Second XI Premier May 2023 round up (including week 5 - 13 May details)
Date: 12th May 2023
S&B lead the way
2nd XI Premier Division Round up – Week 5 (13 May 2023)
A double header of games for Southport & Birkdale (one brought forward due to the club's hosting of the Lancashire fixture next month) keeps the side at the head of the table with a victory and draw. A close run thing in a fairly low scoring game against Formby resulted in an eight run victory. Overseas Kyle Martin's second five wicket return (for 60) together with Labuschagne's three victims restricted the chase whereby three players, led by Ritchie (another overseas recruit) passed 20 , but the lack of a substantial partnership proved decisive. A similar tale in the victors innings with three batters reaching 23 or 24. Four wickets for Ethan Mills. Runs flowed more freely in their Saturday draw at Northern. A partnership of 124 between Janu Wewalwala (unbeaten on 66) and 63 from Paul Finnegan allowed Northern to pass 200 and declare. Aston with 40 and Devlin 36 took time out of the game allowing the last pair to negotiate the last four balls to earn a draw. Two wickets each for four of the Northern attack.
Another nail biter was at Ormskirk where the home side secured a narrow four run win over Sefton Park. Aggrey's four wickets proving decisive although Spilsbury 16 runs late on nearly secured the win after Connolly and Parkinson perished when in their 40s. For Ormskirk, six batters reached double figures with Robinson's 41 and 38 from Illingworth the best. A similar close game at Newton where the home side also triumphed by single figures. Jason McGreehin led Lytham's reply with 65 but no-one else passed 13. Four wickets for Rose and also for his side Cartmell. For the home team, Gary Wigglesworth's 54, his first half century and his best at this level, laid the foundation.
Rainford fell to a heavy defeat at Birkenhead Park with only last man Birkett reaching double digits and all four Park bowlers chipping in with valuable wickets with three each from Callum Jones and Jordan (taking him very close to 200 play cricket wickets). Opener Dale Taylor 57 and Jordan 44 were the main contributors as Park won by 141 runs. Colwyn Bay returned with the points after their trip to Wallasey. Ross Hudson (closing in on 4000 runs) with an unbeaten 75 anchored the chase and secured the win with Moorhouse 24*. Moorhouse had earlier claimed three wickets as did Jones with only Blythe's 42 and Williams and Hughes (both in the high twenties) the chief suppliers of runs for the home team.
Leigh earned a four wickets win in a high scoring affair over Formby thanks to Lewis Bailey's unbeaten century (105 was his first at this level). Dominating the scoring, Bradshaw was next best with 22 despite Powell claiming four wickets. Nick Sutton top scored for the champion's with 52 with Gallagher and Weir also making contributions. Roussak with four wickets.
2nd XI Premier Division Round up – Week 4 (6 May 2023)
Both of the previous week's pace setters 100 % winning streak came to an end in week 4.
Southport maintained top spot after an exciting nail biting draw with Wallasey, where the visitors ended up one run behind with just two wickets in hand. Hollyman had led the leader's batting with a rapid 42 after a steady fall of wickets had given Wallasey the edge. An unbeaten 61 partnership for the ninth wicket between Todd (32*) and Martin (25*) enabled the declaration. Hughes the most successful bowler with three wickets. Wallasey appeared well set to claim the victory until the home side broke a 89 run stand between Thomas Ward 61 (which took him past 2000 play cricket runs) and Sutton (40) which had taken the Wirral club to 172 for 5 needing just another 14 for victory. One wicket became two then three before the overs ran out with neither side being able to force victory. Five wickets for Justin Labushagne.
Rainford moved up into second place with an emphatic win over reigning champions Formby. An impressive top order batting display with all the first five reaching at least 23, was dominated by Chris Tonge's 77. Three wickets for Ethan Mills. Formby lost wickets at regular intervals with overseas recruit Ritchie the best with 35 with only one other batter reaching double figures. Pickavance claiming four wickets (his best since 2019). Ormskirk ended Northern's run with a 101 run margin. Ian Robinson, with his first league century since 2019, was unbeaten on 118 with Cameron Ingram, reaching his maiden 50 since arriving in the country, the main scorers but all the six batters used reached double figures. In reply, the very promising 12 year old Shivy Gautam, followed up last weekend's third XI century, with 51 as he and Browne (42) added 86 for the second wicket. The introduction of the slightly more experienced Martyn Farrell, claiming six wickets (for 43) for the second successive week, restricted the response.
Sefton Park's Tom Spilsbury, claimed his best figures at this level (5 for 25) as he helped dismiss Newton LW just after they reached three figures. Wigglesworth (23) one of five into double digits. Three wickets for Gamage. Despite losing both openers with the score at 2, Andy Hale with 51 not out together with 33 from Aitchison, saw the home side ease to victory. 55 from Lewis Bailey together with 30s from Hibbert and Hatton enabled Leigh to declare on a challenging 216 despite seven wickets being shared by Cartmell and Parkinson. A 65 run partnership for the eighth wicket involving Jaccob Sainsbury on his way to 71 gave the away side some nervous moments but Nathan Graham's 5 for 63, helped seal the win. Frustration for Colwyn Bay's Shay Williams, whose best ever 6 for 12, had helped dismiss Birkenhead Park relatively cheaply, as the rains came with the Welshmen poised for victory with opener Davies unbeaten on 40.
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