Rain denies chance to pick up vital points
IN common with almost the entire MI Dental Liverpool Competition, Southport and Birkdale’s game against Wigan was abandoned without a ball bowled on Saturday. The rain that swept in from the west in mid-morning allowed the entire league only three overs’ cricket and all of that was seen at Sutton’s game against Alder.
Most cricketers did not even come close to travelling to games, let alone getting changed for them.
Everyone received five points, which was good for the teams who were already well-placed but not for those who needed to win their matches in order to make progress towards the promotion places or away from the relegation spots.
Given that they were without both Adam Phillips and Dean Skelton on Saturday, S&B were probably fairly relaxed about the abandonment of their game.
On a day when Ainsdale and Fleetwood Hesketh were due to play teams in the bottom half of the table, S&B were meeting another side who still have live promotion hopes.
This Saturday S&B play Maghull, who are currently bottom of the First Division, and while that will present a different sort of challenge – teams in trouble frequently scrap for their lives – Chris Firth will at least travel to Old Hall Field having selected his side from a full-strength squad.
However, while last Saturday’s washout was probably mildly beneficial for S&B, it was undoubtedly of greater benefit to Ainsdale.
Andy Barlow’s team now need to take 22 points from their matches at home to Highfield and away at Prestatyn in order to clinch promotion to the ECB Premier League for the first time in the club’s history.
Just behind the Liverpool Road team lie six teams covered by 23 points. Almost all these sides have been in the promotion places at one time or another during the season and some of then meet on Saturday, knowing that the losers will, in all probability, be out of the hunt this year.
At Sea Cop, third-placed Fleetwood Hesketh meet Newton-le-Willows, who lie sixth, while at Bull Hey Wigan take on Burscough. A week on Saturday, the last set of matches sees Fleetwood Hesketh at home again, this time to Sefton Park, while it is S&B’s turn to entertain Newton.
They may be enthralling to watch and exciting to play in but the fascination of such games lies in the fact that there is so much at stake.
Meanwhile, spare a thought for Southport Trinity.
The Rookery side have adjusted to life in the Liverpool Competition far better than they did when they were last in the league, at one stage even rising to fourth in the table.
Now, though, they are ninth in the Second Division, 20 points clear of bottom-placed Sutton, but with the team that finishes 12h certain to be relegated out of the Competition, Trinity’s fate is nothing like certain.
On Saturday they meet secondplaced St Helens Town before ending their season at home to Alder.
The MI Dental Liverpool Competition: ECB Premier League: Leigh 328 pts, Northern 315, Formby 299, Ormskirk 287, Bootle 275, Wallasey 251, Rainhill 219, Lytham 212, Colwyn Bay 206, New Brighton 204, Rainford 155, Birkenhead Park 137.
Division One: Ainsdale 280 pts, Southport and Birkdale 255, Fleetwood Hesketh 251, Sefton Park 245, Burscough, 237, Newton-leWillows 235, Wigan 232, Orrell Red Triangle 197, Northop Hall 191, Prestatyn 170, Highfield 170, Maghull 163.
Division Two: Skelmersdale 373, St Helens Town 269, Spring View 250, Hightown St Mary’s 245, Alder 241, Old Xaverians 233, Parkfield Liscard 229, Liverpool 213, Southport Trinity 194, Caldy 183, Wavertree 182, Sutton 174.