We can’t just turn up and expect to win
ORMSKIRK captain Nicky Caunce praised his players for a “great” weekend after bouncing back admirably from their ECHO Knockout Cup defeat to Rainhill on Friday.
Rainhill posted 147-9 from their 20 overs, but Ormskirk’s usually reliable batting line-up failed to produce as they faltered to 110 all out inside 19 overs.
Caunce’s side responded with victories over Wallasey on Saturday - leaving them just 14 points behind first-placed Northern in the L&DCC Premier - and Furness in the National Cup on Sunday.
“We got beat in the ECHO Knockout on Friday night but we bounced back well from there so overall we had a great weekend,” the skipper said.
“We were missing three or four batsmen in the T20. Obviously we can’t use that as an excuse because we should have done better than we did and the performance wasn’t good enough.
“That gave us the kick up the backside we needed though. Before that we were on a run of 14 wins from 15, so a defeat wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
“It shows the players they can’t just turn up and win. They have to work for it and put the effort it.
“It gave everyone that kick and showed we have to earn our wins, which we did on Saturday and Sunday.”
With Wallasey winning the toss and choosing to bat first in their league encounter last weekend, Caunce was pleased with the impact of both bowler Scott Lees and batsmen Alex Rankin.
Lees finished with figures of 4-44 from less than 15 overs across two spells while Rankin laid the foundations for victory as Ormskirk chased 164 with a fantastic knock of 73.
“Scott bowled really well,” Caunce said. “He came back on and absolutely blew the tail away after picking up an early wicket.
“Alex also batted brilliantly and was really unlucky when he was given out as well, because it was a little high. But we’d already won the game and he’d set us up for that.”
Ormskirk face another two games this weekend as they travel to Rainhill in L&DCC action before welcoming Roe Green in the Lancashire Knockout Cup as they hope to reach the quarterfinals. sometimes you don’t realise that you miss that side of it.”
Despite having been out of professional football for so long, however, the manager - who turned out for Preston North End during his playing career believes old methods are still key.
“I’ve always took a lot of notice to what clubs are doing and their specifics,” he revealed.
“What they do [in training] now doesn’t surprise me.
“I’m from a different generation but hard work is always going to be at the forefront of that. That’s all that matters.”
Watson also admitted he was surprised by the condition his players returned in following their summer holidays.
“This is a different generation of players now. Lads come back and they look after themselves a lot better,” he said.
“But that’s in life, and as a nation too, because we’re all learning what to do with our bodies and we’re in much better shape than 20 years ago.
“Now it’s a case of getting us through the first few weeks back, get into the fitness aspect as much as possible and then we’ll get into the way I want us to play this season.”