ECB Premier League - It's just a stroll in the Park for Bootle
Monday 30th August 2004

Bootle virtually wrapped up the ECB Premier League title with the annihilation of Sefton Park. Winning the toss and asking the home side to bat, Bootle's Chris Sainsbury (4-19), David Snellgrove (3-9) and Charlie Lamb (3-12) combined to skittle Sefton for just 44 from 37.4 overs. Bootle quickly completed a seven wicket win in a match that ended at 3:22 pm.

New Brighton have plunged deep into the relegation battle after losing the Wirral clash at Wallasey. Mark Wilkie (40) and John Pugh (33) were the main scorers in a total of 161 off 72 overs after Wallasey were inserted. Spinners John Horrocks (4-61) and Paul Watson (4-50) produced impressive performances.

Sadly, it was not the case with the visitors' batting, which collapsed to the pace of Paul Thistlewaite, who took 6-22 from 11 overs. Only Chris Davies stood defiant with 39 in their total of 99 from 33.2 overs.

Southport and Birkdale's win at Lytham helps their fight against relegation. Asking the home side to bat, the Sandgrounders were indebted to Nilesh Kulkarni who provided another magnificent, unplayable performance as he took 7-44 from 21 overs, Mike Smethurst assisting with 3-48, in a Lytham total  of 153 from 56 overs, Daniel Thompson (47), Nick Knight (26).

Ather Abid (51) and Dale Cranston (46) led Southport's reply as they eased home at 157-7 from 42 overs.

With the start delayed until 1:30 pm, Maghull needed more than a draw at Leigh to improve their hopes of avoiding the drop. Dave Barlow (59) and Liam Crilly (43) gave the bottom club the opportunity to declare at 175-9 off 38 overs, Gareth Cross taking off his wicket keeping pads to finish with 3-42 and 15 year old leg spinner, Alex Roussak 3-32.

Any thoughts of a much needed win disappeared as Cross (77) and Neil Williams (43) shared a third wicket stand of 112 for Leigh to take the score to 131 but a flurry of wickets took them to 138-7 and eventually a draw at 150-7 after 37 overs.

After Saturday's thrilling win against Wallasey, Ormskirk had to be content with a tame draw against visitors Northern who had elected to bat. They faced 59.3 overs for an all out total of 162 with the highlight being John Wildman (54) depositing Adam Sanford over backward square, first bounce through the rear screen of groundsman Nick Glayzer's Renault Mégane. Sanford ended with 3-58, Phil Unsworth 3-54 from 26 overs and Martyn Farrell 4-21.

Ormskirk began their innings badly losing three wickets in seven balls to be 24-3 and after this they batted out time to finish on 81-6 after 31 overs, Phil Cooper taking 3-26.

Huyton could only manage a draw at Northop Hall and both sides are amongst the bottom six that are separated by only 23 pts. Chosing to bat first, Hall had three batsman passing the fifty mark, captain Karl Evans (57) with James Dyer and Dave Kennedy 54 apiece out of a total of 194-5 from 59 overs.

Hall's spin was Huyton's downfall as their last pair hung on with a total of 151-9 after 49 overs, Mohammad Hafeez making 68 with Danny Nolan taking 6-43 and Arshad Khan 3-37.

results