Cricket: Hey’s summer feat tops a Winter’s tale

Sep 10 2007 by David Jones, Liverpool Daily Post

CARL HEY smashed a 52-year-old Liverpool Competition record to cap his magnificent season with the bat.

During his innings of 81 for Northern at St Helens Recs, he overtook the aggregate runs total of 1,423 by John Winter, another Northern player, set in 1955.

Hey, who began the season in scintillating form with three successive hundreds, now has 1,439 to his credit and still has one game to play.

Hey’s runs fest, along with Steve Mullaney’s batting blitz throughout the season, has been a major factor in the Crosby side’s challenge for the title. After Saturday’s win at Recs, they remain third, just six points behind leaders Firwood Bootle, but the Wadham Road outfit are favourites to retain their title.

Chasing a Recs total of 211 (Steve Martindale 74, Chris Lyon 46), Northern eased to an eight-wicket win, Hey (three sixes, five fours) and Mullaney, who hammered his sixth century of the season (105 not out, three sixes, 11 fours), sharing 136 for the second wicket.

Craig Prince was a century hero for Firwood Bootle as the top six all won in the Business Assistance Premier League.

He struck 18 fours against Maghull in his 104 not out, sharing an unbroken 112 for the fourth wicket with Graham Lloyd (62 not out, two sixes, 10 fours) in their 240-3 declared.

David Snellgrove had the visitors in trouble with a superb 7-47 off 13.1 overs, but ex-Bootle player Paddy McKeown was defiant with 68 (eight fours) out of 160.

New Brighton remain second following the demolition of relegated Huyton for just 29. The Wirral side had set 223-4 declared (40.5). Jesse Ryder hit 85 and Matthew Thompson 61.

Ryder then ran riot with the ball, taking 6-11 off nine overs, while Louis Botes had 3-16.

Suwanji Madanayake’s excellent all-round show of 61 and 8-33 earned Ormskirk an 84 run win over Hightown.

He and Ian Glayzer (43) shared 84 out of 228-8 declared (47.3), while Nathan Heathcliff-Core took 3-39.

The visitors, after a half-century opening stand, collapsed to 88-7 before reaching 144 (Shaun Vosloo 45).

Pat Jackson became the first Southport & Birkdale player to reach the 1,000-run milestone since 1955 in the victory over Leigh.

The Australian scored 81 (10 fours) and shared a partnership of 139 for the third wicket with Dave Aston (83, eight fours) in totalling 247-8 declared.

Kishan Patel took 4-68 and Kieran Grundy 3-42.

Chris Firth (5-41) and Lawrence Armstrong (3-12) caused problems for the visitors, who were dismissed for 168 (Sam Baldwin 67).

A low-scoring game at Colwyn Bay saw the Welsh side beat Fleetwood Hesketh (116 all out, Debasis Mohanty 4-29) by four wickets.

Skipper John Pugh’s 61 couldn’t save Wallasey, who lost by 81 runs to Lytham (229-9 declared).

Lee Hilton (52) and skipper Jimmy Wisniewski (50) batted well, Chris Bourne taking 4-58.