Written by Gary Hayes
WET WEEKEND DRAWS TO A CLOSE FOR ORRELL
It was a weekend of weather affected draws for Orrell senior teams.
On Saturday, Sam Heeley’s first team began the second half of the season with a trip to Rainhill. Having won the toss and elected to bat, Orrell saw opening batters Ammer Mirza and Andy Baybutt get the innings off to a good start before Baybutt was dismissed for 20 to leave the score 40-1. Mirza then found good support from Richard Everett as the Orrell progress continued. Mirza was eventually out (unluckily caught down the leg side off a glove) for 44- a welcome return to form for such a quality batsman. Everett and Heeley then took the score past one hundred as Orrell looked to build a formidable total. However, the innings became becalmed in the middle overs through a combination of accurate Rainhill bowling and the slow outfield. When Everett was eventually out for 38 to make the score 137-3, it was time for Tom Jones to provide some impetus to the innings. He looked to be doing this before a mixup saw him run out to leave the score 157-4. Heeley eventually departed for 39 to make the score 166-6 and although there were useful cameos from other batters, the Orrell innings went on past the usual 55 over mark. Heeley eventually declared on 187-7 from 62 overs during the tea break.
Orrell’s bowlers made an impressive start to the Rainhill reply and when Duvindu Tillakaratne had James Clarke stumped by David Naylor to leave the score 2-1, it meant that the key Rainhill batting partnership of Sam Kershaw and Tyler McGladdery were at the crease. An intriguing, albeit brief, passage of play then ensued between bat and ball before the players had to leave the field because of heavy rain. Unfortunately, the rain continued for more than an hour and the game was abandoned at this point. A real shame as a game was set up perfectly for an exciting end.
Also on Saturday, Dave Whiteley’s second team began their second half of the season by welcoming Liverpool CC to Winstanley Road. Having won the toss and elected to bat, Orrell found themselves in trouble at first 18-2 and then 67-5. This was not helped by the skipper top edging a ball onto his forehead and having to go to A&E for treatment. The Orrell innings recovered impressively well mainly due to Ben Mahoney who made an unbeaten 73 and displayed maturity far beyond his years. He was ably assisted by David Cheetham (26) and George Mushahwar (27). Whiteley eventually declared on 178-8 from 44 overs.
In reply, after contributions from all of the Liverpool top order, the games looked set up for an exciting finish as Orrell tried to take the wickets required and the visitors looked to chase down the victory total. With 10 overs left, it looked like all possible results still on the table. A flurry of Orrell wickets (one of which saw an outstanding over the head catch at mid-on by Gareth Houghton) saw the visitors turn their attentions more to salvaging a draw. With the visitors eight wickets down, try as they might, Orrell eventually ran out of time and the game finished a draw with Liverpool on 125-8. Wickets were shared around between all the bowlers. Phil Taberner took 1-24, Houghton 2-26, Alfie Clarke 3-37, Mushahwar 1-21 and Cheetham 1-5.
On Saturday also, Alan Moore’s third team welcomed Ormskirk thirds to their temporary home of Haydock CC. Ormskirk were bowled out for 100 in 38 overs. Oliver Mahoney excelling with 4-11 from six overs. There were two wickets for Oliver Lynn and one wicket each for James Leyland, Alan Moore and Joe Whiteley. In reply, the game looked set for an exciting finish with Orrell 56-4 until heavy rain saw the game abandoned.
On Sunday, there was one game with Mark Crumpton’s fourth team welcoming neighbours Spring View to Winstanley Road. Spring View batted first and, after a measured start, made 193-5 in 45 overs. Orrell’s fielding was once again a cause for concern and is something that does need addressing if they are to be competitive on a consistent basis. George Mushahwar took 2-25, James Leyland 1-22, Logan Pallett 1-31 and James Such 1-29.
In reply, found themselves in trouble at 21-3. Dominic Hayes then looked to be steadying the ship before a mixup saw him run out on 28. All hopes then shifted to Matthew Hayes when he came in to bat at number seven but when Orrell were 80-8, a Spring View victory looked to be a formality. However, Hayes and under 13 Harrison Hurst performed a great rearguard action interlaced with some easy on the eye shots. Hurst was unfortunate to be out for an impressive 21 when the ball hit his pads went over his head and trickled onto the stumps. There were still more than three overs of the days play left when James Such joined Hayes at the crease and showed an excellent defensive technique under pressure. The game eventually finishing a draw with Orrell on 152-9 from 48 overs. Hayes bringing up an unbeaten half-century (51 not out) in the process of saving the match as he showed maturity beyond his years in supporting his younger colleagues and farming the strike.
On the T20 front, Sam Heeley’s team made a visit to Leigh last Thursday having already qualified for the Wigan finals day and this was reflected in their complacent performance. The hosts batted first and made 154-7 in their 20 overs assisted by some substandard Orrell fielding. Duvindu Tillakratne was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2-13 from his four overs. Dominic Hayes finished with figures of 1-25, Alfie Clarke 1-29, Tom Jones 2-36 and Ben Mahoney 1-45. In reply, Orrell never seriously challenged the victory total with only Matthew Hayes (28) posing any sort of threat from the Orrell top order. Tillakaratne (15 not out) and Dominic Hayes (11 not out) bringing some respectability to the score later on.
The evening after, Heeley’s T20 team welcomed Northern CC to Winstanley Road in their ECB T20 quarter final tie. The visitors showed their class as they expertly paced their innings to finish on 138-6 from their 20 overs. Duvindu Tillakaratne finishing with figures of 3-10 from his three overs, Tom Jones 1-27, Dominic Hayes 1-26, Heeley 1-31 and Cameron Sharp 1-10. The Orrell reply got off to the worst possible start as they found themselves in deep trouble at 3-2. Orrell never really recovered from the setback and were all out for 94 in 18.3 overs. Andy Baybutt top scoring with 35 whilst Matthew Hayes (13) and Jones (21) were the only others to reach double figures.