Win sees Bootle in touching distance
ON A chilly, rain-affected day, Firwood Bootle’s seamers were too hot for Wallasey to handle, as Neil Williams’ side took a step closer to the Liverpool Gin Liverpool Competition title.
Scott Butterworth took 4/22 as the visitors crumbled for 59; the nine-wicket win was a formality.
The division’s closest games were to be found near the bottom of the table, where an intriguing survival battle is entering its final act.
Southport & Birkdale will be casting anxious glances over their shoulders after they fell 21 runs short of Ormskirk’s 163/8. The visitors were never out of the game thanks to Gary Keedy’s 5/40 and Will Affleck’s 73, and would have fancied their chances at 107/2.
But Tom Hartley had other ideas, finishing with 5/43 after he whipped out the tail.
Half-centuries from Luke Procter and Qaiser Ashraf set up Rainhill’s 220/6, which proved to be just enough for a 16-run win over Leigh.
As at Ormskirk, the chasing side were well-placed, at 155/4; as at Ormskirk, their lower order failed.
And it was a similar story at Orrell Red Triangle, where Lytham fell short by 15 runs. Andrew Baybutt’s 69 led the hosts to 166/8; the visitors reached 132/6 before the collapse, with the last three wickets falling to run-outs.
Bottom club Colwyn Bay slipped to 28/3 in reply to Northern’s 188, in which Chris Laker top-scored with 62, before the rain had the final say. Formby’s game at New Brighton, meanwhile didn’t even get started.
There was heartache for Ormskirk in the semi-final of the ECB National Knockout, after Nantwich earned a three-wicket win.
After Gary Knight’s unbeaten 68 helped the visitors post 170/6, the game turned on a third-wicket partnership of 123 between Ryan Brown (75) and Henry Dobson (55).
And while both eventually fell to Tom Hartley, and skipper Nicky Caunce grabbed three late wickets, the home side had enough in the tank to get over the line. They’ll face Swardeston – led by Joe Gatting, nephew of former England captain Mike – in the final at Lord’s on September
16. Bootle 19 14 Ormskirk 19 11 New Brighton 19 7 Northern 19 7 Formby 19 7 Orrell Red Triangle 19 6 Wallasey 19 7 Rainhill 19 6 Leigh 19 3 Southport & Birkdale 19 3 Lytham 19 1 Colwyn Bay 19 2 0 1 4 1 3 4 4 4 3 2 5 3 3 5 3 2 6 4 3 5 4 0 6 3 4 8 3 1 12 2 2 11 2 4 8 3