Bootle batter Bay as trio set for showdown

Jul 7 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

Bootle batter Bay as trio set for showdown

WITH the pace at the top of the Liverpool Competition relentless something has to give sooner or later in the battle to be champions.

Leading contenders, Firwood Bootle (277 points), Ormskirk (273) and New Brighton (250) play each other. Bootle easily overcame Colwyn Bay. Adam Warren (68 not out), Jack Kelliher (48) and Stephen Parry (47) helped to amass 255-5 declared (42) after winning the toss, before good spells from Mark O’Connor (6-57) and Parry (4-45) restricted the Welsh side to 140.

Ormskirk were too hot for Formby. The visitors hit 221-5 declared after being inserted, an excellent century from John Armstrong (104 not out, 12 fours) the highlight. He shared a third-wicket stand of 87 with South African Neil Wagner (52) and 77 for the fourth with Ian Glayzer (35). Tony Rogan took 3-60.

Wagner followed up with 5-50 as Formby fell for 107.

New Brighton had 40 runs to spare at Maghull, where Nazim Mohammed (6-46) reduced the home side to 126 (John Ring 35). Earlier, Tim Watkins’ side reached 166-9 declared (51.2). Martyn Evans (48) and Ashraf Nawab (36) top scored, while Paul Bower took 4-54 and Mark Forster 3-57.

In the battle to avoid the drop, St Helens Recs consigned Wallasey to bottom place after securing a tie at home to Northern.

Jack Woosey was ultimately the man of the match. Following up his nine wickets last week, the spinner claimed 7-33 as the hosts collapsed from 54-0 to record 104, like their opponents. They slipped to 81-6 and three wickets fell on 98, but the last pair put on six runs before Phil Cooper (3-23) trapped John Dillon leg before.

Earlier, Mark Jenkins (4-27 off 13 overs) and Gary Freeman (3-21) had forced the Crosby club to struggle, Adrian Fraser making 37.

Wallasey, with a sixth defeat from seven, managed 133 (Mark Wilkie 26) after being inserted by Lytham, with Marcus Sharp returning 4-41. Allan Flood (45 not out) and Richard Openshaw (39) eased the visitors to a six wicket win. Sri Lankan Kasun Bodhisha’s 83 for Fleetwood Hesketh enabled them to reach 192-5 declared (54.4) after being inserted at Hightown, Nathan Heathcliff-Core taking 3-64. Pakistan’s Jannisar Khan replied with 63, but the home side stumbled to 128-9, Andy Davies returning 3-16.

Richard Williams took 5-26 to restrict Southport & Birkdale to 149-9 declared (38) after they won the toss at Prestatyn. David Aston made 30. The Welsh side gave chase but had to settle for 134-6 (Gareth Boughey 33). Josh Hine had 3-31.