WEEKEND ROUND UP 7/8 JUNE
Date: 10th June 2025
Tom Evans. Merseyside Cricket online
You can support Tom and his brilliant coverage by buying him a coffee!
https://buymeacoffee.com/tomevanscricket
ECB Premier Division
Northern closed the gap on Ormskirk at the top of the table by dodging the showers to record a 73-run win over Birkenhead Park.
On a day when nobody else in the top six managed to get a game in, it was the sort of result that can sometimes prove crucial at the season’s end.
Whether that proves to be the case this year remains to be seen.
Northern’s last title win, in 2021, was by a margin more comprehensive than one game’s worth of points, but featured a win at a crucial stage in similar circumstances over Southport & Birkdale.
Stand-in skipper Chris Laker, who is sharing the duties as club captain James Cole recovers from a finger injury, was delighted with what he saw.
He said: “It was brilliant to get the game on – a great effort from the grounds team through the week and the night before, and from the whole team on the day.
“We had good buy-in from both teams – Birkenhead were keen to get the game on and make the most of the day.
“And we came out on the right side of it.
“It’s still very early days, we’re only seven games in and there’s a long way to go.”
After a delayed start, Laker instructed his batters to rack up 160 then stick the visitors in – Stephen Lucas made 52 and Tyler McGladdery an unbeaten 53, from just 106 balls between them.
Running between the wickets was the order of the day – runs throughout the innings came at 5.5 an over, but boundaries made up less than half of the total.
Dan Wilson, taking lead spinner duties in the absence of the injured Tom Sephton, removed the dangerous Mark Rowland with the second ball of the innings and went on to finish with 5/19.
Once Park had slumped to 22/6, there was little doubt about the result.
Laker added: “It’s the best Dan’s bowled so far this season – he had great control and threatened both edges.
“He took a leading role, which at only 22 was great to see.”
The 28-year-old has led the side on most Saturdays so far this season, as Cole attempts to return to full fitness during a punishing schedule.
“We have different styles, me and James, but we both have the same message,” he said.
“We speak every day about what’s best for the team, getting people in the right roles to win games of cricket because that’s the mentality that we want to have.”
Newton-le-Willows also made the most of the breaks in the clouds with their first win of the season, by 136 runs over Colwyn Bay.
Captain Ben Walkden made 65 and Nathan Hughes 51 before a brisk unbroken stand of 52 from 4.2 overs by George Bell and Adnan Miakhel hurried the hosts to a declaration on 199/2.
In reply, Bay slumped from 25/1 to 36/7 as Miakhel took 3/12 to set Newton on their way to the win.
Wallasey’s Seb Botes made an unbeaten 71 out of 173/7 at Wigan; with 30 overs available, Ejaaz Alavi’s 4/46 gave the visitors a chance, but the hosts were able to close on 111/8.
this weekend’s fixtures
latest tables
Batting & bowling stats
Division One
Liverpool leapt to the top of Division One with a 45-run win over Lytham.
Captain Jared Clein took 4/16 after declaring to set a target of 145, with Adam Stringer also taking four wickets to help wrap up the win.
Earlier, experienced spinner Sabbir Patel took 5/57 against one of his former clubs.
Previous leaders Spring View were left to block out for a draw at New Brighton in the only other playable game.
Set 176 with a miserly 25 overs available, View’s skipper Lewis Matthews and wicketkeeper Edwin Geary dropped anchor for a stand of 20 in 22.2 overs after they slipped to 9/3.
Listen to the Last Hour cricket podcast
Division Two
Ainsdale lost top spot to Caldy as they slipped to their first defeat of the season, against Prescot & Odyssey.
Harsh Shonak made a fluent unbeaten 71 to lead the visitors’ pursuit of 131 after a generous declaration by home skipper Oli Green.
Stewart Guy took 5/47 for P&O, who are settling into life in the Comp.
Sunday: Lancashire Knockout
Formby reached the quarter-finals for the first time thanks to a six-wicket win over Appleby Eden, as Ian Cockbain continued his stellar start to the season.
The skipper made an unbeaten 78, taking him to 999 runs in all competitions from just 16 innings; had he struck a six instead of a four to get his side over the line, he’d have topped 1,000.
West Indian Larry Edward was the day’s other hero – he combined with Cockbain in an unbroken stand of 81, having earlier taken 4/13 to restrict the visitors to 184.
Northern are also in the quarters after an impressive away win at joint holders Prestwich.
Tyler McGladdery played the anchor role with an unbeaten 56, with a stand of 85 with Alex Vincent doing the bulk of the chasing.
The hosts managed 159 from the 41 overs available, Matthew Laker’s nine overs costing just 18 runs and yielding two wickets.
Northern will host Clitheroe at Moor Park in the last eight, on June 29, while Formby take on Fleetwood at Cricket Path.
Cheshire Cup
Wallasey are the Love Lane Liverpool Competition’s only representatives through to round 3 after their seven-wicket win at Romiley.
Evan Withe top-scored with 83 in the Wirral side’s pursuit of 145.
Birkenhead Park slumped for 60 on a bowler’s day at Cheadle; earlier, Safi Abdullah’s spell of 3/7 from eight overs set up a chase of 130, but it wasn’t to be.
Parkfield Liscard also fell for double figures, run through for 93 by Lindow, who wrapped up a nine-wicket win.
New Brighton might yet join Wallasey in the next round – their game at Bredbury St Marks was washed out and rescheduled for next Sunday.
Outside the Comp, there was better news for Bromborough side Maritime, who got the better of Alsager by just four runs.
Mickel Joseph made an unbeaten 97, including four successive sixes to end the innings. Captain Kalhara Sinhage hit 77 in an unbroken stand of 161 to post a total of 265/5 from their 40 overs.
Vishal Barigela kept the chase in check with 5/59 before Sinhage defended 13 off the last over.
Widnes also made it through, chasing 118 for a seven-wicket win at Sale. But there were defeats for Oxton at Elworth, Neston at Urmston and Upton at home to Hyde.
Back to top
