Caunce urges Kirk to double up their efforts
ORMSKIRK captain Nicky Caunce has urged his side to use this weekend’s doubleheader to rediscover their winning touch.
The reigning champions won two successive games following their opening day bowl-out loss to Bootle, but the same opponents claimed a comprehensive 87 run victory last weekend.
The visitors won the toss and chose to bat and recorded an impressive total of 244-7 declared, with Scott Lees the pick of Ormskirk’s bowlers (3-57).
“I think we did well to restrict them to 244 on that wicket because it was really flat. It wasn’t really doing much at all, apart from a little bit with the new ball and it just flattened out,” Caunce said after the game.
“Bootle got off to a flier. They were 40-0 and in the middle overs we did well to squeeze them and restrict them to 244 from their overs.”
The captain, however, believes his side’s inability to form a meaningful partnership cost them dearly in their chase.
“The second innings we started off well. We were 58-0 when John Armstrong got out but that was our only significant partnership really.
“There wasn’t another partnership until the tenth wicket of over 20 and if you’re chasing 244 and losing wickets in clusters you’re never going to chase it down.
“Bootle bowled well and into good areas and they put a good squeeze on in the middle overs, similar to ourselves.
“But to chase down a total like that, you need one or two batsmen to go on and get a score.”
Ormskirk will have the perfect opportunity to reverse their fortunes this weekend, though.
They travel to Lytham in the league on Saturday afternoon before hosting Chorley in the National Knockout the next day.
“In the next few weeks the cup cricket begins, with the Lancashire Cup on the horizon too, so the aim is to get on a few good cup runs and hopefully that seeps into the league form,” Caunce said. “You need that winning mentality to get on a run.”