SPOTLIGHT ON 2nd X1s
Date: 16th May 2019
Week 4 Round Up from Rob Durand
Premier Division leaders Lytham's 100% winning streak ended on Saturday when they were held by champions Ormskirk to a draw. Batting first, host side Lytham decided to bat past the 45 overs to reach 171 all out. Jason McGreehin and Kyle Macauley both passed 40 but were dismissed soon afterwards. Jack Snowden claiming 4 for 42. Harvey Rankin with 32 was the highest scorer in reply as Cartmell, with three wickets, made life difficult.
Joel Huston scored his first 2nd XI century since 2015 as his Wallasey side travelled to Wigan and comfortably won. Huston was the dominant player in his side's score of 207 for 4 and added 104 runs for the 4th wicket with Luxon (36). Wigan themselves struggled to put any decent stands together and lost wickets at fairly regular intervals. Thomas Ward claimed a hat-trick in his return of 5 for 35 as Wallasey took top spot.
Sefton Park returned from New Brighton with the points after successfully chasing down a target of 177. New Brighton had Tom Horrocks to thank as he scored 73 not out from their total of 176 for 7 declared. Rob Supria with his third successive half century (54) and Phil Birch 44, laying the foundation. Oliver Griffiths with 4 wickets.
Northern recorded their first victory as Lees and Vis each took four wickets to dismiss Southport & Birkdale cheaply. Orrell Red Triangle also notched up their first win in an eight wicket win over Liverpool. Douglas with 44 and Hogan 35 the only players to offer much resistance as South African Jarryd McCulloch finished with a five wicket haul.
Formby top order flourished in the conditions with Ed Lowe (62), Chris Jones (63no) and overseas player Jason Varoxis (52 no) allowing the declaration at 224 and ultimately victory. Chris Barry added his own 52 but no other Colwyn Bay players managed more than 26. Jackson Darkes – Sutcliffe the main danger to them with his best bowling return of six for 54.
Highfield took over the leadership of Division One after a 100 run victory over Maghull. Matthew Wallace scored 58 to help set a target for the home side to chase as Joe Bennett returned figures of 4 for 39. No player managed to pass 16 as Gregory and Brown claimed three each.
Firwood Bootle are in second place after a weekend double bill with contrasting fortunes. On Saturday. Newton's Jamie Darbyshire 70 no and a return of 6 for 16 from Callum Hewitt (his 17th “fivefa”) gave their side victory despite Andy Ehlan's best efforts of 5 for 36. Bootle bounced back at Rainhill as Callum McGee hit an unbeaten 58 as they easily chased 128 for the loss of two. Nathan Siddall with four wickets.
Rainhill had previously drawn at Spring View. Howard Bamber with 64 no but they could not dislodge a resolute Rainhill rearguard.
Ainsdale got the better of Wavertree by 15 runs in a tight game. Daniel Fitzpatrick 53 and John Daulby 52 the best for either side. Adam Friar returning 5 for 37. Old Xaverians claimed their first victory over nine man Sutton (St Helens). Four wickets for Ian Formby. Rainford won the day's closest game with a six run advantage over Birkenhead Park. Four wickets for Park's Jones and Forrester but the win was a good all round team effort with no one-player dominating.
Performance of the day surely came from Norley Hall's Charlie Benson in Division Two. Walking in with his side in disarray at 26 for 6, the Prestatyn fielders must have felt they were halfway home to an easy victory. Benson had other ideas as he single-handedly stole the honours with a personal best score of 86 including 65 runs in a record last wicket stand of 69 with Hollinrake to reach 126 and a target to defend. Four wickets for Ieuan Jones. Ryan Duffy then produced a spell of 5 for 39 as the visitors succumbed to 61 all out.
Craig Black continued his fine start to the campaign with a second six wicket haul as St Helens limited Alder to 103 and ran out winners by 7 wickets.
Leaders Leigh secured their third win of the year with an eight wicket triumph over Trinity. Jack Whitehead had the amazing figures of six for three off six overs, his first five wicket haul.
Fyffe Dennis's 92 was the foundation for Burscough's declared total of 175. Two good partnerships featuring Alex Griffiths (57) and Dan Hargreaves (59 no) helped see Caldy home. Ryan Dunning with 5 for 34 helped bowl out Fleetwood Hesketh relatively early and enable Northop Hall to claim the win.
John Warrington's achievement of a hat-trick in his figures of 5 for 38 was in vain as his Parkfield Liscard side fell 56 runs shy of Hightown St Marys total of 169. Vosloo and McLoughlin both reaching 40. Hodgson broke the back of the reply with four early unaided (3 bowled and one LBW) wickets to leave the visitors 10 for 4.
Next weekend the Chester Cup and the Tittershill Cup take centre stage.
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