Written by Gary Hayes
IT’S NOT OVER UNTIL IT’S OVER
It was a Saturday of last over thrillers for both of Orrell’s main teams as both the first and second teams won their matches in the last over of their games.
Sam Heeley’s first team made the trip over to the Wirral to play at Wallasey Cricket Club. Having lost the toss, Heeley side were asked to bowl first on a baking hot day. When Duvindu Tillakaratne struck with the second ball of the match to remove danger man Jamie Crawley, it saw a sequence of events that led to the hosts being 45-4 and seemingly in trouble. However, a key moment in the innings happened when Wallasey overseas player Sumit Ruikar was dropped early on in his innings. This proved to be a very costly drop as the hosts fifth wicket partnership of Ruikar and Alex Eagles turned the tables with some excellent batting. When the partnership was brought to an end at 99 to leave the score at 144-5, Ruikar found support from Gregg Beaver as the hosts kept up the onslaught and the Orrell bowling attack struggled to stem it. Ruikar eventually brought up an excellent hundred as the host declared on 233-6 from 51.5 overs. Tillakaratne finished with figures of 3-88, Heeley 2-80 and Cameron Sharp 1-37.
In reply, an Orrell top order batting line up bereft of confidence found itself once again in dire straits at 40-5 from a mixture of excellent bowling and bad luck in a couple of cases. Welcome resistance came in the form of Richard Everett and Chris Riley and, whilst the victory total was not seen as achievable, it was clear that they were capable of steering Orrell towards a draw as the provided stoic resistance. The hosts however have a very laudable, positive approach to timed cricket and put in place bowling changes and field settings that encouraged Riley and Everett to be more attacking in their approach and to set up the chance of a thrilling win or lose finish to the match. Riley and Everett grasped this opportunity with both hands and the scoreboard quickly began to turn over. When the sixth wicket partnership was eventually broken (Riley out for a well-made 55 which hopefully heralds a return to form for such a quality batsman) Tom Jones came to the crease and accelerated the Orrell onslaught with a series of savage blows right from the start of his innings. It was clear that the host tactics had worked and it was now very much game on with all result possibilities back as an option. Crucially, Jones and Everett maintained their attacking approach when the Wallasey frontline bowlers returned and field settings became more defensive. There began to look a real possibility of an Orrell win at this stage but disaster struck when both Jones (45 from only 19 balls including 5 sixes) and Everett were out with the score on 209 to make the score 209-8. Everett top scoring with a brilliant 76 which reflects the exceptional batsman that he is. However, Tillakaratne and Cameron Sharp maintained the positive approach that the Orrell batters were now showing to the situation- Tillakaratne with one particularly massive six. Sharp was out with the score on 227-9 and it was left to David Naylor to offer support to Tillakaratne as the Wallasey fielders retreated to the boundary. Disaster almost struck with the first ball of the last over of the game when Tillakaratne was dropped at long on but crucially they managed to run two runs. With two balls of the game to go, scores were tied and there were three possible results still on the table (a draw, a tied game, an Orrell victory). When there was a dot ball with the penultimate ball of the game, it was left to Tillakaratne to face the last ball of the match with the Wallasey fielders forming a tight ring to cut off the single. Tillakaratne (19 from 9 balls) managed to squeeze the ball through the infield for four runs to give Orrell a much-needed victory and confidence boost after what has been a difficult period for the team. Credit must go to the hosts for their positive approach to timed cricket and for the excellent welcome that they provided all day- a very classy cricket club indeed.
Also on Saturday, Dave Whiteley’s highflying second team entertained similarly highflying Formby at Winstanley Road. The visitors won the toss and chose to bat- a decision which look to be the correct one given the excellent batting wicket provided and very hot overhead conditions. The impressive Formby batting line up did not disappoint as they finished on 220-7 declared from 45 overs. The Orrell bowlers toiled admirably in difficult conditions- David Cheetham finishing with figures of 2-17, George Mushahwar 2-35, Dominic Hayes 1-54 and Gareth Houghton 1-64.
The top three in the Orrell batting line up got the innings off to a positive start- Jake Brown with 16, Whiteley with 32 and Hayes with 26. However, the hosts failed to kick on from this and at one stage it looked like the best that could be achieved would be a draw. Steve Unsworth (continuing his excellent recent form) and Terry Leaford had other ideas as they played the game situation perfectly. When Unsworth was out for 54, Leaford continued the Orrell victory charge and he brought up a two-wicket victory with a six with two balls of the game left to finish on an unbeaten 51. An excellent victory for Whiteley’s team against high quality opponents.
Meanwhile, the remaining Saturday action saw Alan Moore’s Third team make the trip over to the Wirral to play Merseyside Sports and Cultural CC First Team. Looking to build on last week’s first win of the season, Moore won the toss and elected to bat. His batting line up let him down (a common problem all season so far for this young team) as they were bowled out for only 90 in in 28.3 overs. The captain top scoring with 27 and Ian Davies (19) making the only other significant contribution. Orrell were left to rue the lack of first-innings runs as the hosts lost seven wickets in chasing down the total in only 20.4 overs. James Leyland was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3-19, James Edgington (2-10) George Berry (1-19) and Arthur Moore (1-26).
On Sunday, Mark Crumpton’s fourth team made the trip to Liverpool to play Alder CC. Crumpton won the toss and elected to bowl first. The hosts made 186-8 declared from 45 overs. Arthur Moore (3-34) and Terry Leaford (2-33) the best of the Orrell bowlers. Logan Pallett (1-19) and James Edgington (1-22) also took wickets. Crumpton (45) played a captain’s knock to get the Orrell reply off to a good start. Youngsters Oliver Mahoney (22) and Logan Pallett (23) kept the momentum going. Leaford then entered the stage and continued his fine batting form from the previous day scoring 52 from only 22 balls. When Leaford was out with victory not quite assured, Dave Whiteley with an unbeaten 17 provided a safe pair of hands to see Orrell to a 2 wicket victory.
Also on Sunday, Matthew Hayes’s Fourth team (under the stand in captaincy of David Cheetham) welcomed Southport Trinity CC to Winstanley Road. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat. They racked up 197 all out in 42.3 overs. Cheetham was the best of the bowlers with 4-33 and other wicket takers were David Haslam (2-31) Alan Moore (2-41) and David Naylor (having a rare day off from wicketkeeping) 2-9. Orrell were bowled out for 129 in 38.3 overs with only Gregg Macdonald (26) and under 15 James Such making significant contributions. Such top scoring with 33 for his highest ever senior score.
Last Thursday night, Sam Heeley’s T20 team played the second of their games in the local competition away at Astley and Tyldesley Cricket Club and it was another nailbiter. The hosts made 110 all out in 18.3 overs. Tom Jones with 2-17, Heeley 2-17, Duvindu Tillakaratne 2-11, Ben Mahoney 2-15 and Charlie Abbott 2-8. In reply, Orrell crept to a one wicket victory with two balls to spare thanks to knocks from Richard Everett (29) and Matthew Hayes (28).
The club would also like to congratulate Matthew Wareing, Luke Unsworth, Matthew Hayes, Ben Mahoney and Dominic Hayes who were part of the victorious Wigan Junior League Under 18’s team who beat their Bolton League counterparts at Westhoughton Cricket Club on Sunday.