Northop Hall seconds only North Wales winners in Liverpool Competition

Action from Northop Hall 1st XI v Sefton Park 1st XI at Smithy Lane. Picture: RAY HIBBS

LIVERPOOL AND DISTRICT CRICKET COMPETITION – REPORTS JULY 2

1ST XI FIRST DIVISION

Caldy (25) 221-10 Colwyn Bay (8) 189-10

A surprise defeat for the Bay at lowly Caldy lost the Welsh side vital ground in the battle for a top-two finish.

South African ace Corne Nel starred for the home team with 84 off 64 deliveries in a total of 221 all out off 52.4 overs, Arthur Jones taking 4-52, Patrick Glover 3-41 and Paul Jenkins 3-64 for the visitors.

Despite a fine 70 from 79 balls by Will Evans, Bay’s reply ended on 189, Lloyd Eastham 5-39 for the Wirral winners.

Northop Hall (7) 149-10 Sefton Park (20) 168-10

Will Edwards nabbed 5-33 and Dhanosh Kaludewa 3-48 as Hall dismissed their Liverpool visitors for 168, but the home side did not bat well enough thereafter to achieve a victory at Smithy Lane.

Openers Chris Bellis (60) and Benjamin Percival (47) did best for the away side.

In reply, Evan Withe made 33 and skipper Will Higginson 32, but there was not much else to shout about as the Flintshire hosts slumped to 149 all out.

Ayan Madhu was the leading Sefton bowler with 4-27 in his team’s 20 points to 7 success.

1ST XI SECOND DIVISION

Prestatyn (3) 50-10 St Helens Town (25) 51-6

Only Sampath Perera (20) managed double figures as Prestatyn were skittled out for a paltry 50 at Beach Close, Sharan Rajendran returning stunning figures of 11.2 overs, four maidens, seven wickets for six runs.

Saints did not find the going easy in reply, but managed to reach 51-6, Perera 3-19 from 10.

2ND XI PREMIER DIVISION

Colwyn Bay (6) 210-7 dec Birkenhead Park (23) 211-3

A seven-wicket thrashing for the Bay, who were leapfrogged in the table by the team that beat them.

The hosts, third at start of play, declared on 210-7 after 45 overs, Harry Spillane making 42, skipper Tom Roberts 39.

Opener Matty Langford dominated with 129 as Birkenhead Park made 211-3 off 40.2 with relative ease.

2ND XI FIRST DIVISION

Rainhill (6) 146-10 Northop Hall (25) 147-8

Northop Hall seconds were the only North Wales team to celebrate a win in the Liverpool Competition on Saturday.

The fact they did so owed much to a half-century from Jack Smallwood.

Liam Evans-Ford took 5-37 and Renit Adke 3-23 as Rainhill were dismissed for 146.

The Hall nosedived to 26-3 in response, but wicket-keeper Smallwood’s 56 led the fightback, helping the visitors reach 147-8, Adke adding 21 and Tom Hellen 20.