Another loss as Skem make a slow start

SKELMERSDALE CC suffered an embarrassing 97-run defeat at the hands of Sutton St. Helens last weekend.

Sutton won the toss and elected to bat, and it transpired to be an excellent decision.

Despite at one point falling to 99-6 - Jonas Smith tearing through the middle order with 3-14 - the visitors recovered to post a respectable 184 all out from their 55 overs.

Opener Adam Onion top scored with 55, but it was the tail-end effort of Gary Greener, Michael Rimmer and Jonathan Green - who all scored over 25 runs apiece - that set the hosts a challenging total.

In response, Skelmersdale never truly got going.

Despite making a good start - they were 60-2 at one point - Luke Manley’s men suffered a disastrous collapse.

His side lost their last eight wickets for a paltry 27 runs, posting a humbling total of 87 all out from just under 40 overs.

Liam Crilly, who opened the batting, top scored with 31, but Jonas Smith’s knock of 13 was the second-highest score in a scorecard that included three ducks.

Jamie Greener picked up an impressive 5-17 for Sutton, while fellow bowler Liam Dodd improved his average for the season with 4-24.

Skelmersdale have the opportunity to make amends this weekend, however, as they host Hightown at Firswood Park.

They are yet to win a game this season and have picked up just nine points from their opening two games, of which one was abandoned.

Hightown, however, are also in the same boat.

They have lost two of their games with the other failing to be completed and both teams will be hoping to get their season underway with a victory on Saturday afternoon.