Great Scott sparkles as Kirk go 25 clear
ON a day when early rain blighted some matches and almost all skippers opted to field upon winning the toss, Ormskirk opened up a 25-point gap at the top of the ECB Premier League when they defeated Rainhill by 35 runs at Victoria Terrace.
Having posted a rapid 177-5 declared in a mere 35 overs, Ormskirk’s victory was completed by the pace and spin combination of Scott Lees and Simon Kerrigan, both of whom took five wickets. Lees, who is enjoying one of his best seasons, finished with 5-27 and Kerrigan bagged 5-15 off ten overs as Rainhill were bowled out for 142 in 36.5 overs, Tyler McGladdery making a defiant 62.
Earlier Gary Knight and George Lavelle had set up the leaders’ win with a 121-run stand for the third wicket, Knight making 68 not out and Lavelle again confirming his immense promise with 66.
Firwood Bootle maintained the pressure on the Brook Lane side with a very comfortable sevenwicket victory over Ainsdale at Wadham Road.
Will Purser’s 5-35 and Chris Stenhouse’s 4-32 skittled Andy Barlow’s team for only 96 in 37.1 overs, although Joel Barlow offered last resistance with an innings of 28.
Jakson Knight’s 56 not out in 60 balls ensured that Craig Prince’s team encountered no alarms on their way to their sixth win in eight matches.
However, it was a poor day for the early season leaders, New Brighton, who lost to Colwyn Bay by three wickets in a tense match at Penrhyn Avenue.
Paul Jenkins’ 4-18 engineered a collapse which saw the visitors decline from 82-2 to 121 all out in 40 overs.
Rumesh Buddhika then made 53 in 80 balls although Sion Morris’s team took 50.1 overs to overhaul New Brighton’s score and lost seven wickets in the process.
There was an exotic encounter at Moor Park where early rain prompted declaration bowling from Northern’s James Cole and Liam Biddlestone in the match against Leigh.
Karl Brown made perhaps the easiest 91 runs he will ever score and Matt McKiernan (64 not out) also tucked in to the help yourself buffet in the visitors’ 191-2 declared in 51 overs.
However, Leigh’s negotiations worked in the visitors’ favour as McKiernan took 6-43 in 9.4 overs as Northern were bowled out for 145 in 28.4 overs.
It was also a fine day for Wallasey’s cricketers who recorded their first win of the season when they defeated Formby by 76 runs at Rosclare Drive.
Greg Beaver made 44 in the home side’s 175-4 declared in 51 overs and Chris Bourne then collected 4-39 as the Cricket Path side were bowled out for 99 in 34.2 overs. Formby are now tenth in the twelve-team table with only the Southport sides below them.