Cole vents anger with Formby’s ‘anti-cricket’
Southport & Birkdale 11 9 Orrell Red Triangle 11 7 Wigan 11 6 Prestatyn 10 6 Sefton Park 11 5 Ainsdale 11 4 Birkenhead Park 11 4 Fleetwood Hesketh 11 4 Newton-le-Willows 10 3 Wavertree 11 2 Burscough 11 2 Liverpool 11 1 0 29 17 206 0 21 19 200 0 23 31 194 0 27 15 187 0 14 17 131 0 26 24 130 0 18 31 129 0 21 19 125 0 26 23 89 0 29 30 84 0 32 28 80 0 11 22 58 0 22 34 236 0 29 17 186 0 16 17 158 0 10 24 154 0 7 28 140 0 23 28 131 0 12 34 126 0 11 22 118 0 15 26 106 0 20 20 85 0 13 18 76 0 10 39 69 0 18 19 197 0 31 17 188 1 13 11 164 0 17 26 163 0 14 39 133 1 24 20 119 0 7 16 113 0 23 21 108 0 16 31 97 0 8 15 93 0 15 27 42 NORTHERN skipper James Cole was left frustrated by Formby’s tactics after the two Liverpool Gin Liverpool Competition high-fliers played out a draw on Saturday.
Cole said his side’s ECB Premier Division rivals showed “no intent” in their pursuit of 204 in 58 overs on a Cricket Path pitch which turned from the outset, but which was surrounded by a hard, fast outfield.
To an extent, the hosts’ hand was forced by the early inroads made by Tom Sephton’s spin – he removed Haseeb Hameed first ball. But no-one other than Sephton took a wicket, and Formby closed on 137/3, Lancashire’s Karl Brown finishing on 46* from 153 balls.
The presence of the likes of Brown and Hameed in Formby’s line-up made Cole even more mystified.
“It was a bit strange, really, that Formby showed no intent whatsoever at trying to chase the runs, given they had a Test opening batsman and a county professional in their ranks,” he said. “We’re a bit disappointed – the wicket wasn’t great but the outfield was quick. Formby didn’t look like they tried to win it.”
They didn’t have to, of course. In a competition that holds timed cricket dear, playing for the draw is a legitimate tactic – the onus is on the fielding side.
But Cole added: “To not really go for it was quite disappointing, and there were a lot of people there who were equally disappointed.
“It was a quick outfield and the runs were there to get. You can’t force people to want to play cricket.”
Northern’s 203 was a stop-start affair, buttressed by 57 from Chris Laker and 61 from Jack Boardman. Cole said: “Chris has been looking good and obviously Jack has come into a bit of form now, which is nice to see.”
The surprise result of the day came at Bootle, where New Brighton definitely went for it, and got it. Daniel Davies hit 71 and Sam Kershaw 54 in the home side’s 254/5, off just 45 overs.
But the visitors from the Wirral – anchored to the foot of the table and without a win all season – chased it down in a thrilling finale. Opener Mark Rowland led the way with a rapid 65, and skipper Andrew Clarke’s 50 took his side to the brink.
They required just seven runs, with four wickets remaining, when two fell in quick succession – Bootle skipper Craig Prince completing his 5/59 – but the tail clung on to record a two-wicket win.
So three of the top four dropped points – and Ormskirk took advantage, winning by 118 runs at Rainhill. John Armstrong’s 112 and Josh Bohannon’s 86* – they put on 141 for the second wicket – fired the visitors to 258/3. Tom Hartley’s 6/25 wrapped up the win, despite Tyler McGladdery’s 50.
Wallasey edged out Highfield by two wickets, Neil Cross taking 7/49 to reduce the visitors to 161 all out after Shohaib Shah’s 57 had left them well placed at 123/2.
The Wirral side were teetering at 14/3, but Matthew Wilcox’s unbeaten 77 saw them home.
The other two games ended in highscoring draws.
At Rainford, Paul Farrar’s 107 and Matthew White’s 53 set up a total of 239/7 against Colwyn Bay, for whom Patrick Leach hit 61 before they closed agonisingly short at 234/8; at Leigh, Lytham’s Adam Shallcross (133*) and Thomas Foster (93) put on 197 for the third wicket in a total of 291/6, but Taylor Cornall hit 104 and Tom Jefferson’s 80 led the hosts to safety at 275/7.