Liverpool suffer first defeat

ON a day when none of the leading sides in the Liverpool Competition’s three divisions won their matches, Liverpool’s lead at the top of the third tier was cut to 14 points when they suffered their first defeat of the season.

All was going to plan for Matt Jackson’s side in the first half of the game, during which Jared Clein’s 4-29 and Peter Kelly’s 3-26 had dismissed Northop Hall for 119 in 40.1 overs.

However, James Hurlin hit back for the Welsh side by taking 5-32 and Josh Andrady’s 3-12 helped polish off Liverpool’s innings for 69 in 38 overs.

Spring View were the main beneficiaries of Liverpool’s slip-up when they defeated Maghull by three wickets in what was already a vital game between promotion contenders.

Amar Ullah took 6-71 and Jonny Broad 4-48 in Maghull’s 157, of which Liam Crilly made 62. Dale Tolen’s 45 was the largest contribution to what was a hard-worked victory for Spring View.

Wavertree’s 40-run defeat of Prescot & Odyssey kept them well in the hunt for a top two spot but Josh Birch’s side did not have things all their own way at Burrows Lane. It might have seemed that way at the halfway stage, though, after Birch’s 118 and Darren Collin’s 100 not out had enabled a declaration on 233-1 after only 32 overs.

But Shaun Haigh’s 70 and Ken Highdale’s 63 saw P&O reach 120-1 before they lost their last nine wickets for 73 runs, Highdale being ninth out near the end of his side’s brave pursuit.

Another fine innings by Old Xaverians’ Ian Carroll paved the way for his team’s 79-run defeat of Caldy. Carroll made 139 not out in his side’s 243-6 declared and then left it to Josh Dilworth (4-35) to do the heaviest lifting as Caldy were dismissed for 164.

St Helens Town’s very slim chances of joining the hunt for promotion in earnest suffered a blow when they lost to Southport Trinity by seven wickets. Hayden McCrae’s 76 not out and Bobby Eyes 50 not out in a 119-run stand saw their side home after James Davies had made 73 in his team’s 169-8 declared in 59.5 overs.