‘We’ve got good players, but the table doesn’t lie’ – Birkenhead Park’s Ste Hird on final-day relegation decider

Birkenhead Park captain Ste Hird

Birkenhead Park went into the 2024 season with legitimate expectations of competing in the top half of the Premier Division – they go into the last day needing a win to ensure they stay in it.

Captain Ste Hird was not alone in predicting big things for his newly promoted side. 

The team that earned enough points to finish fifth in 2022, only to be relegated by a points deduction, was still together, augmented by Sri Lankan Test spinner Malinda Pushpakumara and ex-Northern and New Brighton star Andy Clarke.

But Pushpakumara didn’t arrive until after the first five games, Clarke spent the first half of the season injured and Park never really got going.

Both have made up for lost time – Pushpakumara is joint-top of the Prem wicket charts with Newton-le-Willows’ Safi Abdullah, himself a former Park star, and Clarke is second behind Mark Rowland in the club’s run scorers.

Still, after 21 games, Park have only won five. If that doesn’t change with the visit of Wallasey today, Southport & Birkdale can relegate them by beating the division’s weakest side, New Brighton.

Love Lane Liverpool Competition tables

Hird remains confident, and says the mood in the dressing room is positive.

He said: “It’s a big game but the mood is quite good. 

“We’ve been in this kind of situation a lot over the past couple of years, whether it’s promotion or relegation. 

“The last relegation from the Prem was a bit out of our hands, but when we’ve needed to win on the last day, more often than not we have done it. 

“We’re confident that we’ll do the job – it’s in our hands, and any win is enough.” 

Hird accepts the league form has not been up to the standard expected, or that suggested by their success in winning the ECHO Cup.

“We think we’re a better side than the table reflects,” he said. 

“Winning the ECHO Cup proves we’ve got some good players but we haven’t won enough games in the league. 

“People’s form hasn’t been good, some could have performed better, and availability hasn’t been good. 

“I could name three or four games where we’ve been really close to getting over the line but we haven’t – it’s an accumulation of things. 

“Two years ago, we were the fifth best side in the league and I still think we are. 

“I think in another season it could have been a different story, but we are where we are and all our focus is on the last game, and ensuring we are where we want to be. 

“The league table doesn’t lie but I still back us to do the job and ensure we play Premier Division cricket next year.”

Love Lane Liverpool Competition results & fixtures

One of New Brighton’s two wins in a desperately difficult season came against S&B, but Hird knows better than to rely on a favour.

And he believes with Pushpakumara still available, unlike many other overseas players such as Wallasey’s Sumit Ruikar, his side has the quality to ensure the Sandgrounders’ efforts will be in vain.

He added: “You want it to be in your hands – all we need to focus on is to turn up and win, whether that’s bowling them out and chasing the runs or setting a total, all we are focused on is winning.

“Malinda is still here – in a must-win game, it’s great to have him. 

“We’re at full strength so I’ll be very disappointed if we don’t deliver the goods on Saturday and I’m very confident we will.”

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