Caunce thrilled by Kirk’s perfect weekend hat-trick
NICKY Caunce hailed his side’s perfect weekend after Ormskirk recorded three successive victories.
The league champions defeated mid-table Lytham on Saturday to retain their place at the top of the L&DCC Premier Division before defeating Southport & Birkdale and Bootle on Sunday to reach the final of the Natwest Club T20.
Ormskirk have now lost just one of their previous 16 completed fixtures and are also still fighting for honours in the National Knockout and Lancashire Cup.
“It was obviously the perfect weekend for us with the double victory on Sunday in the T20 finals day,” Caunce said this week.
“It was a really great weekend for the club.”
Despite the elation of reaching the knockout final, however, Caunce believes Saturday’s victory over Lytham was the key result of the weekend.
Ormskirk posted 213-8 from their 55 overs before bowling the visitors out for 185.
The victory, though, wasn’t all that simple.
“Lytham were very, very tough,” Caunce continued. “They were 145-2 and looked to be easily winning the game. There was no chance they could lose that game but the magic from Tom was important.
“His seven wickets will obviously stand out but Andy Baybutt impressed with the bat.
“The wicket was tough because it had a little water and moisture on it so it didn’t break up but it did a little in our innings.
“Andy gritted it out and was massively important to us reaching our total and Josh Bohannon’s two wickets were crucial too.”
Caunce added: “At the end of the day, they were 145-2 and we didn’t have a way to win that game. We should have lost.
“They needed 60 runs with 15 overs remaining but everyone kept up in the field and kept believing in it.
“That’s a massive win in our season. That shows with the cards against us we can still pull it out as a team.
“Different people are winning us games at different times.”