Maghull Match Report, July 11/12

A look back on the weekend’s action for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd XIs

The 1st XI drew away at Spring View on Saturday, with the home side closing the day seven wickets down. The result means Maghull have now gone three games unbeaten.

Off to a bad start

Maghull captain Cam Lawrenson won the toss and elected to bat first, but the top and middle order failed for the most to justify his decision. By the time Maghull reached 62, six batters had fallen. Marc Birch claimed the first of his five wickets when he dismissed Shaun Hornby for 0. Birch then removed Jon Ring for 21 and Matt Bean for 1, while Craig Black also departed without scoring. Hedley Molyneux bowled Macauley Lawrenson for a quickfire 11 from 15 balls, and a run out ended debutant Niall Noble’s innings.

Byrne Anchors Rebuild

Josh Byrne held the innings together, scoring 27 of Maghull’s first 65 runs. He and Cam Lawrenson put on 57 for the seventh wicket to give their side a foothold in the match. Birch broke the partnership when he dismissed Lawrenson for 24 from 29 balls, although Byrne had already reached his third half-century of the season. Anthony Molloy (5) and Zach Benton (4) soon followed, reducing Maghull to 140-9. Byrne then found support from wicketkeeper Paul McKenna. The pair added 44 for the final wicket before Byrne fell for 81. McKenna finished unbeaten on 24 from 31 balls as Maghull posted 184.

Benton and McKenna Destroy Top Order, but Late Order Resistance Thwarts Maghull

Spring View struggled to build momentum in reply and offered Maghull hope of a third consecutive win. Benton struck early, with McKenna taking catches to remove the top three batters for just 28 runs. Craig Black then bowled Molyneux for 7 before Benton and McKenna combined again to dismiss Lewis Matthews and leave Spring View 45-5. Benton later ran out Harrison Hurst to make it 67-6. Lawrenson trapped David Gornall lbw for 5, leaving the home side reeling at 80-7. Maghull could not force another breakthrough, however, as Matthew Speakman (50*) and Robbie McLaughlin (22) shared an unbroken partnership of 58 for the eighth wicket.

The result earned Maghull six points and Spring View seven. Maghull sit eighth in the First Division, three points behind seventh-placed New Brighton. They welcome ninth-placed Sutton (St Helens) to Hall Lane on Saturday.

Draw and Defeat for 2nd XI

The 2nd XI escaped with a draw at home to Spring View on Saturday before suffering a 56-run defeat at Highfield on Sunday. Spring View posted 234-2 from 43 overs on Saturday, with Chris King and Owen Quilliam claiming a wicket apiece. Maghull then slumped to 59-6 before recovering to finish on 75-6 from 42 overs. King was unbeaten on 30 from 96 deliveries, while Adam Lloyd contributed 0* from 39 balls.

*Adam Lloyd was impenetrable for the 2nd XI on Saturday*

On Sunday, Maghull dismissed Highfield for 197 after the home side had reached 192-6. Rowan Badger led the attack with figures of 4-44, while Shaun Hornby and captain Liam Gibbons each took two wickets. Maghull’s chase progressed steadily and reached 116-3 with plenty of overs remaining. After Gibbons fell for 30, however, the innings unravelled. Highfield claimed Maghull’s final six wickets for 25 runs and wrapped up the innings for 141.

Maghull have slipped to tenth in the First Division and now trail Spring View by 14 points. They travel to fifth-placed Rainhill on Saturday.

Veterans Resist as 3rd XI Salvage Draw

The 3rd XI earned a draw away to table-toppers Wavertree on Saturday. The home side reached 191-8 from 36.2 overs. Dave Blackburn led the attack with his second five-wicket haul in as many matches, while Tadhg Bell picked up three wickets.

Maghull’s reply started badly as Nathen Rodgers ripped through the top order and reduced the visitors to 20-7. Captain Gareth Lloyd (28) and wicketkeeper Neil Dutton (17) responded with a 54-run partnership that steadied the innings. Both men departed with the score on 74, but Gareth Barry (40* from 45) and Blackburn (18* from 36) took control. The pair doubled the total and guided Maghull to 144-9.