Shazzard and Masroor key to double billing

Jun 7 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

ALDER and Rainhill will meet twice this weekend, firstly in the Bromborough Paints Merseyside and Southport Alliance and then in the second round of the David Kaufman Memorial Trophy 24 hours later.

Alder head the Alliance table but Rainhill have made steady progress thanks to some fine batting by overseas man Khuran Shazzard who has contributed 469 runs in five innings.

In-form Alder all -rounder Mohammed Masroor could play a major part in the action.

Birkenhead St Mary’s have suffered two defeats and will look to steady the ship when they host Haydock, who are one of two clubs without a win. The other is Tranmere Vics who will do well to contain Burscough’s Dave Atherton at Victoria Park. He has grabbed 13 wickets in the last two games.

Caldy seek a fourth successive win away to Moorfield with Aussie Anthony Sams hoping to build on unbeaten knocks of 143 and 56.

Manweb need to improve if they are to match Norley Hall, who could be building a title challenge. Close games look in prospect at Prescot & Odyssey, who have Southport Trinity as visitors, and at Central Park where Parkfield Liscard entertain Sutton.

There is double billing for 16 clubs in the Kaufman Trophy. Sutton begin their defence of the trophy against Shaftesbury.

Second-placed Cheshire Lines meet third-placed Port Sunlight in the Merseyside Competition. Leaders Old Xaverians should be too strong for visiting Shaftesbury before taking on Parkfield Liscard in the Kaufman.

Runcorn badly need a change of fortunes in Division One of the Meller Braggins Cheshire League against Alvanley at Moughland Lane.

TODAY: Merseyside & Southport Alliance: Birkenhead St Mary’s v Haydock; Manweb v Norley Hall; Moorfield v Caldy; Parkfield Liscard v Sutton; Prescot & Odyssey v Southport Trinity; Rainhill v Alder; Tranmere Vics v Burscough. Merseyside Competition: Aigburth v Goodlass; Hale v Maritime; Mossley Hill v Whitefield; Old Xaverians v Shaftesbury; Port Sunlight v Cheshire Lines; St Mary’s College OB v Singlehurst. Cheshire League Div One: Runcorn v Alvanley. Div Two: Prestbury v Chester CO. Div.Three:- Parkonians v Castrol Superseal; Wirral v CH Ladybridge.

SUNDAY Kaufman Memorial Trophy Rd.2: Whitefield v Port Sunlight; Old Xaverians v Parkfield Liscard; Sutton v Shaftesbury; Birkenhead St Mary’s v St Mary’s College OB; Prescot & Odyssey v Moorfield; Manweb v Caldy; Alder v Rainhill; Bromborough v Cheshire Lines.