No taking it easy as Eagles hit the top
ON a significant Saturday at both the top and bottom of the ECB Premier League two young Wallasey batsmen combined in spectacular fashion to condemn leaders Ormskirk to only their second league loss of the season.
The Wirral club were themselves heading for defeat on 101-6 when Andrew Ward came out to join Alex Eagles at Brook Lane.
At that point a victory target of 224 seemed distant indeed but the pair added an unbroken 124 to grab the win that keeps their side clear of trouble at the bottom of the table.
Eagles finished unbeaten on 112 while Ward contributed 69 not out to the stand which even overshadowed the bowling of the ex-England spinner Monty Panesar, whose 5-81 had earlier kept Ormskirk’s batsmen in check.
Nonetheless, Michael Jones’s 82 and John Armstrong’s 71 had helped the title favourites post what appeared a formidable 223-7 declared.
Wallasey’s win was particularly useful because Southport and Birkdale comfortably overcame their relegation rivals Formby in a rather one-sided game at Cricket Path. All five S&B bowlers took wickets but Angus Gailey’s 3-31 caught the eye as the home side slumped to 68-6, only recovering to 143 all out thanks to Sam Oldham’s 52 and Tom Simpson’s 33.
But Bradley Yates’ 84 not out helped the visitors to cruise home in 32 overs, thus clinching the win that sees them climb a point above Formby at the bottom of the table with six games to play.
Rainhill are now second in the table, 61 points behind Ormskirk after their 103-run victory over Northern offered another illustration of the spin bowling talents of Akshay Darekar. The Indian slow left-armer took 8-57 off 24.2 overs to make sure that James Cole’s batsmen got only a little over halfway to their target of 237.
However, Rainhill are far more than a one-man team and Ross Higham’s 84 not out off 101 balls had helped them post 236-5 declared, which eventuall y proved to be a winning total.
Third-placed New Brighton enjoyed a very straightforward eight-wicket victory over Lytham at Rake Lane. Three wickets apiece for Martyn Evans and Ashraf Nawab put the skids under the visitors, who were bowled out for 125 in 50.4 overs. Louis Botes’ 45 and David While’s 33 not out saw that score overhauled with little palaver.
At Beech Walk Karl Brown’s unbeaten 102 was the highlight of Leigh’s eightwicket victory over Ainsdale, a result which deepens the bottom side’s plight. Mark Lucas’s 49 had helped the visitors make 176 all out in 59.3 overs, although Adam Shallcross (4-31) and that man Brown (4-39) had kept Andy Barlow’s batsmen in check.
There were plenty of runs scored at Penrhyn Avenue but neither side emerged victorious from the game between Colwyn Bay and Bootle.
The home side were in trouble on 53-5 before a mammoth 237-run stand for the sixth wicket between Rumesh Buddhika (107) and Will Higginson (110 not out) left their team with 290-6 declared on the board after 58.5 overs. Bootlel replied with 152-8 in 43 overs, Luke Procter steering them to safety with 50 not out.
ECB Premier League: Ormskirk 327 pts, Rainhill 266, New Brighton 262, Colwyn Bay 245, Bootle 243, Northern 229, Leigh 197, Lytham 169, Wallasey 153, Southport and Birkdale 120, Formby 119, Ainsdale 85