Perfect day as S&B throttle opponents
THE comparisons between Southport and Birkdale skipper Adam Phillips and Lou Reed have not so far been noticed by students of popular culture. Perhaps this is not surprising. While one is a widely revered cultural icon. the other was an American rock musician.
Nevertheless, Phillips echoed one of Reed’s most famous songs this week when he described Southport & Birkdale’s 135-run defeat of Fleetwood Hesketh on Saturday as “a perfect day.” And there is little doubt Jack Carney would agree with his skipper. The game was about far more than three points in the regional Love Lane League.
For one thing it was about Carney’s maiden first-team century, which should be the forerunner of several others so long as the 15-year-old does not dine out on his achievement. But it also offered spectators indications of Harvey Rankin’s abundant allround talent. The former Ormskirk all-rounder’s half-century, tight spell of bowling and role in a run-out in his first game for the club made it very plain what a valuable signing he could be.
Indeed, Saturday’s match against at Trafalgar Road gave Phillips several glimpses of the side he hopes to build, a predominantly youthful team, leavened with experience, one in which cricketers like Carney and Rankin can flourish. So perhaps the day was even a worth a glass of sangria in the park.
And at the heart of the afternoon was the third-wicket stand of 120 between Carney and Rankin, a proper collaboration in which each player encouraged and worked with the other as they battled through the difficult periods before enjoying themselves when the living was easy.
“It was exactly the sort of game we had been wanting to play for some time,” said Phillips. “Win the toss, bat, get a good total on the board and then leave things to our bowling attack. For a season or two now you’ve looked at our scorecards and the top scores have often been twenties or thirties. On Saturday we had two players who got themselves in and then went on to play major innings.’’
He added: “Both Harvey and Jack looked so mature in the way they approached their partnership. The older players will always fit in as needed but we can build a side around youngsters like these.”
The statistics back up Phillips’ overall judgement. Rankin got his 60 runs off 72 balls while Carney, having reached fifty off 71 balls, managed to bring up his three figures off a further 33, hitting 12 fours and a six in his unbeaten 101.
In the second half of the game S&B’s bowlers throttled the run-rate as efficiently as ever. Although there was the weekly donation to good causes in the shape of a dozen wides leading to 22 extra runs, none of the
PHILLIPS I LEE CARNEY RANKIN HOLLIDAY EXTRAS TOTAL
FOW:
HALSALL BEL. Shukla BEN. Shukla WINCER DESAI PRESTON PIKE GREGORY MURPHY THOMAS WALLBANK EXTRAS TOTAL bowlers was collared and there was time towards the conclusion of the innings for Tobias Lea to pick up three wickets with his medium pace.
BY contrast S&B’s second team suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday when they lost to Fleetwood Hesketh by five wickets at Sea Cop.
S&B b Thomas 18 c Murphy b Wincer 23 not out 101 c Wincer b Wallbank 60 not out 17 27 246 1-36 2-52 3-172 (for 3 wkts)
Gregory 9-3-25-0 Wallbank 9-0-62-1 Murphy 9-0-68-0 Thomas 9-2-51-1 Wincer 9-2-30-1
FLEETWOOD HESKETH c Carney b Gailey c Phillips b Warhurst b Firth b Firth lbw Firth not out run out (Rankin) c T Lea b Cunningham c Warhurst b T Lea c Cunningham b T Lea st Carney b T Lea 12 1 20 17 1 16 1 2 13 2 2 24 111
FOW: 1-21 2-23 3-55 4-57 5-73 6-75 7-81 8-101 9-105 10-111
Warhurst 6-0-22-1 Gailey 6-1-18-1 Firth 8-3-14-3 Cunningham 9-2-17-1 T Lea 5-2-13-3 Rankin 7-2-14-0
Thirties from Dave Aston, Guy Edwards and Charlie Byrne seemed to have given Tom Baybutt’s team a defendable 182 for seven in their 45 overs but Andy Bate’s 48 and Paul Regan’s 46 allowed the home side to overhaul this total with four overs to spare.