Stokes fires Oxton to top in derby victory

Jun 3 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

THE keenly-awaited First Division Wirral derby between high-flying Upton and Oxton turned into a stroll for Andy Birley’s Townfield Lane side in The Right Move Abroad Cheshire County League.

Winners of four of their opening six games, Upton were all out for 130, only Adrian Hughes (52) coming to terms with a keen attack led by Birley himself (4-22). Upton might not have reached 100 but for five dropped catches. With Simon Stokes scoring a fluent 62, Oxton went on to win by seven wickets and maintain a three-point lead at the top

Birkenhead Park recorded a welcome first win thanks to their late-arriving overseas star Ganapathi Vignesh, who has played in the Indian Cricket League for Chennai. Vignesh took 4-27 to help dismiss Poynton for 121, then went on to score an unbeaten 67 as his new club won by two wickets.

In the Second Division, Irby are in line to mark their 60th anniversary season with promotion. They recorded a fine nine-wicket victory at Middlewich chasing the home side’s 148-9, star teenage leg spinner George McCaffery adding to his growing reputation with a 4-37 return. Another quality innings of 58 from Aussie Nathan Woods, 58, aided by unbeaten 40s from Phil Rennie and Steve Hurworth saw their side coast home at 151-1.