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Bootle lift Echo Knockout
Trophy
Sunday 29th August 2004
Bootle proved yet again what a dominant force they are in limited overs cricket by completing a hat trick of Liverpool Echo Knockout victories.
Fleetwood Hesketh, Liverpool Competition First Division challengers, had secured some big scalps en route to the final at their Sea Cop ground, but Ian Cockbain's men proved one step too far.
The Echo final, curtailed to 24 overs a side owing to a rain delay, belonged to two Bootle players in particular, Chris Sainsbury and Charlie Lamb, although the home side's Gary Wells tried hard to make a fight of it.
Skipper Cockbain lost the toss and was soon back in the pavilion as Jon Bowden's team began well. David Snellgrove also fell cheaply as Fleetwood looked to take control, which they did for a while before Sainsbury, promoted to opener, cut loose in devastating fashion with four massive sixes in a 40 ball innings of 64. It proved the key part of the game.
He shared in a stand of 57 with Paddy McKeown (15) , while John Hitchmough (21*) and Gavin Reynolds (10*) pushed the total to 143-6.
David Bernard bowled well early on for figures of 1-178, while Bhautik Shukla (3-30) finally ended Sainsbury's spree in another good spell.
Much depended on the home side's start but with Saturday's century hero Neil Rimmer and Bernard dismissed in the first four overs, Fleetwood were up against it.
Wells batted sensibly against as accurate Bootle attack, but only Derek Sykes (13) and Mike Bimpson (12*) offered much support as Lamb (4-23) and Sainsbury (2-18) ripped the heart out of the home batting.
Wells bowed out, caught behind after making a gallant 50 off 69 balls (2x4s) as the reply petered out at 107-8.
The quality of the Bootle side is well known and they thoroughly deserved their success but Fleetwood Hesketh will be hoping to rub shoulders with them in the ECB Premier League next season.