Ormskirk keep pressure on - cricket July 1



ORMSKIRK closed the gap on league leaders Bootle to just three points with a 26-run victory over Prestatyn.

Captain Adam Waterhouse gambled on batting first, a decision which Mario Olivier took advantage of with 5-29 as Ormskirk caved for a paltry 106.

However, Simon Kerrigan rescued the Brook Lane side with 6-16 off 12.3 as the Welsh side racked up an even weaker 80.

Ormskirk remain 24 points ahead of third placed New Brighton despite the Wirral team's victory over Colwyn Bay.

Southport & Birkdale moved up to fifth in the Liverpool Cricket Competition Premier Division after a 35-run victory over Wallasey at Trafalgar Road.

The home side's total of 202-8 declared was built around a fine knock by Dale Cranston, a fine all round bowling display then dismissed the visitors for 169 with an over and a half left.

Fleetwood Hesketh suffered a humiliating 51-run home defeat at the hands of bottom of the table St Helens Recs. The visitors were inserted into bat and posted a challenging total of 202 just before tea. Steve Martindale top scored with 65, with the pick of the bowlers being Andrew Watts with 3-19.

Fleetwood's reply was going along nicely as they reached 106 for the loss of one wicket. The dismissal of in-form Gary Wells (37) then saw them collapse and lose their last nine wickets for just 45 runs to end on 151 all out, with only Kasun Bodhisha (72) able to offer any resistance to New Zealander Anthony Bullick, who ended with superb figures of 7-43.

Formby suffered a penultimate-ball defeat against Northern who batted first and posted a total of 190-9 declared thanks to 98 from Nick Woods, with Liam Crilly claiming 7-55 with the ball.

Formby were then dismissed for 165, as Jack Woosey removed Chas Gallagher with just two balls remaining to claim his ninth wicket of the match.

Hightown battled out a close draw against leaders Bootle. Batting first, Hightown made use of well over 60 overs to post 186-7 declared, thanks in the main to a sublime century from Jannisar Khan.

Bootle who had far fewer overs to chase their target looked dead and buried on 100-8, but a stubborn partnership between bowlers Mark O'Connor and Ronnie Davis put them right back in the match.

They eventually settled for a draw on 173-9, just 14 runs short of victory, with Hightown just one wicket away from a win of their own.

In the National Knockout, S & B lost their regional area semi final at Fleetwood on Sunday by 4 runs, the hosts were all out for 138 with S & B dismissed for 134.

Aughton 2's couldn't raise a team for Saturday's fixture against Churchtown, gifting the Ferryside Lane outfit 20 valuable points. This Saturday Churchtown travel to Wigan to face Hindley St Peter





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