Rainford close in on the title

Aug 29 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

RAINFORD became clear favourites for the Bromborough Paints Merseyside and Southport Alliance title as they beat close rivals Skelmersdale in the second of their Bank Holiday fixtures.

Skem crashed to 69 all out with Pravin Tambe claiming 8-15 in 14.2 overs. The losers lost second place in the table to Norley Hall, who easily saw off Charnock Richard. The visitors , chasing 282, mustered just 25, Jerry Weinert doing most of the damage with 6-7.

Gary Hughes was unbeaten on 125 for Norley and Andy Hargreaves made 107.

Rainford lead by 22 points.

Moorfield restricted Manweb to just 20 and won by 77 runs. Ron Magee had a 6-11 haul.

Birkenhead St Mary’s avenged their Kaufman Memorial Trophy final defeat at the hands of Sutton with a crushing 246-run success at New Street.

Mizan Haq made 163 and Shakeel Nawaz 104. Nawaz also took 5-29 and Adam Crosby 4-34.

Mohammed Masroor scored an unbeaten 155 for Alder in a draw at Parkfield Liscard, whose Steve Lewis managed 63.

Burscough gained a seven-wicket win at the expense of Prescot & Odyssey. Ken Hughes was unbeaten on 47 and Madura de Silva took 5-33.

SCORES: Norley Hall 282-2dec (G Hughes 125no, A Hargreaves 107) Charnock Richard 25 (J Weinert 6-7), Burscough 136-3 (K Hughes 47no) Prescot & Odyssey 135 (M de Silva 5-33), Manweb 20 (R Magee 6-11) Moorfield 97, Parkfield Liscard 176-7 (S Lewis 63) Alder 287-4dec (M Masroor 155no), Rainford 70-3 Skelmersdale 69 (P Tambe 8-15), Sutton 97 (S Nawaz 5-29, A Crosby 4-34) Birkenhead St Mary’s 343-5dec (M Haq 163, S Nawaz 104).