Favourites - but ignore it SOUTHPORT & BIRKDALE
CRICKET matches, much like cricketers, come in many shapes. Few thought when the Ainsdale skipper, Andy Barlow, opted to bat at 12.30 on Saturday afternoon that his side’s derby against Southport and Birkdale would not get under way for another three hours.
Yet light showers, one or two of them falling as the players were about to take the field, ensured this was so and when the game began, Barlow’s batsmen were left with the tricky task of setting some sort of target in a short match and on a pitch favouring spinners.
As it turned out, Ainsdale had no need to consider how many runs they needed.
S&B skipper Chris Firth and his two spinbowling team mates, Chris Cunningham and Gary Keedy, took all the wickets to fall as the visitors were bundled out for 74 in 27.4 overs.
Once again, most of S&B’s bowling and fielding was of a high standard.
Few runs were given away and a couple of decent catches were taken.
Ainsdale’s last eight batsmen were dismissed for only 36 runs, but S&B’s seventh victory in eight games was not achieved without its own alarms.
For example, after proceeding without much trouble to 34 for one, Firth’s team lost four wickets for 14 runs, three of them falling to the offspin of Ainsdale’s Stephen Lucas, who had Bradley Yates, S&B’s top scorer, caught in the deep for 34.
In such a context, a bloodyminded determination to occupy
the crease is of prime importance and it is therefore by no means absurd to argue that the important innings in Saturday’s game was played by Harry May, whose 50-ball seven not out was the longest innings of the game.
May reasoned that if he did not get out, his team would eventually win the match.
Time was no longer a significant consideration.
So, reassured by May’s solidity, Chris Cunningham whacked the three boundaries which took his side to one of their closest yet least spectacular wins of the season.
S&B are now six points clear with a game in hand. They have probably been installed as favourites for promotion but the season is not half over and they will be wise to ignore such gossip.
In any case, their capabilities should be severely tested this weekend when they visit second-placed Orrell Red Triangle on Saturday and then fourthplaced Wigan 24 hours later.
Firth and his players will welcome any supporters who are able to travel to either of these games.
Southport and Birkdale second team’s fine run of form cam to an end when a slightly under- s t rength team lost at Wigan by 39 runs.
Skipper Craig Todd bagged seven for 61 in the home side’s 172 all out but the suspicion S&B had leaked too many runs was proved correct when they were bowled out for 133, this despite Tom Baybutt’s resolute 61 not out.
But Tuesday evening’s Embee Cup match was an occasion to remember for 12-year-old leg-spinner Matthew Hennessy, who took four for 13 in his side’s eight-run victory and sealed the win with a hat-trick.