Alder and Burscough fight it out to catch Rainhill

Jun 21 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

MATCH of the day in the Bromborough Paints Merseyside and Southport Alliance is likely to be at Alder Road where Alder meet Burscough.

Both sides are hot on the heels of leaders Rainhill as a result of putting in sound performances all season.

Rainhill themselves face an interesting home clash with Norley Hall, who are likely challengers for a top two finish.

Norley bowler Chris McLoughlin who enjoyed a five wickets haul last week will look to put the brakes on Khuran Shazzard who is well on the way to one of the fastest 1,000 runs in the league.

Vastly-improved Caldy should be too strong for Tranmere Vics who are still without a win.

Haydock are the other side still to break the ice but will not be without hope away to Manweb who have had little to shout about this term.

Meanwhile the Alliance will face the Derbyshire and Cheshire League tomorrow in the first round of the Cedric Rhoades Cup.

They will be on away ground at Hawk Green as they look for a second round home tie against the Bristol and District League.

All-rounder Mat Norvall from Norley Hall is the new Alliance skipper and the side includes fellow club men Peter Kay and Craig McGloughlin.

Old Xaverians who head the Merseyside Competition table face an interesting away match at third-placed Cheshire Lines. Whitefield who are now second have a free week.

Runcorn achieved an overdue victory in Division One of the Meller Braggins Cheshire League last weekend and will hope to maintain the improvement against visiting Congleton.

Parkonians visit Chelford in Division Three before a Cheshire Shield derby at Upton 24 hours later.

Merseyside and Southport Alliance: M Norvall (capt), P Kay, C McGloughlin (Norley Hall), A.McDonald (Alder), M Rotheram (Rainhill), S Holden, G Galbraith (Prescot & Odyssey), K Hughes, J Stone (Burscough), J McClennan, K Hussein (Parkfield Liscard).

FIXTURES: Merseyside and Southport Alliance: Alder v Burscough, Caldy v Tranmere Vics, Manweb v Haydock, Moorfield v Sutton, Parkfield Liscard v Prescot & Odyssey, Rainhill v Norley Hall, Southport Trinity v Birkenhead St Mary’s.

Merseyside competition: Aigburth v Bromborough, Cheshire Lines v Old Xaverians, Goodlass v Shaftesbury, Mossley Hill v Maritime, Port Sunlight v Singlehurst, St Mary’s College OB v Hale.

Cheshire League Div.One: Runcorn v Congleton. Div Two: Winsford v Chester CO. Div Three: Chelford v Parkonians, Stretton v Castrol Superseal, Wirral v Lindow

Sunday: Cedric Rhoades Cup: Derbyshire and Cheshire League v Merseyside and Southport Alliance. Cheshire Shield: Upton v Parkonians.