Rainford flying high again… but captain Dotters still taking it steady

Last Saturday was just about perfect for John Dotters, but the Rainford skipper insists he’s still taking it one game at a time.

A 119-run win over Birkenhead Park lifted the Greens to second in the Love Lane Liverpool Competition table.

But more importantly, Dotters believes it fitted the template for how he wants to win games of cricket.

He said: “We ran up a big score then put the squeeze on them with the ball.

“It’s exactly how we want games to go.”

Jason Login’s 128 was another reminder of his growing status, and there was a third successive half-century in all competitions from American all-rounder Nihil Desai.

Dotters said: “It was a great knock from Jason, and he’s recognised as one of the best batters in the league now.

“I was pleased for Nihil, I think at first he was surprised by how high the quality is in this league but he’s settled in with some good performances in the T20s.”

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On Saturday, Rainford visit Firwood Bootle for the first time since 2018 – but there will be one familiar face there in the form of Ivan Kriek.

The South African batter was at Rainford last year and hit his stride last weekend with centuries in both the league and the Ray Digman Trophy.

Dotters said: “We’ll think about how best we can get him out but he seems to have taken his game to a different level this season. 

“It’ll be an enjoyable contest and he’s a good friend to the lads as well.”

Before the season, Dotters laughed off the prospect of improving on 2024’s third place finish – just as he had done 12 months previously after coming fourth in 2023.

So it’s no surprise he’s not getting giddy about a league table which shows his side tucked 25 points behind defending champions Ormskirk after six games.

“There’s 12 good teams in this competition, you can’t get carried away,” he said. 

“Every team brings a different challenge, it’s just a case of looking at how we’re best suited to beat this team, then the next, then the next, until the end of the season. 

“There’s no expectations or aspirations, it’s about keeping on picking up points and winning games of cricket.”

from Merseyside Cricket Online https://ift.tt/iNJgq3W