Batsmen make hay as Hey passes 1,000

Jul 30 2007 by David Jones, Liverpool Daily Post

IT WOULD be inconceivable that Northern are not involved in the title shake-up, given that they have the two most prolific batsmen in the Business Association Liverpool Competition Premier League.

Carl Hey’s terrific season continued with 49 in the win against Maghull that took him past the 1,000 runs mark for the season.

And Steve Mullaney is not far behind, his fifth century of the season taking him to 938.

Their 66-run win lifted them to fourth – just 20 points off leaders Firwood Bootle, who were held in the top clash at Colwyn Bay.

Hey, requiring 24 runs for his thousand, achieved the milestone before Lancashire player Mullaney struck six sixes and nine fours in a 70-ball 111.

They set the visitors a target of 254-5 declared (43 overs) and Indian Kiran Powar made a good fist of it with a superb 104 (one six, 15 fours), but his side eventually succumbed for 188 (49.4), with Hey taking 4-14.

New Brighton moved into second, nine points adrift of Bootle (292 points) after battering Leigh by 10 wickets. Kiwi Jesse Ryder took 6-28 off 15.4 overs as the visitors were skittled for 50 (30.4). The Wirral side took just 8.4 overs (John While 27 not out, Matthew Thompson 23 not out) to clinch the points.

Lytham lost ground with defeat at Fleetwood Hesketh. They crashed to 74 all out after deciding to bat, Steve Rimmer (4-22 off 14.1) and Nikita Miller (3-18 from 16) doing the damage. Hesketh’s response started badly, losing two wickets in the first three balls, but then Jon Bowden (28 not out) and Mohammed Azam (20 not out) saw them home by five wickets.

Bootle were thwarted Colwyn Bay, who chalked up 222-9 declared off 74.4 overs after being inserted, Ali Pitman (63 not out, one six, five fours) and Pat Leach (48) the top scorers. Steve Parry ended with 4-42.

Parry (41), Ian Cockbain jun (39) and David Snellgrove (38) led the chase, but ended up on 192-8 (37), with Debasis Mohanty taking 4-70.

Ormskirk have lost ground, too, teenager Josh Hine starring with 5-36 for Southport & Birkdale as the home side were dismissed for 129 (31.2) after deciding to bat. Kyle Cranston also took 3-22. Chris Firth (30 not out) led a solid reply that secured a five wicket victory.

Hightown made short work of St Helens Recs, winning comprehensively by seven wickets after dismissing the visitors for 102 (40.4). Skipper Ian Sutcliffe took 3-39 and Yousuf Pathan, who returned 3-29, later eased his side home with 54no.

Huyton’s match with Wallasey was abandoned without a ball being bowled.