Local Cricket Scene with ANDREW STRATTON

IRBY scraped to victory in the Bromborough Paints Merseyside Competition, thanks to a late rally against Rainhill in a low scoring affair.

Neil Parkinson's figures of 4-13 helped dismiss Rainhill for 56. But at 20-7, Irby had to rely on late order batsmen Ed Saunders and Andy Whalley to produce a match winning eighth wicket partnership of 34. Irby won on 57-8.

St Asaph stayed top of the table despite a shock defeat at Buckley.

Caldy, in third place, made some ground, but were denied by the last Sutton pair and had to settle for 12 points. Stu Royden was man of the match with 54, his first half century, and a 4-48 haul. Byron Cooper was out one short of his half century.

Port Sunlight lost at Ainsdale by seven wickets.

In Division Two, leaders Parkonians got out of jail in a local derby at Tranmere Vics. Mike Parkinson, with 4-22, helped to dismiss Vics for 120 and then, batting at number 11, his 26 not out won the day after his side were on 80-9. Ian Jones was his last wicket partner.

It was a big day for Birkenhead St Mary's, who grabbed their first win by three wickets over Mersey Park. Steve Shelley had 5-42 and John Ford scored 65. Mike Walker was 46 not out for Park.

Eastham Bromborough hit St Mary's College after being asked to bat and eventually won by 99 runs. Ian Corner was a key man with 49 and 5-23, but Mark Griffiths, 45, and Richie Davies, 52 not out, also did well.

Leighton McKibbin made 54 for Wirral in a draw at Xaverians. Phil Moore took 4-36 for Parkfield, who just held on against second placed Wrexham.

Scores included:-

Division One: Ainsdale 100-3, Port Sunlight 99; Caldy 157-7 declared, Sutton 141-9; Irby 57-8, Rainhill 56.

Division Two: Birkenhead St Mary's 107-7, Mersey Park 106; Eastham Bromborough 174-3 declared, St Mary's College 75; Parkonians 121-9, Tranmere Vics 120; Xaverians 161-9 declared, Wirral 131-6; Parkfield 132-9, Wrexham 164.

Competition fixtures on Saturday include:-

Division One: Port Sunlight v Runcorn; Prescot Odyssey v Irby; Prestatyn v Caldy.

Division Two: Nalgo v Parkonians; Mersey Park v Parkfield; Tranmere Vics v Eastham Bromborough; Wirral v Birkenhead St Mary's.

Port Sunlight have an away match in the area final of the National Village Cup on Sunday.

Caldy gained an excellent win over St Asaph to book a quarter-final at Irby in the Lever Cup. Byron Cooper, 41, and Chris Ruddock, 34 not out, took Caldy to 129-4 with an over to spare after the Welsh side was restricted to 125-8.

Merseyside, 107-8, lost to the Liverpool Competition, 189-9, in the first round of the President's Trophy, on Sunday. Phil McDonald managed 25 for Merseyside and best for the winners were Mike Hughes, 69, and Neil Cross, 3-24.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.