v Maghull 3rd ( away )
8th Sept 2007
This was the clash of the titans and winning the toss, skipper Mike Hagan decided to bat and put the title aspirations of the 3rd team to the test.
Steady bowling from Declan Devine with 2 for 26 off 15 overs restricted the batsmen.
Joey Dunne had done all the hard work in getting to double figures as an opener but threw it all away with a very lax run-out.
Joey Walters showed a blossoming talent, looking very comfortable batting at number 3 and making 13.
Dr. Vinay was the star batter achieving 24, and at 70 for 2 wickets, the 4ths were coasting.
But they reckoned without Jimmy Munn who always excels in the inter Club games. This was no different and later batsmen had no patience to stem some accurate bowling leaving Jimmy with a 6 for 20 haul off 10 overs including 4 bowled.
Defiance was shown for the last wicket which put on 15 runs before Vic Tuffley, who obviously had a very easy holiday, found a second run far too taxing and was easily run-out, leaving Professor Forrest undefeated having faced 12 balls.
At 108 all out off 40.1 overs, this was not going to be enough against a team with league championship aspirations.
In reply for the 3rds, Jimmy Munn took an anchor role and runs were slowly accumulated.
Dr. Vinay was the pick of the bowlers with 1 for 13 off 10 overs. Mark Sepetowski chipped in with the prize wicket of Mark Jones. Otherwise Stuart Charles with 2 for 11 off 5 overs, looked like he bowled every week!
In all 8 bowlers were used so the skipper was pleased that everyone batted and all the bowlers bowled, Vic Tuffley being rested after that strenuous run-out.
In the end Mark Whelan had too much class, ending on 45 not out, while Mike Cummins senior on 18 not out showed flashes of what a fit Mike might achieve.
So the 3rds won by 6 wickets off 36.2 overs. The 4th team batting should have been capable of much more and like glorious colourful fireworks looked so good at times, but always fizzled out.
The big man in the sky found a new champion for his disdain, with 2 dropped catches and a duck, step forward 3rd team skipper Mark Jones!
Mike Hagan
v Northern 5th ( home )
1st Sept 2007
Maghull started with 5 debutants including one man who had not played formal cricket.
Losing the toss it was no surprise in being asked to bat.
The big man in the sky snarled at the skipper again, who was despatched to the pavilion with one of the balls of the day.
Rod Thornton strode the crease like Horatius guarding the bridge to the city of Rome and ended with a very defiant 9.
The under 13’s took over and confidence increased with each over. Andy Ferrie and Andy Gambol were the stars of this show scoring 14 and 11 respectively whilst Ollie Charles more than held his own with an untroubled 7 not out.
Maghull wriggled up to 67 all out from 40.4 overs, which was not going to be enough.
Northern had little difficulty in winning in just under 20 overs with the loss of one wicket.
Pick of the bowlers was Ollie Charles with 4 runs from 3 overs and it was good to see John Taylor getting the only wicket and ending with 1 for 16.
With 6 under 13 players, one under 15 and one man who had not played before this was always going to be tough. But we turned up and gave them a game and lads played who had only dreamt about senior cricket. It may look an icy tundra but I could see many green shoots about to burst forth next season.
Mike Hagan
V Caldy 3 (a)
25 th August 2007
This was a game between the combined might's of both Clubs 3 rd and 4 th XI's.
Maghull, having lost the toss, were invited to bat.
The wicket was difficult and the cloudy nature of the day did not help.
Jimmy Munn |
After a splendid partnership between Mark Jones 55 and Jimmy Munn 30, Maghull had reached 120 when the 3 rd wicket fell after 31 overs. Hoping to progress from there, it was quite a disappointment to see wickets fall at 122, 128, 137, 143, 143 and 143 leading to 9 down with only Joel Barlow with 16 and the ebullient Neil Dutton on 17 not out distinguishing themselves. |
.Maghull declared at 152 for 9 off 45 overs and hoped for a win.
A fine batting performance from the Caldy opener Dave Stewart ending on 67 not out, eased Caldy over the finishing line with one over left and 4 wickets.
But the figures mask a Jekyll and Hyde performance with our fine young prospect Adam Cummins taking 5 for 20 including a hat-trick in an outstanding first spell of bowling. In contrast we had Mark Sepetowski, who performed like an Irish navvie who had forgot to cut the string on his wellies, with his feet all over the place, bowling far too many no balls including an 11 ball over!
So in the end Maghull gifted the game to Caldy who batted under far better conditions.
The book says that Cady conceded 2 wides & no balls, whereas Maghull conceded 20, hence the gift of a game.
It was most disappointing that Caldy claimed insufficient cars to attend Maghull for the Maghull 3 rd team home fixture.
Our bowling performance figures are all approximates as I have not seen so poor a scorebook in many decades by a senior player.
Mike Hagan
V Liverpool IV
4 th Aug 2007
This match was approached with much trepidation as with player unavailability only 4 of my team had played more than 2 games for the 4 th xi this season.
Liverpool arrived on a considerable high after celebrating their 200 th anniversary last week and the great success of the Lancashire v Sussex game. They had a team full of seniors and were determined to do the business. Indeed, they disdained taking any drinks while fielding to save time and bowled 22 overs per hour!
But the big man in the sky decided to smile on Maghull and the skipper won the toss and put Liverpool into bat.
The Maghull bowling attack was no frightener and Liverpool coasted along declaring after 39 overs on 201 for 4 wickets. None of the bowlers merited much comment apart from Joel Barlow who took a wicket with his first ball and Conor O'Brien with a very presentable 4 runs off one over when Liverpool were in their penultimate over.
After the strong criticism from the skipper last week about not occupying the crease, it looked a tall order to try and bat over 60 overs.
In the end Maghull managed to bat 54.1 overs which was a great credit to all concerned especially as it contained 3 ducks!
Star man was Joel Barlow with an impressive 36. The skipper got it together better before becoming too cavalier, being caught at deep mid wicket for 29. Vic Tuffley returned to form with a more than useful 17 and that talented dinosaur Russ Ellis, having been prised from retirement, showed he was not extinct with a classy 18 runs following on 12 overs he had bowled.
It was a game that gave good hope for the future. It was great to see Russ Ellis back, Joel Barlow showed he has all the Barlow cricket genes, Rob Weston is settling back into the game with tidy performances with ball and bat, but it was our two youngsters who took the eye. Joe Dunne talked himself into the wicket keeper role only conceding 4 byes and taking one catch. This was followed by batting admirably at no.5 for 7 runs. Our debut boy this game was Conor O'Brien, who fielded excellently, bowled his one over very well and looks a great future prospect.
But let us not forget Liverpool who played the game in sporting fashion and whose enthusiasm contributed to a most enjoyable game.
Mike Hagan
28th July 2007
V Northern VI
LDCC
Hagan Tosses It Away
All good things come to an end and so it proved with the first loss of the toss this season. It was one of those days when the big man in the sky disdained the Maghull team and granted the opposing captain’s every wish!
Being invited to bat Maghull posted 106 from 25.1 overs. Michael Bell contributed a solid 32 while Adam Lloyd was determined to thrash his way to glory posting the best score of the day 35.
Too many players failed to occupy the crease and were afraid to go forward to the ball so causing 3 lbw decisions.
In reply Northern had a possible 64 overs but also batsmen determined to stay and let the score tick along.
Of the Maghull bowlers, James Gillin kept it tight with 1 for 10 off 7overs, Michael Bell retuned 0 for 6 off 7 overs and Rob Weston, on his return after 13 years, showed flashes of his old form returning 0 for 7 off 5 overs.
Pick of the bowlers were Dr. Vinay with 2 for 15 off 10 overs and the old fox Dave Forrest with a bamboozling 2 for 7 off 9.2 overs, including 7 maidens.
In the end Northern got home after 52.2 overs and the loss of 7 wickets.
So where did it all go wrong? Well another 20 overs at the crease for Maghull must have added 20 runs minimum and brought pressure on Northern who batted in total non-stress conditions.
And that “man” extras also made his mark adding 13 to the Maghull score but kindly donating 31 to the Northern score.
And of course there was always the big man in the sky over-seeing it all!
My only solace was that all my batters batted and all my bowlers bowled i.e. 8 bowlers compared to 3 used by Northern. 4th team captain’s job done….just a shame about the result!
Mike Hagan
