LL L&DCC 2ND XI ROUND UP - Week 20 (4th September)
Date: 10th September 2021
Promotion for Birkenhead Park - Glover hits 143, Lawrenson just 141
2nd XI Round Up Week 20 – 4 September
With Wallasey confirmed as champions last week, the focus in the Premier Division now turns to those clubs trying hard to avoid the dreaded drop. Going into the weekend, realistically any two of the bottom five clubs could still be relegated if results go against them. The clubs who benefitted the most from the weekend were Sefton Park, Southport & Birkdale and Firwood Bootle who all recorded important victories.
Southport, with games in hand, featured in a double header with mixed results. On Saturday they recovered from Michael Gill’s second century in a week for Ormskirk (taking him past 8000 play cricket runs) after he was dismissed after reaching 100 as he became one of Baybutt’s four victims. After losing two early wickets, it was up to Adam Phillips to take his side towards victory before falling for 96 in a five wicket success. On Sunday they were unable to repeat the result when Northern’s Matthew Wood passed fifty wickets for the season with his fourth five wicket return as he claimed 6 for 41. Any hopes of victory were dashed by Biley Banerjee’s second fifty for the second XI as he finished unbeaten on 92.
Firwood Bootle recorded a second successive victory after successfully chasing down Liverpool’s score of 179. An unbeaten 90 from Nicholas Gallimore following his previous week’s 88, aided by 39 from Meskell was enough for the points. Billy Smith now needs 3 wickets to record 800 play cricket wickets as he claimed 4 for 47 in the Liverpool innings which was led by young Louis Disley’s first fifty for his new club at this level. That victory allowed them to close some of the gap on Lytham who claimed nine valuable bonus points in their defeat by the champions. Josh Rylance with 75 and 60 from Matty Hughes were the main contributors in Wallasey’s 226. Three wickets each for Norris and Cartmell. McGreehin with 54 and 47 from Childs laid the foundation for Lytham’s maximum batting points as they fell 45 runs short. Huston with 4 for 66.
New Brighton appear to need a minor miracle after they were dismissed for under a 100 when chasing Northern’s 175. An unbroken 78 runs stand for the seventh wicket between Wright and Snaylem who both ended on 37, took the game away from New Brighton despite Gamage’s four wickets. After a promising start when they were 43 for 1, Thompson and Wood took four wickets each as New Brighton fell away. 31 from Rabot the best.
Sefton Park earned a vital win in a low scoring affair against Newton le Willows thanks to David Kelly’s 5 for 37 and his crucial 30 together with Saeed’s 34 as they passed the target with three wickets left. Hughes and Fitzgerald with three wickets each. Spilsbury with three for Sefton Park. In the one game not affecting the relegation dogfight, Formby’s Jones and Kennedy both ended up just short of their 50s, as they eased past Orrell RT’s 147. Archie Davies with his best figures of the season with 5/26 and his third five – for.
The current points at the bottom are (with S&B having three to play against the others two games)
7 - Sefton Park 226 pts,
8 - Southport & Birkdale 219,
9 - Newton le Willows 218,
10 - Lytham 207,
11 - Firwood Bootle 193 and
12 – New Brighton 163.
Congratulations to Birkenhead Park who have secured promotion to the Premier Division with their latest victory over Spring View in Division One. Dan Jordan led the way with an unbeaten 82 as he enjoyed an unbroken 114 run partnership with Vipul Bhaskar (52 not out) enabling Park to declare on 213. Several Spring View players got themselves in but were unable to reach 40 with Cooper (38) and Bamber with 34 the best. Jordan wrapping up the win and promotion with three late wickets as View lost their last five wickets for 22 runs. Second placed Colwyn Bay were held to a draw by the Rainhill’s last pair as they sought a victory that would have secured their own promotion. Spillane with 47 was one of six batsmen to reach double figures as Pennington claimed four wickets. Pennington (32 no) also helped steady the ship with Morgan 42 as wickets fell at regular intervals. Tom Clarke with 5 for 36 and four wickets for Moorhouse couldn’t quite force the win.
Wigan recorded their fourth successive victory as they still hope for Colwyn Bay to slip up twice as they won a close fought derby against Highfield. Harry Jackman with an unbeaten 63 marshalled the lower order to what proved to be a winning score of 175. Five wickets for Matthew Wallace who has three five wicket returns this season having waited since 2013 for his only previous one. Craig Aspey hit a quick fire 55 at a run a ball in the pursuit but after he was first out, his colleagues struggled with only 32 from Johnson of any note as Anthony Whittaker claimed his first ever five for with 6 for 42 in a 14 year career (albeit as a part time rather than a main bowler). Wigan are 36 points behind with two to play.
Leigh’s Martin Glover hit the division’s highest score this season with an unbeaten 143 in an unbroken 201 run partnership with Nathan Graham who as well as hitting 80 not out, then collected six for 73 bowling unchanged as three Wavertree batsmen chipped in with 30s before the innings ended. Ian Formby of Old Xaverians took four wickets as his side dismissed Ainsdale for 81 in a game mostly dominated by the bowlers as Daniel Fitzpatrick had earlier taken a career best 7 for 51, with all of his season’s twelve wickets coming in the last two games. Andrew Rose collected another 50 (the 28th of his career) for the school’s old boys.
Both Evan Withe (for his 72) and Matthew Noble (for his 98) managed career best scores for their sides (although Evan did score more in a covid game last year) in the drawn game between Northop Hall and Rainford in a game where David Parry hit 55 which is his best score since 2012.
Highfield did manage to close the gap on tenth place Spring View by virtue of gaining three extra bonus points to close the gap to just four points as Northop Hall in seventh place are not yet mathematically safe as they are 24 points clear of Highfield with Rainhill and Wavertree also looking nervously over their shoulders.
Lower order points position
7 - Northop Hall 201 pts,
8 – Rainhill 190,
9 – Wavertree 183,
10 – Spring View 181,
11 – Highfield 177 and
12- Ainsdale 160.
In Division Two, the battle for top spot continues as Southport Trinity moved above Fleetwood Hesketh after winning their weekend clash by 35 runs. Oliver Mckeown notching up his best ever score with an unbeaten 71 aided by Francis with 44 and Jones 38no enabling the home side to declare on 183. Six Hesketh batsmen reached double figures but with both Sykes and Mullen falling on reaching 33, they lacked the dominant batsmen that would have gotten them closer as Michael Roberti edging towards both 50 league wickets for the season and needing just one more for 500 play cricket wickets, took 5 for 68.
Maghull continued to score runs for fun as they amassed 241 against a depleted nine man Parkfield Liscard in a very comfortable 140 run victory which incidentally was just one less than Macauley Lawrenson managed on his own as he passed 500 league runs for the campaign with his second league century of the season. Not to be overshadowed, 14 year old Frank Byron collected his third fifty. Although opener Gareth Roberts scored 52 and Courtney 33 in reply, there was little support from the rest. Caldy also disposed of an equally depleted Prestatyn side in quick time in an eight wicket victory. Sweeney with an unbeaten 41.
Martin O’Rourke collected a season best of 6 for 43 as Alder won a low scoring affair by three wickets after dismissing Sutton St Helens for 88. Brown and Ranawaka shared the seven wickets to fall but Fearnyough’s 24 was crucial. Honours shared at Hightown St Marys where Norley Hall had set 184 as the score thanks to Andrew Magrath, coming in much lower down the order at number 9, had hit an unbeaten 60 to double his sides score. Burrows with 42. Alex Parr scored his best with an undefeated 56 to ensure the draw,
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