AINSDALE snatched the Second Division title from Fleetwood Hesketh by just one point after a dramatic final day win over Caldy.
With Fleetwood not playing, Ainsdale needed 23 points to overtake their rivals and the game was in the balance after Steven Lucus’s 56 helped the Liverpool Road outfit declare on 160-8 after 38 overs.
Sunny Gandhi (3-60) and Dave Kay (3-39) took three wickets apiece. Caldy looked well placed to reach the target at 119-2 but Ainsdale’s Dhruv Singh produced an excellent spell of 7-35, with good support from Nazim Mohammed (3-39) to blow away Caldy’s lower order and dismiss the Telegraph Road side for 128.
Southport Trinity claimed a draw with St Helens in their last match in the LDCC.
Steven Deller (5-43) and John Morgan (5-64) ensured the home side were dismissed for 126, but Trinity were left hanging on at 89-8 with Gary Sheppard (5-18) the pick of the bowlers.
A brilliant spell from Neil Clarkson (6-28) ensured Parkfield Liscard were dismissed for 114 in their match against Wavertree.
Barbadian Rachid O’Neale took 3-22 and then hit an unbeaten 51as Wavertree reached 101-7 in a drawn game. Matthew Keogh (4-52) and John Warrington (3-42) were the only two Parkfield bowlers used.
The game between third-placed Burscough and bottom side Birkenhead St Mary’s was abandoned as was the match between Sutton and Skelmersdale.
