V Ainsdale
9th September 2007

A ghost from 5th team past returned to haunt his former team mates.

Ainsdale captain and opening batsman and opening bowler (and you thought I had too many jobs) Andy Barlow shocked himself into silence when he won the toss, and after much pondering elected to field. Coach Dutton was not too displeased with this result, and so Paul Walters and Mark Jones made their way to the middle. Both looked in good touch, especially Jones who was quick to punish anything on his legs. The stand was worth 70 when Jones perished, caught at cover off a leading. Mamma Mia, thought the watching audience. The 5ths were soon facing their Waterloo when Walters departed soon after, attempting a paddle sweep. Shaun Doobar was then run out soon after, following a mixup with Chris Barlow, and Joe Walters also perished playing across the line to the impressive Lucas. This brought the skipper to the crease, with the first goal of Staying Alive at the forefront of his mind. His partnership with Chris Barlow was not a long one, as Barlows The curtain on the 2007 season came down for the 5th team on Sunday, as a own unique interpretation of the words "Play Straight" saw him thundering down the wicket to Farrington, only to be done with the flight. Craig Parkinson then joined the fray, and a period of attrition set in, punctuated only by a thumping pull shot from Dutton that nearly killed his opposite number, and fine punch through the covers from Parkinson. Dutton survived an interesting lbw shout, before he too fell to Lucas, tickling a bottom edge through to the keeper. Billy Symes, making his seasonal debut, lasted only two balls before a rather inelegant swipe across the line ended his innings, Jay Hornby played a few nice shots before he too went for a moo across the line, Ally Pierce showed glimpses of his talent before he decided a stroll across his stumps was in order, and Parkinson was the last man out, stumped for 30 including a marvellous six over mid wicket. Liam Symes was the not out batsman on 2, a fine shot through the midwicket region disguising a very interesting method of taking his guard. Maghull were all out for 144, with 13 year old Lucas taking 5 wickets in his 18 over spell.

Maghulls bowling, while tidy, carried about as much threat as an ant with a pea shooter, and despite genuine endeavour from Messrs Walters Hornby Barlow and Dutton, wickets falling at regular intervals looked as likely as a Dutton round at the bar i.e. you could wait all night for it, but you really are just going to be disappointed. Joe Walters did pick up a wicket, another fine example of a batsman unwilling to play straight, but Liam Symes was the pick of the bowlers, with his four overs going for only ten runs, and on another day he might have snagged the key wicket of Barlow, but as it turned out the Ainsdale man for all seasons was the necessary anchor for his team, retiring unbeaten on 50. Ainsdale were eventually victorious by 8 wickets, giving Barlow his first victory over his former team at senior level.
N Dutton

V Huyton

26 th August 2007

When Huyton “surprisingly” failed to raise a side, Coach Dutton showed his ability to think on his feet by quickly organising a series of 40 over matches between teams made up of elements of the 5th team and several U13 players, with some parents also being given a chance to showcase their talent. 

Dutton took charge of one team, while 5th vice captain Shaun Doorbar took the reins for the second. 

The first match was a resounding victory for Team Shaun, with both the skipper and Gaz Barry dominating the batting. 

The second match was a thriller, going right down to the wire. 

With two balls remaining, team Shaun required 8 to win.  With Paul Walters bowling, Dutton was hopeful that his team would be able to square the series.  However, his hopes were dashed when Doorbar edged Walters through the vacant slip area for 4, and then a disastrous attempt at a run out led to over throws giving Shaun's team a 2-0 victory on the day.

On the whole, the day was a great success.  For once the weather was kind, and it allowed several youngsters (and oldsters) an opportunity to show what they can do, especially under the careful scrutiny of Coach Dutton.

Coach Dutton

V Caldy
12th August 2007

Easily the 5th team’s most consistent performer this season chipped in with yet another fine display on Sunday, with Caldy set to visit Parkhaven.
I speak of course of the weather.

With two hours until stumps, the ravages of the previous evening had done their duty, making the pitch and run ups totally unplayable. Thus, despite the sun cracking the proverbial flags, the Maghull skipper, “Coach” Dutton, had to make the embarrassing call that the game had been rained off.

Games are now running out for the 5ths, so the boys are hopeful the weather will have a rare off day next Sunday and allow the match against Southport and Birkdale to take place.

By Coach Dutton

Rainhill Heaps The Pressure on Dutton and His Boys

The sun shone brightly over Rainhill on Sunday, as it seemed that summer had finally begun.  But by 5.30pm , Maghull 5ths could have been forgiven for wishing for the return of rainy days, as the home side triumphed by 9 wickets.

The day started badly when Chris Barlow was called up to 2nd team duty an hour and a half before stumps, and got worse when Paul Walters followed suit with just 25 minutes left before play.  Youngsters Liam Symes and Ollie Charles, making his senior debut, were press ganged into service but were hopeful of a chance to acclimatise to their conditions as skipper Neil Dutton won the toss and elected to bat first, no doubt hopeful of advantage being taken of a quick outfield and an invitingly short boundary.

Joe Walters

Joe Walters, opening in the place of his elder brother, was back in the pavilion in the second over, bowled by a delivery that cut back from outside off.  His place at the crease was taken by vice captain Shaun Doorbar, who along with Mark Whelan got the innings off to something like a start, before he too had his castle knocked back after scoring ten.  Whelan perished soon after, the now all too familiar death rattle ending his innings on 27,

an innings peppered with several sumptuous cut shots.  The fall of Whelan brought Dutton to the crease, hopelessly out of form and looking for a long stay to steady his season.  It was not to be however, as the second ball he faced defeated his forward defensive and removed leg stump, albeit with a little help from the pads. 

Gareth Barry's excitable innings ended on just four, becoming the fifth man to have his stumps made a mess of.  Craig Parkinson looked in control as he progressed to 25, but his efforts ended when a well flighted delivery got the better off him, and the keeper took a tidy stumping.  Jay Hornby treated the crowd to a glorious cover drive before being superbly caught in the same area for 6, wicket keeper Ally Pierce was trapped in front of all three for naught, Symes was bowled the very next ball, and two balls into the next over Nick Pearson adventure ended when he swiped across a straight one, ending Maghulls innings on 102all out, Charles the unbeaten batsman on 0.  Rather sorry effort that, with only Whelan and Parkinson getting starts with very little help from elsewhere.

Capt. Dutton

In reply, Rainhills openers looked anxious to finish the game quickly, and were aided by Whelan's apparent no ball troubles.  Barry knocked back a leg stump to leave Rainhill on 27-1, but Heaps at the otherend progressed to 49not out, surviving Ollie Charles first over in senior cricket by fending off an out swinger, narrowly missing a shooter that somehow missed the stumps and by playing back the last ball of a very impressive opening over in the career of Charles.  Leaving his partner high and dry close to 50, the Rainhill batsman thumped a Joe Walters no ball for 6 to end the game emphatically, leaving Dutton to think back on what might have been.

Caldy provide the visitors to Parkhaven next Sunday, with the 5ths looking to end a winless run that goes back to May.  Dutton himself will be looking for more from his players, and a whole lot more from himself.