Skem face major survival battle after Burscough blow them away

IT looks like it will take something remarkable to prevent Rainford and Highfield securing the two promotion places in the First Division this season.

The middle tier of the Liverpool Gin Liverpool Competition is usually the most closely-fought of the league’s three divisions but the pair have opened up a 62-point gap between themselves and third-placed Orrell Red Triangle.

That will take all the bridging, especially if leaders Rainford maintain the sort of form that saw them defeat Birkenhead Park by 72 runs on Saturday.

Joe Noctor made 49 in the home side’s 199-6 declared in 55 overs before John Dotters’ 4-27 and Anthony Reid’s 3-11 bundled out Park for 127.

Highfield had a similarly comfortable 95-run win over Newton-le-Willows. Replying to their visitors’ 204, the home side could manage no more than 109, Madduma Lakmal taking 5-40 and Sam Rotherham, 3-41.

Orrell were left one wicket short of victory at Prestatyn. Matt Morgan’s 50 was the cornerstone of the visitors’ 225-8 declared but their Welsh hosts clung on at 159-9 despite Afaq Sartaj’s 7-29. Ryan Westwell led the resistance with 59.

Fleetwood Hesketh had a relatively straightforward home win over Hightown St Mary’s, who are now 71 points adrift at the bottom of the league and appear doomed to a quick return to the Second Division.

Jack Wrigglesworth and Owen Lloyd-Drummond collected three wickets apiece in the visitors’ 101 all out in 34.3 overs and Huw Summerfield then made 44 not out in Fleetwood’s facile pursuit of that target.

That win left Skelmersdale and Birkenhead Park tied on 114 points in the battle to avoid the second relegation spot. Skem were well beaten by Burscough on Saturday, Ben van Niekerk and Jon Stone making half-centuries before Chris Andrews ran amok, the medium pacer taking 6-29 in the visitors’ 162 all out in 43.4 overs.

Wigan proved to be too strong for Sefton Park at Bull Hey. Robbie Houghton took 5-78 for Richie Forsyth’s team but Wigan still put together 229-7 declared, Charles Taylor making 61. Sefton Park replied with 131, Alastair Graham taking 4-32.

How they stand: Division One: Rainford 258, Highfield 256, Orrell Red Triangle 194, Newton-leWillows 191, Wigan 168, Sefton Park 155, Burscough 148, Prestatyn 139, Fleetwood Hesketh 135, Birkenhead Park 114, Skelmersdale 114, Hightown St Mary’s 43.