Cricket: Ormskirk turn tables on league leaders

Sep 3 2007 by David Jones, Liverpool Daily Post

ORMSKIRK’S defeat at Northern on Bank Holiday Monday seriously hit their Business Assistance Liverpool Competition Premier League title hopes.

But Ormskirk dealt a huge blow to leaders New Brighton’s championship chances on Saturday with a 25-run win.

Young wicketkeeper John Simpson and Suwanji Madanayake combined to bring about their downfall at Rake Lane. Simpson scored 47 (six fours) in Ormskirk’s 249-8 declared (55), sharing a third wicket stand of 103 with Matthew Glayzer (63, eight fours, three sixes), while Ian Glayzer contributed 43. Then the keeper captured seven New Brighton victims – four stumped, three caught – and, with Suwanji Madanayake‘s magnificent spell of 7-64, the home side fell for 224 (52), with Kiwi Jess Ryder the mainstay with 90 off 85 balls (seven fours, six sixes). As a result, Firwood Bootle now lead the way by five points.

Their victory at Lytham was comfortable. The champions totalled 220-8 declared (52 overs), with Ian Cockbain Jnr (48) and Will Purser (32) leading the way.

The home side struggled to 80-6 before Nick Knight (51) and Rob Dingle (38) added 74 for the seventh wicket, but they ended on 157 (45), with Stephen Parry taking 3-32.

Northern are six behind Bootle after a three-wicket win at Colwyn Bay. The home side collapsed to 90-8, but Adam Shillcock (48), Ally Pitman (47 not out) and skipper Paul Jenkins (27) gave them hope at 192-9 declared (55), Steve Mullaney taking 3-64. But James Cole (74 not out, nine fours) guided the home, although Sean Negus (16 not out) gave him valuable support with an unbroken stand of 58 for the eighth wicket. Hightown won a low scoring, but entertaining affair, against Southport. The home side improved from a disastrous 27-6 through a fighting 32 for the last wicket between Andrew Warhurst (19) and Graham Jones (11 not out) to reach 90. Their tormentors were Aussie left arm spinner Pat Jackson (7-37) and Josh Hine (3-12).

The visitors faced disaster at 19-6 and late efforts could only take them to 81 (Nathan Heathcliff-Core 5-30).

St Helens Recs were in dire straits at 7-5 before losing heavily at Maghull, who had compiled 225-9 declared (55). Paddy McKeown (52) and Kiran Powar (46) put together 62 for the second wicket, before Jonathan Ring (62 not out) batted confidently in the home total. Gary Freeman took 4-46, but Ryan Swiers (4-23) and Powar (4-42) restricted the reply to 105 (Stuart Toole 48 not out).

Huyton’s relegation fate was sealed at Fleetwood Hesketh, who reached 237-7 declared (55), with skipper Neil Rimmer (42) and Paul Regan (39) leading a sound batting show. The doomed visitors replied with 144 (Luke Connolly 42, Nikita Miller 3-28).

Wallasey’s Kuran Makol proved the difference between the sides with a superb all-round show to beat Leigh by three wickets.

Makol (5-94) and Chris Bourne (4-95) did most of the damage as Leigh, at one stage 116-7 recovered to 220 (59.3), mainly through the efforts of Greg Jennings (68, four sixes, nine fours) and Keiron Grundy (41).The Wirral side slipped to 93-5 before Makol intervened, hitting an unbeaten 73 (one six, 11 fours) and sharing 98 with Ritchie Conlan (33) to guide his side home. Teenage spinner Kishan Patel took 5-62.