Wonderful wins for Northop Hall, Colwyn Bay and Prestatyn in Liverpool Comp

LIVERPOOL AND DISTRICT COMPETITION

1ST XI FIRST DIVISION

NORTHOP HALL (24) 182-4 AINSDALE (5) 181-8 DEC

Hall produced one of their finest displays of the season to thrash high-flyers Ainsdale by six wickets at Smithy Lane.

The second-place visitors won the toss and decided to bat but were restricted to a modest 181-8 declared off 53 overs, due largely to some tight bowling from the hosts.

Darren Leach led the charge with 4-42 off 20 overs, Harrison Jones picked up 3-42 from 15 and there was another lovely spell from 14-year-old spinning sensation Joshua Leach, who scooped 1-17 off seven.

The Hall batted really well to reach 182-4 in 35 overs to seal the win, all six batters featured scoring 20 plus.

Jones made 33, skipper Will Higginson 32, Jac Kennedy 27, Alastair Andrady 25, Jamie Hodgson 24 not out and Ben Slater 21 no. A team effort is ever there was one.

COLWYN BAY (20) 176-7 HIGHFIELD (0) 175-10

Vishal Kushwah’s crucial 79 not out off 74 balls guided Colwyn Bay to a three-wicket win at Penrhyn Avenue.

Chasing 176 for victory, the hosts were in dire straits on 48-5 and again at 84-7 before Kushwah turned the match.

Put into bat, Highfield were all out for 175, 1,000-plus league wicket star Paul Jenkins claiming 4-49 off 16.3 overs, Ryan Holtby an excellent 3-24 from 11 and Adam Campion 2-27.

Bay slumped from 45-1 to 48-5 in reply, but at 84-7 Kushwah and Holtby came together and put on a match-clinching and unbroken 92 for the eighth wicket.

Holtby contributed a priceless 24 no, but it was Kushwah who took star billing, his innings including eight fours and four sixes.

1ST XI SECOND DIVISION

PRESTATYN (23) 255-8 HIGHTOWN ST MARY’S (9) 251-7

A magnificent run chase from Prestatyn brought a win which keeps them firmly in the top five.

Visitors Hightown decided to bat and chalked up a formidable 251-7 off 53 overs.

It was hard work for the home bowlers, Sampath Perera and Sheil Sethi both collecting 2-49. This pair were also to be prominent when Prestatyn batted.

In response, the hosts were 71-3 before Sethi and Gareth Leonard (33) formed a stand of 109 for the fourth wicket.

Both men departed with the score on 180, Sethi run out for a fine 60, then it became 196-7 before Perera and skipper David Harris added 44.

Perera was also run out for 67 off just 36 balls leaving Prestatyn 240-8 – still work to do.

Thankfully Harris (28 not out) saw the Welsh side over the line to 255-8 and a two-wicket, 23-9 points success. What a game!