Title race nip and tuck as five change places

Aug 6 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

IT’S all change yet again at the top of the Liverpool Competition Premier League with the leading five all swapping places.

Colwyn Bay lead the way again, while Lytham also benefited, but so close is the race for the title that only 28 points cover first to sixth.

Skipper Paul Jenkins played a prominent part for the Welsh side in their 82-run win at Wallasey.

After a century opening stand worth 122 between Adam Shillcock (82, 10 fours) and Pat Leach (57, one six, 10 fours), Jenkins (52 not out, one six, seven fours) and Debasis Mohanty (38 not out) added 80 to reach 266-8 declared (49 overs), Kuran Makol returning 4-73 and Chris Bourne 4-94.

Ritchie Conlan (61, one six, eight fours) and Richard Sutton (40) added 95 for the sixth wicket as the Wirral side looked to survive, but Jenkins’ spell of 5-74 and Chris Rowley’s 3-20 whittled them out for 184.

Just one point separates fourth-placed Lytham from New Brighton after their match saw the home side triumph by 18 runs.

Guy Roberts (57) and Jimmy Wisniewski (53) shared 88 for the second wicket as they reached 226 (54.3) after being inserted, with David While (3-56) and Jesse Ryder (3-76) doing well.

Ryder (86) and Martyn Evans (60) then led the Wirral side’s reply, but Marcus Sharp’s 5-67 kept them to 208.

Champions Firwood Bootle followed a draw at Colwyn Bay with another against Northern.

Graham Lloyd’s terrific season continued with 84 (13 fours, one six), which was matched by Craig Prince (11 fours), as they put on 142 for the third wicket in a home total of 246-6 declared (47 overs). Jack Woosey took 3-45.

Carl Hey typically led the Crosby side’s response with 100 (three sixes, six fours), sharing 135 for the third wicket with Nick Woods (59, six fours), but they weren’t quite up to the task as they ended on 224-7 off 64 overs.

Ormskirk are sixth but still challenging, thanks to a good effort from John Armstrong, who took 4-48 and then hit 44 to pass 500 for the season, in the two-wicket win at St Helens Recs.

The home side made 187 (72 overs) after losing the toss (Suwanji Madanayake also 4-47). Jack Kelliher (45), Armstrong and Nick Caunce (31 not out) secured the points, Gary Freeman returning 4-58 and Kelby Pickering 3-87.

Southport created more misery for strugglers Huyton, skittling them for 86 (David Britton 4-21, Josh Hine 3-16) in reply to an impressive 220-2 declared (47.2) after electing to bat. David Aston (78 not out, 11 fours) and Mark Baker (43) shared an opening stand of 92, with Aston and Pat Jackson (73, 10 fours) adding 102 for the second.

Yousuf Pathan’s 100 not out off just 51 balls (five sixes, seven fours) and Shaun Vosloo’s 70 (one six, 12 fours) put Hightown in command at Leigh as they surged to 256-4 declared (43.1). The bottom club could only manage 136 (Tony Symondson 3-20, Pathan 3-46).

Nikita Miller blasted a superb 116 not out (two sixes, 17 fours) for Fleetwood Hesketh (266-3 declared) in the draw at Maghull, for whom captain Niall McDonnell responded with 101 (six sixes, 12 fours) out of 244-7. Neil Rimmer, who hit 63 for the visitors to pass the 500 runs mark, also took 3-32, while Miller had 3-54.