Reports, reaction & round-up: May 3

Game of the weekend

Gary Knight’s honeymoon period continued as the newlywed’s Ormskirk side produced a  professional performance to overcome a spirited Newton-le-Willows. 

Knight’s composed unbeaten 66 means he has now made 167 undefeated runs in two league innings since his wedding the week before the season.

Partners of Comp cricketers, be prepared to look surprised – if this run carries on much longer, his rivals will be racing down the aisle to see if the magic rubs off on them too.

Saturday’s knock was all the more impressive for beginning during a potentially game-turning over from Leo Spilsbury.

After Ormskirk had set off briskly in pursuit of 163, the young left-arm seamer tempted Calum Turner into a loose drive to cover.

Two balls later, he bent one into the pads of George Lavelle, also coming off the back of an unbeaten century; the next ball followed the same template and removed Harvey Rankin.

From 37/0 and coasting, the defending champions were 37/3 and wobbling. 

Knight, having somehow got his pads on in time, just kept out a third yorker, but the hosts’ tails were up. 

If there was ever a time for a captain’s knock, this was it – Knight delivered.

There was nothing extravagant, just serene accumulation, firstly alongside George Politis then, when the opener departed for 47, with John Armstrong as his foil.

A push through leg-side off Chris Schofield brought up his half-century, 20 minutes before a straight four off Gennaro Reddy clinched the win, but there were no shots which stood out for themselves.

Newton skipper Ben Walkden sent down 12 heartfelt overs with only the wicket of Politis to show for it; Adnan Miakhel similarly toiled away for little reward after replacing him.

Australian left-arm wrist-spinner Hamish McKenzie asked a few unusual questions, but Knight replied “I do” to all of them.

“Married life has started quite well,” he said. “We can put it down to that, anyway.

“Having to come in after a few quick wickets, there was a bit of pressure on, but George batted really well and we soaked up a lot of that pressure. 

“The left-arm wrist spin was a nice challenge, a bit different to SLA after SLA… and it was really good to get another win.

“As good a bowler as Ben is, I knew he’d tire; Adnan and Leo the same. We knew the run rate wasn’t a factor to we knew we could wear the bowlers down, rather than let them wear us down.

“It was really satisfying because that’s what Comp cricket is all about.”

Walkden felt the game was lost in its early stages, as Scott Lees and Sam Marsh ran through the hosts’ top order.

The game was played on a hybrid pitch, designed to be more durable than turf-only – Lees and Marsh didn’t seem to notice the difference as they claimed five wickets between them in an unbroken 23-over opening spell.

Walkden went for a duck in the second over, Schofield toe-ended one to point, and Nathan Hughes and Reddy were caught behind off successive balls across two overs. 

When Miakhel dithered over a single and Chris Chambers fended Lees to gully, it was 62/6 and Ormskirk were eyeing a swift finish.

But Newton’s last four wickets added 100 runs, setting a challenging total but also showing the top order what might have been.

The last-wicket stand of 40, between an aggressive Patrick Connolly and 15-year-old Harry DeBrabander, making his Premier Division debut in place of the Lancashire-bound George Bell, was the biggest of the innings. It ended when Connolly, top-scoring with 37, drove to cover, a third wicket for Jamie Barnes.

Walkden said: “Losing seven wickets in the first 30 overs means it was always going to be a struggle.

“They bowled well up-front and we just weren’t clinical enough with the bat, and gave too many wickets away.

“They’re the strongest team in the league and they’ve had a couple of years all together – we’ve got a really young side but that’s where we want to be. 

“Harry has really only just started playing 2nd XI cricket – we didn’t really know what to expect but he really held his own at the end with Paddy.”

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ECB Premier Division

Firwood Bootle’s last pair survived 40 balls to close out a draw with Northern as top flight cricket returned to Wadham Road.

Liam Grey’s 54 helped the visitors declare on 221/5, and when Bootle slumped to 23/4 there seemed to be only one outcome. But Ivan Kriek made 67, and Joe Adderley and home skipper Shaneil Patel managed to defy Grey, who finished with 5/41.

Rainford earned their first win of the season against Formby, whose batters crumbled for just 99. Liam Gaskell took 4/17 and off-spinner Tom Spilsbury wrapped up the innings with three wickets in his first four deliveries at this level – meaning both Spilsbury brothers took three in four balls on the same day.

Leigh inflicted a second defeat on Birkenhead Park, thanks largely to an all-round display from Adam Shallcross, who took 5/18 to dismiss the visitors for 140 then came in at 85/5 to anchor the end of the chase. Nottinghamshire’s Ben Martindale made his debut for Leigh, who join Ormskirk on two wins.

The sighs of relief heard around the region when Sumit Ruikar left Wallasey may be catching in a few throats – the slow left-armer’s replacement, Aussie Ejaaz Alavi, has now taken 12 wickets in his first two league games. His 6/52, backed up by four for another new signing, Seb Botes, earned a 48-run win at Colwyn Bay after the Welsh side’s Sri Lankan, Dulanjana Mendis, took 5/28.

Wigan earned a thrilling one-wicket win at Rainhill after being set 244.

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Division One

Sefton Park’s last pair of Abishek Jagan and Naimat Karyab held their nerve to knock off 12 runs for a one-wicket win over Hightown St Marys.

Jackson Darkes-Sutcliffe made 78 for the promoted side, while captain Matt White took 5/50 in vain.

Australian Raunak Roy made an unbeaten 123 to set up a win for Southport & Birkdale over Maghull. Nick Ritchie and Macauley Lawrenson made half-centuries for the visitors, but Bobby Wincer’s 6/85 caused a collapse.

Liverpool secured their second 25-pointer of the season with a big win over New Brighton. 

Skipper Jared Clein took 5/24 to wrap up the 133-run victory, after Alex Rankin’s 82 and Dan Harrison’s unbeaten 70 set up a total of 261/4.

Spring View continued their strong start to the season with a big win at Orrell Red Triangle, set up by Vivekan Pala’s 115 and Nathan Ashford’s 85, and confirmed by 6/5 from Supun Samarathunga.

Highfield chased 116 to overcome Old Xaverians, while Sutton closed seven down in response to Lytham’s 240/6 – Myles Child’s 98 and Edward Fiddler’s 55 for the hosts, Joe Noctor’s 67 for the visitors. 

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Division Two

Fleetwood Hesketh just got over the line in their derby clash with Southport Trinity, thanks to last pair Derek Sykes and Jonny Howard. Earlier, Aqeel Mustafa had taken 6/19 to restrict the visitors to 150.

It was almost as close at Whitefield, where the hosts earned a two-wicket win over Prestatyn. Indrajith Halpage was the hero with the bat for the Roby side, making an unbeaten 50 to see them home after Andy Taylor’s 72 led the Welshmen to 210, with 6/69 for Rob Magee.

Veteran spinner Paul Jenkins took 7/73 to set up Northop Hall’s win at Norley Hall. Jac Kennedy and Matthew Jones each made half-centuries in the chase, while Dan Fisher scored 60 for Norley.

Ainsdale’s Dilanka Auwardt took 7/38 to run through Wavertree’s batters, after captain Oli Green’s 52 set up their total of 195.

Rohan Sanjaya starred in Caldy’s win at Prescot & Odyssey, making 68 with the bat then taking 6/21 to seal the victory. Callum Jacob made a defiant unbeaten 51 for the hosts.

Naveed Salah’s unbeaten 69 earned Parkfield Liscard a six-wicket win over St Helens Town, after he had also taken four wickets.

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