Cricket: Formby win seals return to top flight

Sep 3 2007 by David Jones, Liverpool Daily Post

FORMBY celebrated clinching promotion back to the Premier League with a narrow win at High field – and Newton-le-Willows edged ahead in the race for the second promotion spot. The leaders now need three more points to go up as champions.

They reached 192 (60.3 overs), Graeme Morris (42) and Dave Conlan (40) the mainstays as Chris Liptrot took 6-46. Kiwi Todd Astle stage-managed a close finish with a fine 98, but the bowling of Steve Dutton (4-36) and Tony Rogan (3-63) was decisive. Newton-le-Willows beat Sefton Park by two-wickets to leapfrog their promotion rivals. Sefton were in trouble at 39-4 before Rob Houghton (50, one six, six fours) and Paul Squires (33, four fours) took them to 146 (47.1), Ian Lyon taking 4-12 and Mark Warburton 3-22. Marc Debrabander dug deep after the visitors slipped to 24-3, making the winning knock of 53no (six fours).

Welsh clubs Prestatyn and Northop Hall still have outside hopes of promotion. Prestatyn’s Alistair Taylor (124no, two sixes, 20 fours) and South African Will Hantam (103no, six sixes, 11 fours) hammered the Orrell Red Triangle attack for 267-1 dec (38) and dismissed the visitors for 184.

Hall had Liverpool in trouble at 55-7 before James McNally (33) and Luke Lynch (31no) helped them to reach 118 .

The Welsh side, despite the efforts of spinners Neil Clarkson (3-26) and Geoff Blackburn (3-43), got home by two wickets.

Wavertree sealed the relegation fate of Southport Trinity, Ian Jenions maintaining his excellent form with 6-54 in a home total of 113. Narender Negi (64no) and Graeme Gardiner (41no) secured a 10 wicket win.

Kiwi Andrew Ellis boosted Rainhill’s survival chances with 115 (eight fours) out of 220-4 dec (52) at St Helens, before earning the points off the penultimate ball by 47 runs. Jimmy Davies (70, eight fours) was the pick of the home batsmen, while Matt Dale had fine figures of 5-41.

Ainsdale’s Craig Smith (5-19) and Malcolm Swift (4-41) saw off Wigan for 65 in a seven-wicket win.