Cricket – Overseas star Haque Jr excels with bat and ball in Hall victory

Liverpool and District Cricket Competition
1st XI Division One

Northop Hall (24) 174-9 Rainford (6) 173-9 dec
Result: Northop Hall won by 1 wicket

Bangladesh Test all-rounder Enamul Haque Jr produced a superb display with bat and ball to help Northop Hall to a nail-biting one-wicket victory at Smithy Lane.
Visitors Rainford won the toss and elected to bat, setting 173-9 declared off 60 overs.
Haque Jr claimed 4-61 off 25 overs and James Hurlin picked up 4-85 from 29.
In reply, Hall dipped to 70-5, but Haque Jr (41) and Joshua Andrady (30) helped steady the ship, then a crucial last-wicket stand of 13 between Carwyn Johnson (17 no) and Jack Allen edged the hosts home.
Despite snaring 7-63, Rainford’s unlucky John Dotters finished up on the losing side.
Points: 24-6.

1st XI ECB Premier League

Colwyn Bay (3) 146-10 Southport and Birkdale (20) 148-2
Result: Southport and Birkdale won by eight wickets

A disastrous day for Bay, who remain one off the bottom of the Premier without a win to their name.
Taking on a team just above them in the table and who they had beaten comfortably in a cup game earlier this term, Sion Morris’ side ended up well beaten at Penrhyn Avenue.
Put into bat, Bay were all out for 146, and stood 72-8 at one stage before a ninth-wicket stand of 70 between Paul Jenkins (44) and Saliya Jeewantha (37) enabled them to set a more respectable total.
Former Lancashire left-armer Gary Keedy was the chief destroyer, grabbing a remarkable 8-25 off 20 overs for the visitors.
Southport and Birkdale then breezed to 148-2 in just 37.4 overs for a 20-3 points verdict, Bradley Yates 73 and Will Affleck 66 no.

1st XI Division One

Birkenhead Park (25) 227-6 dec Prestatyn (5) 137-10
Result: Birkenhead Park won by 90 runs

Despite some good individual displays, Prestatyn were well beaten at the Park.
The hosts set 227-6 declared off 47 overs, Sheil Sethi bowling smartly to take 4-43 off 14 overs for the visitors, Khalid Wahbi 100 no for the batting side.
Skipper David Harris hit 50 and Gareth Leonard 38 in Prestatyn’s reply, but their final score was just 137 all out, man of the match Wahbi with 5-44.