Leigh still aiming high after twin ties pull them away from relegation danger

It’s been a strange year for Leigh. A season which began with seemingly legitimate hopes of competing at the top has threatened at times to lurch into a relegation battle instead.

With six games to go, Finn Hulbert’s side are not out of the woods yet. 

But they have dug themselves out of immediate danger in the hardest way possible – by tying with both of the title-chasers in the space of three weeks.

The last time a top-flight side tied two games in a season is lost in the mists of pre-Play Cricket time; let alone against opponents as strong as Ormskirk and Northern, and so soon after one another.

Playing better against the better sides is pleasing, but it’s not always the way to get results.

Hulbert said: “People have been all in form together and we’ve won big, or we’ve all been out of form and we’ve got smoked.

“It’s always frustrating when you get close. 

“The ties were both games we should have won, given where we were an over or two before the end of each of them; you kind of have to learn from it.”

The season has been transitional in a number of ways, after last year’s third place finish.

Love Lane Liverpool Competition tables

Mattie McKiernan has been available most weeks after retiring from county cricket; at the same time though, Hulbert has lost the services of big-hitting opener Sam Dorsey and canny slow left-armer Alex Mason.

McKiernan has been excellent, with 508 runs and 24 wickets; but often, the men who haven’t been there have made more of a difference. 

Hulbert said: “I said to everyone at the beginning of the year that they will be hard to replace, on the pitch and in the dressing room. 

“I think their runs and wickets speak for themselves, but you’re also replacing big characters and I think it’s taken until the second half of this season for the lads to start realising that and getting stuck in. 

“It’s been a learning curve which has been enjoyable to be part of, because we are getting there.”

On their day, Leigh’s seam attack is as strong as any in the league, with Hulbert joined by Paddy Allan and Adam Shallcross.

And the skipper believes the gaps in the side are beginning to fill themselves.

“Tom Grundy has stepped up massively opening the batting,” he added. 

“He’s put in some brilliant performances, and more consistently than he has done in previous years. 

“And Adam has been back in form, which has been nice. Paddy has had another good season with the ball.

“But importantly for us, everyone has got stuck in recently. It’s been one of those seasons where the more exposure you can give the team at this level, the more they’ll get used to it and hopefully become more consistent.”

Love Lane Liverpool competition results & weekend fixtures

With Leigh on 170 points, 46 clear of the drop zone, Hulbert hasn’t quite finished looking over his shoulder yet.

He knows there are still some tough games ahead – starting tomorrow with the visit of Birkenhead Park, in the bottom two but on a high after lifting the ECHO Cup on Sunday.

Hulbert said: “It’s Prem cricket and everyone is there on merit, so you’ve always got to put a shift in. 

“If we get a couple more results, we have an outside chance at a Lancs knockout spot, which is always important to us. 

“We’re definitely looking up rather than over our shoulder.

“Birkenhead are always fired up, for any game. 

“It’s about trying to execute our skills and not giving them a sniff, because they’re very dangerous when they get a sniff.”

from Merseyside Cricket Online https://ift.tt/nZzIEbs