All four Maghull sides were in action this weekend.
The 1st XI claimed their fifth win in six matches on Saturday as they beat high-flying Colwyn Bay at Hall Lane.
Middle Order Rescues Maghull
After Colwyn Bay chose to field first, Maghull lost both openers and No. 3 Cam Lawrenson with just 51 runs on the board. Two more wickets followed soon after, leaving the home side in trouble at 65-5.
Anthony Molloy and Shaun Hornby then turned the innings around with a superb 79-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Molloy struck 59 from 66 balls to record his third half-century of the season, while Hornby compiled an unbeaten 54 from 83 deliveries to register his maiden 1st XI fifty.
Molloy departed with the score on 144, before Niall Noble fell without a run being added. Zack Benton and debutant Tadhg Bell each contributed one run as they supported Hornby, who remained unbeaten when captain Macauley Lawrenson declared on 185-9.
Bowlers Combine to Seal Victory
Maghull’s bowlers quickly took control of Colwyn Bay’s reply. Zack Benton removed openers Jack Parry (10) and Zane Roy (13), before dismissing No. 3 Sam Roberts without scoring.
Anthony Molloy then joined the wicket-taking, with Paul McKenna holding the catch behind the stumps to remove Shashika Dulshan for a duck. Molloy continued to pile on the pressure by dismissing Ross Hudson, Will Spillane and Thomas Omelia for a combined four runs.
Colwyn Bay captain Will Higginson and Jamie Moorhouse fought back with a determined eighth-wicket partnership that briefly revived the chase. Cam Lawrenson ended the resistance by trapping Moorhouse lbw for 29 before dismissing Sion Hellen for a duck.
Lawrenson wrapped up the victory when Matt Bean caught Higginson at long-off, leaving Colwyn Bay all out 46 runs short of Maghull’s total.
The victory lifts Maghull into fifth place in the First Division ahead of another crucial fixture this Saturday, when they travel to league leaders Southport & Birkdale.
Gibbons and King Lead the Way as 2nd XI Win
The 2nd XI ended a four-match winless run with an emphatic victory over Ainsdale, thanks to a captain’s century and a superb bowling display.
After Ainsdale elected to field first, Maghull piled on 211-6 from their 45 overs. Captain Liam Gibbons led from the front with a magnificent unbeaten 111 from just 86 balls. This was the skipper’s maiden 2nd XI century.
Gibbons shared an 80-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Adam Lloyd, who made 35. Opener Phil Ivens added 22 to give the visitors a commanding total.
Ainsdale never threatened the target as Maghull’s bowlers dominated from the outset. Chris King produced his best performance of the season. The right-armer took 6-36 as the home side collapsed to 78 all out in 26 overs.
James Stanley claimed 2-16, while Lewis McDonald and Dan Denholm chipped in with a wicket apiece to complete a convincing 133-run victory.
The win keeps Maghull in 10th place in the First Division. But it closes the gap on ninth-placed Old Xaverians following the weekend’s results. Gibbons’ side return to Hall Lane this Saturday to face sixth-placed Highfield.
Another Win for the 3rd XI
Gareth Lloyd’s 3rd XI secured a third consecutive victory on Saturday. They beat Wavertree 4th XI by eight wickets at Liverpool College.
After Wavertree elected to bat first, Maghull’s bowlers dominated the innings. They dismissed the home side for 107. Harry Mawdsley starred with the ball, taking 6-51 to claim his maiden senior five-wicket haul.
Maghull chased down their target of 108 inside 24 overs, losing just two wickets along the way. Nadeem Wahid anchored the innings with an unbeaten 57 from 55 balls. Will Noble also contributed an elegant 28 to steer the visitors to victory.
The win lifts the 3rd XI to fifth place in the First Division and keeps them firmly in the race for one of the two promotion spots. They have no fixture this weekend but return to action on 15 August when they take on Northop Hall.
4th XI Lose to St Helens Town
The 4th XI suffered a 46-run defeat on Sunday as St Helens Town claimed victory on home soil.
After winning the toss and batting first, St Helens Town posted 200 before Maghull’s bowlers dismissed them. Tadhg Bell and Deb Bowden each took three wickets. Lucas Crookham also celebrated his senior debut by claiming his first senior wicket.
Maghull’s reply started positively. Captain Neil Dutton led the way with 66 from 73 balls, and Owen Quilliam recorded his highest senior score with a determined 33. The pair added 76 for the second wicket to keep the chase on track.
However, St Helens Town wrestled back control by taking Maghull’s final eight wickets for just 21 runs. They eventually bowled the visitors out for 154 with two overs remaining.
