Written by Gary Hayes
ORRELL PUT IN A SPIN
Leigh captain Karl Brown-the ex-Lancashire County championship winner-won the toss and elected to field on a sunny day. The visitors opened the bowling with Brown himself at the Winstanley College end and current Derbyshire County cricketer Matthew McKiernan opening with his leg spin from the Winstanley Road end. As befits two players of such a high pedigree, the bowling was impressive and constantly probed at the technique of the Orrell batters Ammer Mirza and Andy Baybutt. Brown causing problems with his accurate medium pace in swingers on a nagging length and McKiernan finding significant turn on what looked to be a slower than usual Orrell wicket. Indeed, Orrell had had a couple of early let offs as to as two relatively easy chances created by McKiernan were dropped at first slip.
With the score on seven, Baybutt was the first to be dismissed when he was clean bowled by Brown. The situation immediately became even worse for Orrell when incoming batter Richard Everett shouldered arms to his first ball faced and saw his off stump come out of the ground. With the score 7-2, a rebuilding job was required and the incoming batter Heeley looked to have a game plan for how to negate the different problems being posed by both opening bowlers. Mirza however continued to find batting difficult in particular against the legspin of the first class cricketer McKiernan. Mirza’s luck eventually ran out when he was caught in the slips to make the score 21-3. Heeley immediately looked to be playing a different game to the rest of the Orrell batters so far as he used his crease and foot movement to counter the bowling of the visitors. When Tom Jones was caught behind off McKiernan to make the score 40-4, Heeley desperately needed a batting partner to stick around with him. The incoming batter Chris Riley seemed to be just the person for the job and a fifth wicket partnership of substance developed as both batters employed different strategies that were equally as effective. With the score on 88, the partnership was broken unfortunately when Heeley (44) was adjudged leg before wicket to a ball that many observers in a position to make such a judgement felt had pitched outside leg stump. It was then incumbent on Riley to work with the lower order to try and get Orrell to a credible score that would give them something to bowl at. Unfortunately, Riley was not being provided with the support from the rest of the Orrell batting line up that he would have hoped for and he was eventually out for 39 when he got a leading edge to a ball he was trying to work through the leg side and was caught at deepish mid on. Orrell were eventually bowled out for 122 in 54.1 overs with only Dominic Hayes of the lower order hanging about for a significant amount of time.
It was always going to be difficult for Orrell to achieve the victory with such a low total to defend but there is always hope when there is such a good bowler as Duvindu Tillakaratne to call upon. Leigh’s Sam Dorsey however had a freedom to go after the Orrell bowling with such a low total to chase and he unleashed a number of large fours and sixes as he went into T20 mode. Orrell were also not helping themselves as a routine chance to dismiss the other Leigh opening batter Tom Grundy was spilt at mid-wicket off the bowling of Tom Jones. Grundy was eventually dismissed with the score on 60 caught at first slip by Richard Everett off the bowling of Tillakaratne. This brought McKiernan to the crease as Orrell looked to make inroads into their batting. Unfortunately, a few difficult catches (but of the type you would expect to see taken at first team Premier League level) were dropped. If they had been taken, then both Dorsey and McKiernan would have been dismissed to leave Leigh with a small but potentially tricky run chase. Dorsey was eventually dismissed caught by Tom Jones off the bowling of Heeley for 60 from only 46 balls including five fours and five sixes. McKiernan was joined at the crease by Brown who was dismissed cheaply courtesy of a stunning catch by wicket-keeper David Naylor stood up at the stumps off the bowling of Heeley to leave the score 83-3. Immediately after this there was a controversial moment when McKiernan was adjudged not out from direct hit from Dominic Hayes at mid-off when many observers felt he was out of his ground taking a quick single. Unfortunately, the umpire was not in a position to have a clear view of the situation and the decision went against Orrell. Despite Tillakaratne taking the wicket of Lancashire second team player Matthew Hurst to make the score 110-4, Leigh reached their victory target with six wickets in hand from 33.3 overs. Heeley finishing with figures of 2-42 and Tillakaratne with figures of 2-59.
A disappointing defeat for Heeley’s team against an albeit very strong and impressive Leigh team. Whilst key decisions did not go in Orrell’s favour that could have impacted on the game’s outcome, they will know that the batting effort in the first innings was inadequate for this level of cricket and that Leigh were deserved victors on the balance of play.
Also on Saturday, Dave Whiteley’s second team made the trip to Sefton Park whose form has been on an upward curve in recent weeks as they have moved out of the relegation zone. Whiteley’s team included two debutants in Emily James and Ileana Pallett- a great achievement for both girls to play second team Premier league cricket at such a young age and something that they should be very proud of. The home team made 171 all out in 44.1 overs. Gareth Houghton (4-52) Terry Leaford (3-23) and David Cheetham (1-13) were the wicket takers. In reply, after a good start from openers Whiteley (14) and Cheetham (32 from only 21 balls) Orrell found themselves 56-4 and in trouble. A fifth wicket partnership between Steve Unsworth and Alfie Clarke got the Orrell innings back on track and they looked to be taking Orrell to victory. This was until Clarke was dismissed for 17 to leave the score 130-5. Unsworth was in fine form and continued on his big hitting way but unfortunately, he was not provided with the support required from the Orrell lower order. Orrell were eventually agonisingly bowled out for 166 in only 31.4 overs (far short of the overs left in the day) with Unsworth left stranded on 80 not out from only 60 balls including 10 fours and three sixes. This was an exciting game played in a great spirit with positives for Whiteley to take out of it. However, he will also know that it is a game they should have won in order arrest their recent run of defeats after such a great season until that point. He will hope to have greater availability from key players for the remainder of the season in order to finish the season on a positive note.
Also on Saturday, Alan Moore’s young third team welcomed Merseyside Sports and Cultural Club to their temporary home base of Haydock Cricket club. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat. They made a quickfire 177 all out in only 34.1 overs. Oliver Lynn finished with figures of 5-96 from 17.1 overs, James Leyland with 1-32 six overs and the captain himself with 4-44 from 11 overs. With the visitors not using some of their allocation of overs, Moore’s team knew that they had the best part of 55 overs in which to chase down the total. Disappointingly, they did not show the application required and were bowled out for 101 in only 37.2 overs. 14-year-old Logan Pallett was the positive to come out of the innings batting at five with 29 runs as he batted with great maturity and assurance.
Moore’s team took the field again on Sunday as they visited Liverpool CC in a rearranged game. Batting first, Moore’s young team were bowled out for an insufficient 79 in only 22 overs. David Cheetham (20) Oliver Mahoney (14) Ian Davies (11) and James Leyland (15 not out) were the only Orrell batters into double figures. The home team cruised to an eight wicket victory in only 11.3 overs. Oliver Mahoney (1-10) and the captain himself (1-18) were the only wicket takers. This weekend of defeats keeps Moore’s team perilously close to the relegation zone as we come into the closing stages of the season. It would be a real shame if the club was to relinquish its place in the Premier league of the Saturday third team structure after promotion was going so stylishly in 2019 by a far more experienced team. However, the team that Moore has been able to field this season is far removed from the one which gained promotion due to retirement and upward movement into higher teams due to issues such as sabbaticals and unavailability as well as player progression.
On Sunday, Mark Crumpton’s fourth team welcomed Newton Le Willows CC to Winstanley Road for a rearranged game. Batting first, the visitors made 206-6 declared from their 45 overs. David Haslam finished with figures of 3-48, Tom Such 1-17, Harrison Hurst 1-38 and Tom Wilkinson 1-41. In reply, Orrell finished on 160-9 to secure a draw. Verity Haslam showed immense bravery and concentration to see out the final 6 balls of the game with the Newton fielders surrounding the bat. The captain himself with 30, Garry Wilkinson with 46 and Terry Leaford with a quickfire 35 making significant contributions to the Orrell total.