Sometimes, your name is on the cup – literally, in this case.
Northern won the northern section of the ECB National T20 Cup in thrilling and dramatic fashion, booking a slot in the national final against Oundle Town on September 22.
That comes a week after they face Brentwood in the 40-over ECB National Club Championship final, and a day after a potential Love Lane Liverpool Competition decider against Ormskirk.
Chasing 135 to beat Doncaster Town in the regional final at Derbyshire’s Copper Yard ground, James Cole’s side overcame the early loss of Liam Grey and Tyler McGladdery, and had edged ahead of the DLS par by the time the death overs rolled around.
With 18 required from the last three overs, Ben Edmundson and Dan Wilson produced 10 singles and a two, reducing the equation to six from six balls, with three wickets in hand.
Then left-arm spinner Warren Graca – not a regular 1st XI player for the South Yorkshire side – dismissed both Wilson and Josh Thompson in successive balls.
Tom Sephton is a fine cricketer, but possibly not the man you’d call on in this situation – he scrambled a leg-bye off his second ball, leaving Edmundson needing five off two.
The former Rainhill skipper only needed one, launching the sweetest six of his career straight over Graca’s head and sending his teammates into raptures.
Chris Laker had been the pick of Northern’s bowlers, taking 3/20 to still the momentum which Doncaster built up through a third-wicket stand of 72.
Liam Grey’s three overs cost just seven runs and accounted for George Fisher with the first ball of the match.
The semi-final had been an all-Merseyside affair, but Oxton found themselves outclassed by the men from Crosby.
Their chase of 142 never got off the ground as Grey, Sephton and Alex Vincent turned the screw; none of the top seven made it to double figures, before Wilson claimed three wickets to end the innings on 81.
By contrast, Laker, Grey and McGladdery all contributed decent scores to Northern’s total, while Jordan Collier’s three wickets kept them honest.
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Wallasey’s Sumit Ruikar sent his favourite opponents to the brink of relegation with an all-round masterclass in the Wirral derby at New Brighton.
The Indian slow left-armer followed his run-a-ball 83 with 7/21, taking his record against the Rakers to 43 wickets at a shade under 10 runs each, from nine games.
With Martyn Evans’ side now 63 points from safety with four games left, time for a miracle recovery is running out – the 2015 title winner will hope his young side are all the stronger for a punishing season.
The other relegation spot, and the title itself, look like going to the wire.
Ormskirk’s 59-run win at Southport & Birkdale – set up by fifties for openers Calum Turner and George Politis and sealed by Tommy Brown’s 5/47 – kept Gary Knight’s side three points ahead of Northern, and gave Birkenhead Park the chance to move one point ahead of S&B.
They did so with a seven-wicket win over Rainford, thanks to 5/48 for Malinda Pushpakumara and 50 for Mark Rowland.
Northern kept up the pressure on Ormskirk by beating Rainhill by eight wickets, with Tyler McGladdery finishing unbeaten on 79, and Chris Laker making 67.
Wigan and Newton-le-Willows had to settle for a draw, despite the hosts needing just three runs and the visitors just one wicket. Safi Abdullah made an unbeaten 59 then took 5/75 for Newton, while Jake Leyland top-scored with 62 for Wigan.
Mattie McKiernan made 125 as Leigh set Formby 277; the hosts made a bright start but lost Ian Cockbain for 80 and closed out for the draw.
Ormskirk will play holders Rainford in the Ray Digman Trophy final, after a convincing 94-run win over Formby. Calum Turner made 70 and Harvey Rankin 68 to set an imposing 233/9.
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Unbeaten Firwood Bootle could be just a couple of wins away from promotion from Division One after another rapid chase, this one against Sefton Park.
Visiting skipper Paul Horton prolonged his 89 into the 60th over before declaring on 220/6, but half-centuries from Alastair Andrady and Hermann Rolfes saw Bootle over the line.
Colwyn Bay are best placed to join them in the Premier Division after their six-wicket win over Liverpool, in which Paul Jenkins took 5/35.
Third-placed Highfield kept up the pressure with a six-wicket win of their own, over Old Xaverians.
Fleetwood Hesketh are rooted to the bottom thanks to a 61-run defeat to Lytham, for whom Matthew Wood starred with 6/55.
St Helens Town kept themselves afloat with a 48-run win at Maghull, set up by half-centuries from Jamie Ellis and Daniel Roberts; Liam Crilly’s 92 was in vain for the hosts.Luke Prescott kept up his astonishing run of form since returning from injury as Orrell Red Triangle beat Spring View. His Comp scores since August 3 read 107, 32, 100 and now 84, with 54 and 89* for Lancashire’s U18s in the middle.
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Hightown St Marys chose the scenic route at Sutton in the clash of the top two in Division Two.
After half-centuries from Joe Smith and Joe Noctor allowed the hosts to post 226/1, the visitors lingered for 56 overs for their 172/1, denying their opponents victory and claiming more bonus points, to close the gap to seven. Matt Laybourne finished unbeaten on 96.
There was much more drama to be found at the bottom. Prestatyn tied with Northop Hall, both sides making 116 – Adam Tidswell’s 7/56 the standout performance.
But it wasn’t enough to stop Prestatyn sinking back to the bottom, thanks to Whitefield’s win over Southport Trinity. Ali Zubairi made 72 to rescue the hosts from 87/8, before Farhan Jahangir claimed 6/18 to wrap up a crucial win.
Caldy are the closest challengers to the top two after their six-wicket win at Wavertree, with an unbeaten 58 for Umega Chaturanga; Alder fell narrowly short against Norley Hall; and Ainsdale chased 172 with just two wickets to spare against Parkfield Liscard.
