S&B handle the tension to secure promotion to top tier
AMID tension with which even experienced spectators struggled to cope, Southport and Birkdale secured promotion to the ECB Premier League with a one-wicket victory over Newton-le-Willows on Saturday.
Watched by some Sefton Park players, whose own win at Fleetwood Hesketh earlier in the afternoon had left them lying second in the MI Dental Liverpool Competition for an hour or so, S&B skipper Chris Firth burgled the two leg-side runs that saw his team return to the top tier of the MI Dental Liverpool Competition one year after being relegated.
The Trafalgar Road side went into the game knowing that only a win might be good enough and for a while everything went according to plan as Andy Warhurst made early inroads.
However, Cameron Smith’s 64 hoisted his side to 148 in 44.4 overs Warhurst finished with 6-29 - and that total seemed good enough as S&B’s top order failed.
However Nick Knight and Adam Galley added 53 for the sixth wicket before more setbacks set up the climax that had some home supporters heading for the bar and others making emergency appointments with their therapists.
All of which was hard, indeed, for Sefton Park’s cricketers whose own season had ended in triumph when five wickets apiece for Robbie Houghton and Peter Kelly followed by Richie Forsyth’s unbeaten 48 had seen them take 25 points at Sea Cop.
However, on a day when there was no shortage of drama at the top or bottom of the division, both Highfield and Prestatyn secured their survival at the expense of relegated Maghull and Northop Hall.
Highfield’s 123-run hammering of Northop Hall set up part of the afternoon’s tension but the even more gripping cricket took place at Beach Close where Ainsdale’s three bonus points secured the First Division title but Prestatyn’s victory over the champions sealed survival.
Ryan Westwell made 65 in the home side’s 190-5 declared in 55 overs before Sampath Perera’s 5-37 and Kieran New’s 4-53 completed the win.
Burscough’s five-wicket defeat of Maghull at Old School Lane sent their opponents down but meant that Brendan Domigan’s team finished a very creditable fourth in their first season of middle-tier cricket.
Wigan finished fifth in the table after sharing a fine draw with Orrell Red Triangle at Winstanley Road. Matt Critchley made 110 but even he was overshadowed by Sam Heeley, who took 9-79 in the visitors’ 239 all out.
In reply Orrell were 234-7 at stumps with Andy Mottram having made 76, Siddiq Patel on 58 not out and Critchley with figures of 3-56 against his name.
First Division: Final Standings: Ainsdale 307 pts, S&B 304, Sefton Park 291, Burscough 267, Wigan 265, Newton-leWillows 263, Fleetwood Hesketh 260, Orrell Red Triangle 227, Highfield 201, Prestatyn 200, Northop Hall 200, Maghull 170