an unprecedented quadruple for Northern is suddenly very much a possibility.
They picked up all 25 points at Birkenhead Park on Saturday, a result which relegated their hosts. It was a microcosm of Park’s season – competitive at times but unable to put in a complete performance.
Mark Rowland’s 58 and Andrew Clarke’s 43 helped the hosts reach 118/2, but nobody from number five downwards made double figures and they were bowled out for 156, with four wickets each for Tom Sephton and Chris Laker.
Northern slipped to 37/3 in reply but it was plain sailing thereafter for Johnny Browne and Louis Bhabra, who each made half-centuries in an unbroken stand of 122 which saw their side home.
Ormskirk piled on 273/4 at Formby, with 78 for Calum Turner, 77 for George Politis and 60 for George Lavelle, then gave themselves an eventual 59 overs to take 10 wickets.
At 19/3, it looked like a successful strategy – but the hosts dropped anchor, with Jack Carney finishing unbeaten on 80 and the team on 188/6.
Ormskirk leave the field frustrated at Formby Picture by RAY HIBBS
Relegation battle – The Remaining Games
| Club | Points | Sep 13 | Sep 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firwood Bootle | 199 | LEI (h) | CBY (a) |
| Newton-le-Willows | 192 | FOR (h) | WAL (a) |
| Wigan | 180 | BPK (h) | NOR (a) |
| Colwyn Bay | 155 | RNL (a) | BOO (h) |
Colwyn Bay are the most likely to join Birkenhead Park in Division One last year after losing their 50-pointer with Newton-le-Willows. Jack Morley took 5/44 to restrict the Welshmen to 144, before Chris Schofield’s 55 anchored the chase and sealed a four-wicket win.
Wigan are now first in line if Bay manage to pull off a great escape, after Wallasey edged to a two-wicket win. Aaron Redmond made 80 and Matt Critchley 76 in his first appearance of the season for the visitors, but Ejaaz Alavi’s unbeaten 86 was just enough to get the Wirral side home.
Two under-18s, Stephen Pennington and Harry Ball, put on an unbroken last-wicket stand of 45 for Rainhill, helping to set up a 49-run win at Leigh. Mattie McKiernan took 5/23 for the hosts but added just 12 to his season’s haul with the bat as Khalid Usman and Saeed Ullah claimed four wickets each to seal the win.
Rainford skipper John Dotters took 8/59 to set up a three-wicket win over Firwood Bootle, who remain under the faintest threat of relegation. Alastair Andrady made 52 for the visitors before Dotters ran amok; Bootle gave themselves a chance but Dom Hayes and Liam Gaskell saw the hosts home with a stand of 54.
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Division One: Triangle gain ground on leaders Liverpool in three-way promotion scrap
Division One Promotion Race – The Remaining Games
| Club | Points | Sep 13 | Sep 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 348 | SVW (h) | SUT (a) |
| Orrell Red Triangle | 338 | MGL (a) | OXV (h) |
| Spring View | 317 | LIV (a) | SEF (h) |
Orrell Red Triangle closed to within 10 points of leaders Liverpool, as the promotion race goes down to the wire.
The seven-run margin was thanks to S&B’s Matthew Wood, who made 95 and almost dragged his side to the line – nobody else made double figures while he was at the crease. But he was ninth out with the score 140 and 23 runs still needed, a task which proved just too much for the last pair.
Earlier, Ben Mahoney had top-scored with 67 in Orrell’s innings.
Liverpool could have put one foot in the Premier Division, but lost by two wickets to Lytham, setting up a 50-pointer with Spring View next weekend. Veteran Anthony Mulligan and skipper Ryan Norris saw Lytham home from 139/8 chasing 181.
View failed to take full advantage of Liverpool’s slip-up, held to a draw by New Brighton. Nathan Ashford made 77 and skipper Lewis Matthews 60, as Martyn Evans claimed 5/79 for the Rakers; the visitors closed on 198/7 chasing 222, with Damitha Silva making 56.
Division One Relegation Battle – The Remaining Games
| Club | Points | Sep 13 | Sep 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hightown St Marys | 209 | HFD (h) | MGL (a) |
| New Brighton | 201 | SUT (h) | HFD (a) |
| Maghull | 173 | ORT (h) | HSM (h) |
| Old Xaverians | 167 | S&B (a) | ORT (a) |
Division Two: Promotion parties at the double for Ainsdale and Northop Hall
Ainsdale and Northop Hall both sealed promotion to Division One on the same afternoon.
The key result was the Welshmen’s four-wicket win at nearest rivals Caldy, which knocked the Wirral side out of the race. Carwyn Johnson took 6/23 as the hosts managed just 48; after a few wobbles, James Hurlin hit the winning runs to take his side up.
Ainsdale could only draw at Prescott & Odyssey, the hosts closing on 172/9 chasing 191, but Caldy’s loss had already sealed their promotion. Ichira Yahathugoda made 69 before Harsh Shonak’s 84 continued his excellent season; Dilanka Auwardt moved to 99 wickets for the season with his 5/62.
Shah Afridi haunted his former club Whitefield by smacking 85 off 44 balls to seal a seven-wicket win for Norley Hall.
Wavertree overhauled Southport Trinity’s 130 with nine wickets to spare, thanks to 59 from Sanjo Varghese.
Nathan Condon’s 81 was not quite enough to force a win for Fleetwood Hesketh over Parkfield Liscard, the hosts closing on 165/8 in reply to 183. Piushan Gamekankanamge took 5/40 for the Wirral side.
Prestatyn are still winless after St Helens Town dismissed them for 110 then earned a six-wicket win.
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)
