Anniversary Dinner

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Ormskirk Cricket Club 175th Anniversary Dinner.

16th October Briars Hall.

Details to be confirmed shortly

3RD XI MATCH REPORT – 200 PARTNERSHIP BRINGS ORMSKIRK WIN

3^RD XI MATCH REPORT – 200 PARTNERSHIP BRINGS ORMSKIRK WIN

Saturday saw an improvised 3^rd XI visit Sefton Park in the league. With a nightshift and a confusing junction on the M57 delaying the arrival of the Captain, Martin Pickett briefly stepped back into the role to win the toss and put Sefton into bat.

Sefton Park took advantage of a few early misfields and dropped catches, their openers quickly got off to a good start with their openers Walter’s and Jone’s putting on 100 runs for the first wicket. Despite hard working effort’s from Ormskirk’s bowling attack the breakthrough was long in coming before youngster’s Mike Dixon and Dan Bailee eventually began to get in amongst them. Dan Bailee bowled well again taking 3 wickets and Mike Dixon taking 1 wicket in his first over. Gary Taylor again looking tireless running in for 15 overs despite the heat taking 1 wicket. Sefton’s batsmen began to take the game by the scruff of the neck and with Andrew Foulder making an unbeaten ton, Sefton finished their innings looking good, finishing on a daunting 252 for 5 declared after 45 overs. Ormskirk would be hard pressed to convincingly chase down such a high total with limited batting and even more limited time it looked a big ask.

An entertaining tea interval was a welcome relief during which we were all taught the value of the long barrier and the finer points of fielding by Gary ‘I took a catch’ Taylor. With our batting resources looking as stretched as public sector spending, Martin Pickett and Owen Griffiths opened the batting. Pickett hitting six boundaries and again looking well set in the twenties before being bowled for 26. This was however to be Sefton’s only wicket in what was one of the most thrilling run chases seen for a while as Ashley Baldwin (having remembered this week to bring his son) joined Griffiths at the crease.

With Ormskirk now at 46 for 1 with what looked like only 30 overs left in the game it would have been easy to have just shut up shop. All credit to the two batsmen at the crease who remained positive after both getting themselves set they continued to keep up with the run rate and set a good pace. The partnership began to build steadily with Griffiths excellent running between the wickets and some big hitting from Baldwin.

As the last 20 overs approached the target was still 140 runs away and looked a big ask. It was not long however before both bats had brought there 50’s up and Ormskirk crept closer towards the Sefton total. A flurry of boundaries with 5 overs to go brought the target within close reach and both batsmen into the 90’s. With 2 overs to spare Baldwin brought up his well earned 100 with a boundary through the covers. Moments later Baldwin smashed a cover drive for 4 bringing Ormskirk the win.

Owen Griffiths ended on an unbeaten 95* and was unclucky not to make a ton in what was a very mature and brilliant innings for the 14 year old that included twelve 4’s. The 44 year old Baldwin played an equally first rate innings ending up with an unbeaten 104 that included fourteen 4’s and two 6’s. Credit to both batsmen who brought up a mammoth 207* partnership bringing Ormskirk a vital, and against the odds victory, that will be well remembered for a great partnership for a few years to come!

Ormskirk U13 v Tarlton U13.

Thursday 10th June 2010.

It was good to get back to winning ways again after a series of disappointing defeats in both the league and the two cup competitions. The National knock-out competition being particularly hard to take with a close defeat away at Widnes in the semi final.

Once again despite the calender telling us it was almost mid summer the thermometer told a different story with a chill wind and very average temperatures. Ormskirk won the toss and decided to bat on a flat green wicket. The two openers Matty Peterson and Sean Weston got off to a hesitant start with only 3 runs off the first over. However they soon got the bit between their teeth and began to score effectively with the score passing 50 by the 7th over. Tarlton with a much improved side began a fight back and pinned back the hosts with 8 good overs. By the 13th over Ormskirk had only added a further 25 runs. The very technically correct batting style of Peterson started to pay dividends as he grew in confidence and he began to place his shots through the gaps in the field with increasing poise. He was ably assisted by Weston who played the perfect second fiddle to Peterson until he was bowled for 44 by a a straight delivery that hit a small sod of earth carelessly left on the wicket surface by the batsman and stayed low. A tough lesson in the need for a bit of gardening once in a while even at this level. Charles Coldrick made a cameo appearance with an unbeaten 13 whilst Peterson carried his bat to the end of the 20 over innings exiting the field to a well deserved standing ovation from the small but select crowd with an unbeaten 62. Ormskirk finishing on129 for 1.

The visitors set about their target needing over 6.2 runs an over, they never really got going and by the 10th over they were 20 for 0. Sam Forrest, having bowled one previous over for 3 runs came in for his second and claimed the first wicket with his first ball a perfect out swinger which took the off stump cleanly. By the end of the over Forrest had claimed a second with a full length delivery that nipped up and hit the batsman clean on line with middle stump and the umpire had no hesitation once the injured batsman had recovered his composure of answering the question posed by the quick thinking wicket keeper "OUT"!

Tarleton ended on 56 with Sam Forrest bagging his third with an outstanding catch off his own bowling, (you don't drop those ones), he ended with excellent figures of 3 overs 3 wickets for 6 runs.

Another good solid performance and it was particularly good to see some of the less experienced under 13s getting a chance to take a full part in at least the bowling and fielding aspect of the game (thanks Matt!).

photo's taken during the game by Mike Treano to follow shortly

1st XI ENJOY LEAGUE AND CUP DOUBLE

The 1^st team enjoyed a successful weekend of cricket with two excellent victories. On Saturday the day got off to a bad start with traffic delaying our arrival at the ground by more than an hour. The whole team made it to Northop with 15 minutes to spare which obviously wasn’t the greatest preparation!

We lost the toss and after 14 overs things weren’t looking good with the Northop openers cruising to 60 without loss. Fortunately our bowling attack seems to have developed patience and a never say die attitude that could prove crucial in coming weeks. The Northop batting line up had there minds solely on survival and very rarely looked to score with Simon Kerrigan, Nicky Caunce and Gavin Griffiths all bowling extremely economically. Gavin and Nicky were rewarded for their perseverance with 4 wickets apiece. The bowlers deserve great credit for sticking to their task on an extremely flat wicket with Northop declaring their innings on 170-9 after 68.5 overs!

In reply the chase stuttered somewhat with Matty Glayzer, Andy Ford and Johnny Armstrong all being dismissed relatively cheaply (the latter two may feel themselves somewhat unfortunate to be given out LBW).

Simon Kerrigan (14) and Nicky Caunce (20) helped turn the game our way as we passed Northop’s total after just 35 overs. I ended unbeaten on 79 which was a big relief after a suffering from a poor start to the league season personally.

This gave us confidence going into the National KO fixture aginst Bradshaw. Despite one or two players feeling the strain after a certain fast bowler’s 21^st birthday party on Saturday night we played some good cricket throughout the day in a closely fought contest. Bating first on a lively pitch we plugged our way to 174-6 after 45 overs with Johnny A returning to good form with 53 and Ian Glayzer contributing once again with 31.

Bradshaw got off to a flying start with opener Johnson hitting Nicky for three big sixes in the opening overs. At 40-0 things looked bleak but once again Chris Smith provided the wicket to get us kick-started by removing the dangerous Johnson for 25.

Wickets fell regularly after that and Bradshaw were all out for 145. Nicky took 1-45, Gavin 2-20, Clewsy 2-26 and myself 2-25. Chris was the pick of the bowlers with 3-24.

Ormskirk 3rds v's Liverpool (a)