Report from Peter Rogan

Programme notes indicated that if either side was to maintain a realistic chance of ending the seasons as Premier League Champions a win in this game was vital. Neither side could be content with a draw, as had been the case when they met earlier in the season. A win was the only option for both teams to keep up the pressure on rivals Northern and Leigh.

Matt Glayzer, the Ormskirk skipper, and Andy Baybutt were both unavailable for the game and so Jonny Glayzer was drafted in to take his brother’s place and Gavin Griffiths returned from county duty with Hampshire to fill the gap left due to the absence of Baybutt. Nicky Caunce assumed the captaincy and was successful in his first task of the day by winning the toss and electing to bat.



Michael Jones and Ian Robinson opened the batting against the bowling of Tym Crawford and Graham Bolton and it was not long before Bolton claimed the wicket of Robinson (0) who flashed at a ball best left alone to be found himself caught behind the wicket by James Seward. With the score on 2-1 Josh Bohannon came in to join Michael Jones.



They looked comfortable against the opening bowlers and so Formby skipper Ian Cockbain switched tactics and brought on spin bowlers Gary Keedy and Stephen Parry. With both Keedy and Parry having extensive experience at county level the batsmen knew that they would have to be at their best to deal with them. They did well and put on 78 runs before Jones (29) became Keedy’s first victim when he nicked one into the slips, offering a chance to Ian Cockbain which he eagerly accepted.

The score had reached 125 - 5 when Bohannon (73), then partnered by Owen Griffiths, lost his wicket attempting a big hit only to be caught by Crawford. The loss of his wicket was a huge blow and it looked unlikely that Ormskirk would run up a score of 220 which was the original aim.

Scott Lees(16) joined Griffiths and, after hitting two handsome 4s became, Parry’s first victim and Ormkirk’s sixth casualty.

With the score now on 144 - 7 Gavin Griffiths came in to join his brother Owen and try to push the score along towards the 200 mark. That was not to be as with only 6 more runs added Owen(10) saw himself walking back to the Pavilion, bringing in Nicky Caunce, to make a partnership yielding 29 valuable runs. It was broken when Griffiths (21) was caught stranded outside the crease to be stumped by Seward off the bowling of Keedy.

The eighth wicket partnership of Caunce and Tom Hartley came to an end when Caunce (11) attempted to take Parry on with a hit to the boundary but completely misjudged the flight of the ball only find himself looking back over his shoulder and seeing his stumps uprooted. It was now 187 - 9 in the 60th over and the innings was declared.

Keedy and Parry had provided a very stern test for the Ormskirk batsmen and had come out on top with impressive bowling figures. It was now a question if the Ormskirk bowlers could emulate them.

In their reply, Formby openers Tim Le Breton and James Seward In their reply, Formby openers Tim Le Breton and James Seward took the score to 43 before the first wicket fell. Seward had offered an early very difficult chance of a catch that wasn’t taken but Jamie Barnes made no mistake in taking a catch off Le Breton (18) off the bowling of the irrepressible Josh Bohannon. The loss of that wicket brought in Dane Williams to join Seward.

The bowlers were bowling well but without any luck. Several confident appeals for lbw decisions were turned down and the ball constantly beat the bat without the reward of wickets.

The second wicket fell with the score on 88 when Tom Hartley produced a beautiful delivery to bowl Williams (24), bringing in Stephen Parry to join Seward.

The bowlers toiled away without any further success and Seward (88*) and Parry(50*) cruised along to reach the winning target with 10 overs to spare.

The loss of the game was a huge blow towards any championship ambitions, especially as Norhern, the main threat at the top of the league, won to take themselves 46 points ahead of Ormskirk.



Match officials: umpires Chris Dunn and Dave Laybourne, scorers Mike Dixon and Kim Mile.

Match result: Formby won by 8 wickets.