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: 30th/31st August
Lancashire Cup final: Ruthless Northern dodge Blackpool showers to leave Formby short
Move over, Blackpool illuminations – the Northern lights are shining brighter than ever.
James Cole’s side have quality written through them like a stick of rock, and they claimed the club’s third Lancashire Cup title with a professional win over Formby.
Northern captain James Cole lifts the trophy Picture by GEORGE FRANKS
They battled through the worst the British seaside weather could throw at them to post a competitive total, then kept their challengers at arm’s length throughout the run chase.
Formby did little wrong and played a full part in an enjoyable day’s cricket.
But Northern’s eventual winning margin of 22 runs was a little flattering on the day – such is the difference between a very good side and a great one.
As Tyler McGladdery kept shouting from the boundary whenever Formby looked like getting a foothold: “We’ve been here before.”
This side has played an awful lot of limited overs cricket over the past few seasons and seem to sense when a moment is there to be seized – and when to make sure the opposition don’t do any seizing of their own.
Stephen Lucas and Tom Sephton celebrate a wicket Picture by GEORGE FRANKS
Stephen Lucas was deservedly named player of the match for his unbeaten 78, made on a tricky wicket and broken up by three rain delays.
Starved of the strike at first, he burst into life after a mini-collapse threatened to derail Northern’s innings.
St Lucian spinner Larry Edward had struck twice in the 14th over to remove Liam Grey and McGladdery – the latter to a stunning one-handed slip catch by Ian Cockbain.
The heavens immediately opened, and after a half-hour delay Chris Laker ran himself out. From 55/0, Northern were 71/3.
Alongside Louis Bhabra, Lucas steadied the ship – occasionally cutting loose when the bowlers dropped short, but mostly happy to deal in singles and the occasional two on the vast outfield.
One slog-sweep off George Evans disappeared in the direction of Blackpool zoo as the close neared; Bhabra also passed 50 in a stand worth 117.
The innings was eventually reduced to 38 overs, and Lucas and Bhabra – Northern’s two new arrivals this season – opted for caution after the third and final shower, mindful of the need to keep wickets in hand for the DLS calculation.
Lucas said: “We knew that if you lose a wicket, you lose runs.
“But you also obviously want to score runs as well, so it was a bit of a dilemma – do we go a bit harder and try and get, say, 35-40? Or actually just go, let’s take our medicine, let’s get 30 for none?
“I love batting with Louis and it was a great little partnership.”
Formby’s target was 210 and both sides knew the top order was key. Cockbain unfurled a few signature back-foot drives as he passed 2,000 runs for the season in all competitions, but then skewed Dan Wilson to backward point; Tom Billington made it to 45 before being pinned by Tom Sephton.
The gig was not up but the required rate was creeping past eight an over when Wilson bowled Lucas Kennedy attempting a reverse sweep.
That brought together Formby’s best stand, a backs-to-the-wall 66 between Edward and Jack Carney. Neither found it easy to time the ball but managed to keep their side in the running until Josh Thompson, running through his range of variations and slower balls, clipped Carney’s leg stump in the 35th over with 41 still required.
Next over, Edward swung Sephton into the hands of Bhabra at deep mid-wicket and the celebrations could begin in earnest.
“I think it’s going to be a very fun night,” added Lucas, who has now assisted in two trophy wins in his first season back at the club.
“A lot of hard work goes into it from a lot of people behind the scenes.
“It’s nice to get another trophy – one more next week, hopefully, and it’s a very successful season, I’d say.”
Ray Tyler Cup final: Sefton spark into life to take spring out of View’s step
Sefton Park celebrate winning the Ray Tyler Cup
Sefton Park claimed their first trophy since 2013’s Division Two title by edging a DLS-enhanced thriller against Spring View.
Jimmy Dixon and Abishek Jagan managed to knock off the last 24 runs from 23 balls, Jagan’s single sealing the deal off the fifth ball of the last over.
Their chase had been dominated by 59 from Haroon Khan and a punchy stand of 49 between Matt Young and Huzaifa Zubair, while Kian Farnworth claimed 2/25 from a tight eight-over spell.
View’s total of 174 all out translated to a chase of 186 in 41 overs, after Supun Samarathunga rescued the Wigan side with an innings of 80 not out from 65 balls.
Zubair’s nine overs either side of a rain delay cost just 17 runs, while Jagan claimed 4/42 as he mopped up the rest.
ECB Premier Division: Dotters is spot-on to heap more misery on Birkenhead Park
Only one game was played to a finish on Saturday, and it brought more misery for relegation-haunted Birkenhead Park.
The Wirral side lost by 10 wickets to Rainford, not picking up a single point – they were bowled out for 99, one short of a batting point, thanks to visiting skipper John Dotters taking 6/42.
Defending champions Ormskirk had a dip at Colwyn Bay’s 182 with 16 overs available, but finished on 138/6 after frequent wickets from Sagar Trivedi stilled their momentum. Earlier, Jamie Barnes had taken 5/41 in his kind of conditions, while Sion Morris top scored for the Welshmen with 63.
Ormskirk’s seven points means they stretched their lead over Northern by two after the rain ended the Crosby side’s game against Wallasey. Louis Bhabra made an unbeaten 95 in the hosts’ 185/1; the visitors got close, at 168/7, before the weather stepped in, The other three games failed to make it out of the first innings. Ben Walkden was stopped in his tracks on 85 for Newton-le-Willows against Leigh, while leading wicket taker Khalid Usman was left one short of another five-for for Rainhill against Firwood Bootle.
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Division One: Old Xavs’ smash-and-grab at Liverpool rocks both ends of table
Old Xaverians pulled off one of the results of the season, throwing things open at both ends of the table with a two-wicket win at Liverpool.
Josh Dilworth took 5/55 and Colin Gibson 4/39 as the leaders succumbed for just 95; it turned out to not be a bad total, as Dan Harrison claimed 6/50 before the penultimate pair of Lewis Barnes and Sean Stamper inched over the line.
Neither of Liverpool’s promotion rivals were able to cash in though – Orrell Red Triangle were frustrated by the rain at Highfield, with only 37 overs possible, while Spring View were on the wrong side of a thriller at Hightown St Marys.
Jackson Darkes-Sutcliffe took 8/64 to dismiss the Wigan side for 129, but the hosts lost their top three for ducks in reply and stumbled to 90/8 before Sachin Sharma and Oliver Raw saw them to a one-wicket win.
At the bottom, Maghull are just four points clear of Xavs thanks to their three-wicket defeat to Sutton. Andy Cowley took 6/56 for the St Helens side to dismiss the hosts for just 91.
Lytham’s trip to New Brighton and Southport & Birkdale’s visit to Sefton Park both fell foul of the rain. Stand-in skipper Richard Openshaw had time to make 55 for Lytham, while Rakers skipper Tom Anders took 5/74; S&B’s Matthew Wood also made 55.
Division Two: Ainsdale on cloud nine thanks to Sri Lankan star
Ainsdale are on the brink of securing promotion thanks – again – to Dilanka Auwardt, who was only denied a 10-for by a run-out against Norley Hall.
The Sri Lankan’s 9/74 dismissed the visitors for 148 and the hosts knocked them off with four wickets to spare.
Northop Hall are well-placed to join them in Division One after their seven-wicket win over Southport Trinity. Paul Jenkins took 6/45 for the Welshmen to run through the visitors for 114.
Caldy kept in touch by thrashing Whitefield, dismissing them for just 33. Sadeep Saputantrige took 7/15, after Rohan Sanjaya’s 77 helped the Wirral side post 157.
Harsh Shonak passed 1,000 league runs for the season as he helped Prescot & Odyssey beat Parkfield Liscard by eight wickets. Stewart Guy was the matchwinner with 7/14.
Wavertree’s push for victory against Prestatyn ended two wickets short. The Welshmen closed on 83/8 chasing 159; skipper Adam Tidswell claimed 6/64 in the first half. Matthew Bielby took 7/38 for St Helens Town against Fleetwood Hesketh, but there was only time for one over of the reply before the rain came.
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With thanks to Tom Evans @ Merseyside Cricket Online (merseysidecricket.com can be supported @ https://buymeacoffee.com/tomevanscricket)
