RIMMER HOPES TO GET HESKETH UP AND RUNNING FROM THE START……………!!!!


Fleetwood Hesketh cricket club embark on their third season in the ECB Premier Division of the Liverpool & District cricket competition this Saturday, with a trip to newly promoted St Helens Recs (12.30pm).

The club has seen a few major changes over the last few months both on and off the pitch, Jon Bowden has decided to stand down as captain, after leading the Kwik Cars sponsored club to their first ever Liverpool Competition trophy and his place has been filled by the prolific Neil Rimmer, who has been awarded the Premier league batsman of the season merit award for the past two seasons.

Neil has appointed former second skipper Paul Regan as his vice captain and the pair hope to build on the teams success of last season, off the pitch Ben Swift has also decided to stand down in his role as club secretary to concentrate on helping the junior section and his place has now been filled by the versatile Michael Pearce.

Ben has worked tirelessly behind the scenes over the past few years in his position as secretary, the club would like to thank him for the sterling work he’s done in getting the club into the strong position it’s in today and in particular his work along with Martin Sarbutts, in attaining the ECB Clubmark award for the club.

Three players of note have left the club, Craig Prince has decided to join the leagues most successful club Bootle, whilst Gary Wells has decided to take a year out of the game, whilst professional Rauf Akbar was not retained.

On a positive note, the club have signed 24 year old Jamaican all rounder Nikita Miller, the right handed batsman and slow left arm spinner is due at the club next week and his place in the team for this weekend will be filled by 34 year old all rounder Jonathan Fielding, who played one first class match for Lancashire back in 1994.

The club have also secured the services of Manchester based all rounder Mohammad Azam, who joins from Brooklands in the Cheshire County league and goes straight in to the team for Saturdays match.

On a sad note, opening bowler and budding rock musician Paul Mullen is out of action for foreseeable future, after rupturing ligaments in his leg playing football for Marshside Hesketh, all at the club wish him a speedy recovery.

First team to play St Helens Recs on Saturday is Neil Rimmer (capt), Paul Regan, Steve Rimmer, Jon Bowden, Mark Prince, Derek Sykes, Mike Bimpson, Andy Bate, Tommy Wareing jnr, Mohammad Azam and Jonathan Fielding all player are asked to meet at the club at 10.45am prompt.

The second team led by Danny Murphy are at home to New Brighton on Saturday (12.30pm), with Ryan Hughes’s third team away at Colwyn Bay on Sunday, please check club notice board for team selections.

Reports to follow from St Helens Recs

SUPERB FIELDING DISPLAY BACKED UP BY HESKETHS BOWLERS


Fleetwood Hesketh got their 2007 ECB Liverpool Competition Premier campaign off to the best possible start at St Helens Recs last Saturday, with a marauding 191 run demolition job, to give the Kwik Cars sponsored side a perfect 25 point start.

Neil Rimmer duly won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first on a hard sun drenched track, openers Jon Bowden and Derek Sykes strolled to the crease in a confident mood and after two overs the scoreboard read 19-0, after Bowden had cracked 14 runs from Adam Tatlocks opening over.

Shaun Anders then had Sykes caught at slip in the third over, bringing in new signing Mohammad Azam to the crease and with six scored off his first three deliveries things were looking good, until he made the fatal mistake in asking Bowden to run a quick two, which resulted in Bowden run out well short of his ground.

Azam obviously thought it was John Regis the former British sprinter at the other end, instead of the 41 year old former Fleetwood skipper, who was pretty annoyed to say the least at his dismissal.

Bowden’s departure must have been playing on Azams min, as he was caught off the very next ball leaving the visitors in trouble on 27-3 off 3 overs.

Sub professional Jonathan Fielding came to the crease to join Neil Rimmer and got off the mark with a six over the mid wicket boundary, the pair had added 57 runs when Rimmer (34) was dropped at point, his luck was ended though by the next delivery, when he spooned a simple catch to mid off with the score on 84-4 off 14 overs.

Brother Steve, then came and went and at 92-5, Fleetwood were in danger of folding their innings cheaply, Paul Regan joined Fielding and the pair had moved the score to 120, when Regan tried a late cut and was smartly caught behind.

Matty Cain making his first team debut was next into bat and when he fell on 132-7, Fielding at the other end was in danger of being stranded without a partner, however help was at hand in the form of keeper Mike Bimpson, who stayed around long enough for Fielding to open his shoulders and crack the ball to all parts of the Ruskin Park ground for a magnificent 95 ball century.

Bimpsons 45 minute stay at the crease and his 79 run partnership with Fielding, was to prove crucial, Fielding was eventually trapped Lbw for 138 (116 balls inc 11 x 6’s & 5 x 4’s) with the score on 246-9, Tommy Wareing jnr (6no) and Mark Prince (11no) then added more valuable runs, before the skipper called them in on 260-9 off 47 overs.

Shaun Anders was the pick of the bowlers with 4-88, with skipper Steve Garvey claiming 2-19.

In reply, St Helens Recs lived up to their last name, as they were wrecked by an inspired spell of bowling from debutant Mohammad Azam, who bowled 9 overs on the bounce to record superb figures of 5-11 and leave the home side reeling on 23-6 in the 15th over.

Worse was to come, as Mark Prince took two wickets for no runs in 8 deliveries, to leave Recs in deep trouble on 28-8, had it not been for some big hits from the lower order of Shaun Anders (16no) and Mark Malone St Helens would have struggled to score 50.

Fittingly the game was ended by man of the match Fielding, who wrapped up the innings by claiming two wickets in two balls to reduce to home side to a paltry 69 all out and give Neil Rimmer his first win in charge as captain.

The pick of Fleetwood’s attack was new signing Azam, who claimed 5-11 with his medium pace swing, backed up by two wickets apiece from Prince and Fielding and one from former skipper Steve Rimmer.

If Fleetwood ever have the pleasure of playing with Jonathan Fielding again, they must remember that he’s on a hat-trick the next time he steps up to the wicket and will surely be top of the clubs batting averages in 2007…………..!!!!

Danny Murphy’s second team also got off to a winning start at home to New Brighton, the visitors batted first and posted a more than useful total of 254-2 declared off 42 overs.

In reply, Fleetwood chased down their target to make 255-8 to win by two wickets, thanks to another century from Colin Bridgewood (106), with great support from Andy Grice (33) and a fine undefeated 32 by young Andrew Watts.

The first team welcome New Brighton to Sea Cop this Saturday (12.30pm), new signing Nikita Miller arrived in England yesterday and will go straight into the side to face New Brighton.

The seconds travel to Wigan on Saturday (12.30pm), whilst Ryan Hughes third team play host to Lytham on Sunday afternoon (1.45pm).

First team to meet at Sea Cop 11.30am prompt from….Neil Rimmer (capt), Paul Regan, Mike Bimpson (wk), Jon Bowden, Matty Cain, Colin Bridgewood, Steve Rimmer, Derek Sykes, Mohammad Azam, Mark Prince, Tommy Wareing jnr or Nikita Miller.

New Brighton report to follow

HESKETHS BATTING FAILURE ALLOWS RYDER TO RUN THE SHOW

Fleetwood Hesketh went into last Saturday’s home match, looking to make it two wins out of two, with victory over a new looking New Brighton side.

Fleetwood’s Jamaican Nikita Miller landed in time to make his debut at Sea Cop, as did New Brighton’s powerfully built New Zealand all rounder Jesse Ryder.



The visitors won the toss, elected to bat and were soon in trouble as Mohammad Azam and Neil Rimmer took a wicket each to reduce them to 30-2, Rimmer then chipped in with two further wickets to leave New Brighton reeling on 56-4, however instead of pressing home his obvious advantage over the opposition, he bizarrely chose to remove himself from the attack after taking figures of 3-5 off 5 overs.

Miller on the other hand, faced a tougher test after going for 14 in his opening over, he duly fought back by claiming three wickets in mid innings and with Steve Rimmer trapping John While in front the visitors were rocking on 119-8.

Only Jesse Ryder stood in Fleetwood’s way at the other end, the calm start to his innings came to an end once he was joined at the crease by Andrew Evans, the burly left hander who had already knocked Tommy Wareing out of the attack after just two overs, then set about the rest of the bowlers with an array of powerful stroke play that saw the ball fly like a rocket to all four corners of the ground.

Ryder had just passed his century, when he was tempted down the track by a flighted delivery from Miller, that gave Mike Bimpson the split second he needed to whip off the bails and send him on his way for a perfectly timed 105 (8 x 4’s & 5 x 6’s).

New Brighton’s skipper Tim Watkins then blasted a huge six and a four off Azam, before the same bowler removed him to end the innings with the score on 184.

Miller came back well after a nervy start to finish with 4-64, whilst Neil Rimmer ended with 3-19 from two differing spells.

Kwik Cars sponsored Fleetwood Hesketh’s reply got off to an amazing start, with Jon Bowden blasting 18 off Martyn Evans first over.

A phone call from Southport & Birkdales Tony Rimmer midway through the over had the massed ranks on the balcony in stitches, when he asked what the score was, he was told “ten for none off 3 balls”,” have you lost a wicket” he replied, “no but we’ve just lost a ball” was the reply he got, referring to Bowden’s huge six off the third ball of the innings that landed in nearby Freckleton Road.

Joking apart, Bowden’s assault on Evans and Ashraf Nawab, meant Evans was quickly replaced by Ryder and the pattern of the game duly changed, when his second ball kept a little low and clean bowled Bowden for 25.

Derek Sykes was joined by Azam and the pair scrapped 17 runs together, before Ryder had Sykes caught behind and followed it up with his next delivery, with the prize scalp of Neil Rimmer, with a carbon copy of Sykes dismissal to leave the home side on 47-3.

Miller then joined Azam at the wicket and the pair began to rebuild the innings with some deft shots and well timed singles, but once the pair’s partnership had reached fifty disaster then struck, as Nawab removed Azam for 22 to leave Fleetwood on 97-4.

Steve Rimmer scratched around for 9 and was next to fall with the score on 127-5 and having just passed his fifty Miller (52) then joined him back in the pavilion with the board reading 130-6.

Only eight more were added when Paul Regan fell, leaving Matty Cain and Mike Bimpson at the wicket with 47 runs needed, but with bags of time in which to get them.

The pair had added 21 without cause for alarm, when Tim Watkins called Ryder back into the attack, this masterstroke then turned the game on its head, as he trapped Cain (12) plumb in front.

Wareing (2) then helped Bimpson add a dozen more, before Ryder mopped up the innings with two wickets in three balls, with Bimpson last to fall for a very resilient 19.

Fleetwood’s failure to reach their 185 target, meant they lost out by 12 runs, but what will hurt most, is the fact that there were still over fifteen overs left to be bowled in the day.

Jesse Ryder capped of his man of the match performance with 6-18 off 9.5 overs, whilst Ashraf Nawab bowled unchanged at one end to claim 3-77 off 25 overs.



Fleetwood’s first team travel to newly promoted Hightown this Saturday (12.30pm) all players named below are asked to meet at the club at 10.45am prompt.

Neil Rimmer (capt), Paul Regan, Nikita Miller, Mohammad Azam, Jon Bowden, Mike Bimpson (wk) Steve Rimmer, Matty Cain, Mark Prince, Tommy Wareing jnr and Derek Sykes.

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Danny Murphy’s second team travelled to Wigan and came away with their tails well and truly between their legs, after going down by 9 wickets.

Batting first Fleetwood could only muster 70 runs between them, with Danny Card the only batsman to come out with any credit with 23 runs, Wigan then raced to their target for the loss of one wicket in just 14 overs.

They welcome Liverpool to Sea Cop this Saturday, with play due to start at 1.45pm

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Ryan Hughes’s third team lost their first match of the season by 3 wickets at Colwyn Bay, batting first they posted a useful 156 all out, with Danny Card carrying his bat to make 82, whilst in reply Colwyn reached their target for the loss of 7 wickets with Andrew Watts taking 3-42.

Formby are the visitors to Sea Cop on Sunday, with play due to start at 1.45pm.

More action

Sea Cop action

Fleetwood on the run chase

Fleetwood Hesketh fall 12 runs short

I see they've got that little chuuby feller opening the batting again

Fleetwood Hesketh may have two wins out of three in the ECB Liverpool Competition Premier League, but they’re batsman are doing it the hard way after last Saturdays nail biting one wicket win at Hightown.

Having won the toss, Neil Rimmers decision to insert the home side immediately paid off in the second over, as the skipper himself removed both Vosloo and Stoker to leave Hightown a mountain to climb on 1-2.

However, Gareth Glynne-Jones and Ian Sutcliffe dug in and rode their luck at times to push the score up to 67, before Mark Prince, who was the unluckiest of Fleetwood’s attack, clean bowled Sutcliffe and two runs later trapped Phil Whelan in front with the board reading 69-4.

Nikita Miller toiled away at one end, whilst Neil Rimmer shuffled his pack at the other, which allowed Tommy Wareing to nip out a couple and Steve Rimmer to finish off the job, taking three wickets in two overs to leave the home side all out for a below total of 132.

The pick of Kwik Cars sponsored Fleetwood Hesketh’s bowling attack, were Steve Rimmer 3-6, Neil Rimmer 3-21 and Mark Prince who kept going to grab 2-20 from 7 overs, including back to back wicket maidens.

In reply, Neil Rimmer decided to promote himself up the order to open with Jon Bowden and they got off to a solid start with 26 off the first four overs, before Bowden was trapped in front in the fifth.

Mohammad Azam then helped Rimmer add 51, before the skipper was next to fall on 77-2, his dismissal then triggered off a batting collapse that saw Phil Whelan take 3 quick wickets, to leave them perched on 82-5.

Steve Rimmer and Paul Regan dug in for what seemed like an age, before Rimmer was needlessly run out for 17 with the score on 104-6.

Whelan then removed Cain and Bimpson in the same over to leave the visitors in deep trouble on 108-8 and when Graham Jones removed the stubborn Regan, Fleetwood needed 16 to win, with the last pairing of Wareing jnr and Prince at the crease.

However when you have a number ten and eleven of the calibre of these two, who needs to panic as the pair duly knocked of the required runs in 3 overs, with Wareing cracking Whelan for two fours off consecutive balls to tie the match, then watching the next ball fly to the boundary for four byes to clinch the narrowest of victories.

A few of Fleetwood’s batsman will need to stand up and be counted in the coming weeks, as the last pair won’t always be able to clinch victory from the jaws of defeat.

The pick of Hightowns attack was undoubtedly Phil Whelan with 5-38, whilst Graham Jones’s spell of 1-5 off 8 overs kept the pressure on right until the very end.

This Saturday see’s Leigh visit Sea Cop, with the start time now moved to 1pm until mid August,whilst on Bank Holiday Monday they travel up the coast to Lytham.

For the third and fourth successive matches Fleetwood Hesketh’s team is Neil Rimmer (capt), Paul Regan, Nikita Miller, Mohammad Azam, Jon Bowden, Mike Bimpson (wk) Steve Rimmer, Matty Cain, Mark Prince, Tommy Wareing jnr and Derek Sykes, all players are asked to arrive no later than noon on Saturday and 10.30am on Monday.

Danny Murphy’s second team cruised to an emphatic 7 wicket win at home to Liverpool last weekend, the visitors were asked to bat first and declared on 200-8 off 45 overs, with Jon Tudor taking 4-37.

In reply, Fleetwood romped home in just 31.2 overs, with Neil Pike scoring a morale boosting undefeated 56, whilst Steve Williams also hit 56 and inform Danny Card stroked 53.

This Saturday they take to the road with a trip to Highfield, with a home fixture against Sefton Park on Monday (1.45pm).

The third team news has been slow coming in, so to bring them up to date we start with the home game against Lytham, where they posted a very respectable 233-3 declared, with Danny Card scoring a superb undefeated 109 and Daniel Atkinson making 65, as the pair opened up with a magnificent 145 run partnership.

In reply, Fleetwood’s bowlers couldn’t back their batsmen and Lytham ended on 104-5, with 29 extras.

Last Sunday, they crashed to a disappointing 106 run defeat at home to Formby, the visitors declared their innings on 226-9 from 45 overs, with Andrew Watts taking 4-25, in reply, Fleetwood were all out for 120 with only Mark Rimmer (31), Andrew Watts (27) and Danny Card (23) offering mush resistance with the bat.

Ryan Hughes’s side also take to road on Sunday as they travel to Highfield (1.45pm).

Fleetwood in the field