999 is no emergency for captain Cockbain amid Formby’s stellar run

Some top-class batters are motivated by personal milestones, using them as an objective measure of their contribution and a reminder to keep up their standards. 

Formby captain Ian Cockbain is not one of those.

“Absolutely not, not in the slightest,” he laughs when asked if he sees any significance in the fact his first run against Newton-le-Willows on Saturday will be his 1,000th in all competitions this season.

“I’ll probably get a duck now… I’ll try to scramble a single early on.

“But no, it doesn’t occur to me how many runs I’ve got. 

“I judge my season and other people’s seasons on how many times we contribute to winning a game, or win one off our own back. 

“If during a season I can help us win half a dozen games or so, I feel like I’ve done my job. 

“And if I’ve got other people chipping in around me, it all adds up and it’ll put us there or thereabouts.”

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Formby’s players are certainly answering the captain’s call.

In a 13-game league and cup streak since May 10, the only thing to have stopped them winning was last Saturday’s rain, which stopped Cockbain’s men testing themselves at the home of defending champions Ormskirk.

Given Formby’s recent form, including a comfortable win over Gary Knight’s side in the T20 Echo cup, it was a frustrating one to have missed.

The skies cleared long enough on Sunday for a six-wicket win over Westmorland side Appleby Eden to reach the Lancashire Cup quarter finals for the first time.

And this coming Sunday there is a chance for another first, when local rivals Northern await in the group final of the ECB National Knockout.

A trip to Moor Park will never be easy, but Formby won there in the league last month after Cockbain made 140 (not that he was counting).

The skipper said: “Sunday is a huge game for the club. We’ve never got out of the group before. It’s certainly a big milestone. 

“And it’s always nice to get one over on Northern.”

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A top order putting up the numbers of Cockbain, teenage prospect Lucas Kennedy and big-scoring wicketkeeper Jack Carney will always attract a lot of attention. 

But the other disciplines have also been crucial to Formby’s recent run. 

In particular, the spin attack of Archie Davies and St Lucian Larry Edward have proved lethal – they took five wickets each in that statement win at Northern.

Slow left-armer Edward only arrived in mid-May but has made up for lost time.

Cockbain said: “Larry’s a great bowler and it’s great to have his experience as well.

“He’s played a lot of games and has been around a while, playing at a high level in the Caribbean, so to have his skills to call on is awesome.”

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The ultimate goal, of course, is a first piece of silverware in the Cricket Path cabinet since the Ray Digman Trophy in 2019.

Formby sit fifth in the league, in a group of four bunched up behind Ormskirk. They lost to Birkenhead Park in the Digman but are still competing on all other fronts – the Lancashire and National knockouts, and the National and Echo T20s. 

There’s a long way to go in all of them, and some good sides in their path. 

But Cockbain remains focused on keeping up the good work, and he knows his side at their recent best can give anyone a game.

“Last year we sort of hit the post a bit,” he said. 

“We got to a couple of finals days but didn’t get over the line. 

“Our focus this year is on trying to pick up some sort of silverware.

“It’s about playing the different scenarios and situations, and assessing what’s required.

“We’re on a really good run, we’ve got good momentum and a good spirit as well, which is nice.”

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