Unwanted fashion as S&B stuck in the 70s
MI Dental Liverpool Competition: First Division: Burscough (25pts) 81-4 beat Southport & Birkdale (2pts) 79 by six wickets PERHAPS it is as well at the moment that the health of a cricket club is not judged solely on the strength of its first team. If it was, S&B would be spending a week or two in intensive care.
For the third time in successive weeks Chris Firth’s side were bowled out for a total in the 70s on Saturday afternoon as batsmen short on runs, confidence, luck and anything else that might be vaguely useful to them came up against Burscough, who are top of the MI Dental Liverpool & District Cricket Competition’s First Division.
Brendan Domigan’s players, who were promoted from the Competition’s third tier last September, are enjoying a couple of seasons to remember; Firth’s, in total contrast, are having a few weeks they will want to put behind them as soon as possible.
All they need to achieve that goal is a total above 200, although anything in excess of 80 would be something of a relief at the moment.
Chris Brownlow’s 38 held his side together on Saturday on an afternoon when four of Southport & Birkdale’s top six batsmen made ducks on a wicket where a total around the 120 mark would have been competitive.
However, defending 79 is absurdly difficult and Firth’s bowlers had to be content with taking four wickets and collecting a couple of bonus points before Burscough clinched their fifth win in six games.
S&B’s other senior teams were in action over the Bank Holiday weekend and enjoyed three fine victories.
On Saturday the secondteam, led by that cricketing Zhukov, Craig Todd, defeated Fleetwood Hesketh by five wickets at Trafalgar Road.
The Sea Cop side batted first and made a very formidable 211-7 declared in 45 overs with Paul Regan making a pedigree 75 and both Patrick Travers and Scott Rimmer adding halfcenturies.
Todd, his hand rarely straying far from the tiller of triumph, took 5-64.
In reply, Jack Baybutt’s 90 not out off 107 balls steered S&B home although Adrian Halsall bowled well for the visi- tors, taking 4-48 in what was a fine game.
On Sunday Isaac Lea put his first-team concerns behind him to make 100 not out in the third team’s 16-run win over Formby.
Lea’s century came in a total of 221-7 declared in 45 overs but the home side had their work cut out to seal the win.
Lea made inroads with the ball, taking 3-20, but it needed that wandering pedagogue, Jordan Bell, to complete the win and troop off in self-effacing glory with figures of 5-43 against his name.
On Monday S&B’s second team advanced to the next round of the Chester Cup when they beat Southport Trinity by 235 runs at the Rookery.
Dave Aston made 109 off a mere 108 balls and added 140 for the third wicket with Jake Reitschel who made 54 as S&B amassed 301-7 in their 45 overs. Trinity were bowled out for 66.