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ECB Premier League - Louis' seven destroys Sefton - Northern held
Saturday 23rd July 2005

Louis Botes produced his best bowling performance of the season to keep New Brighton well in the title hunt.

Sefton Park did not know what had hit them as Botes took their first seven wickets to cause mayhem in a home innings that was doomed virtually from the start. The pace bowler opened with the first two wickets and then, with the total on 14, took three more, as their task of reaching the Raker's target of 229-7d (50.5 overs), who had elected to bat, became mission impossible.

In disarray at 14-5, Sefton looked to a rescue mission of gigantic proportions. John Jackson managed 32 amid the havoc and a last wicket stand of 49 between Chris Wylie, who battled well for 55 (43 balls, 9x4s, 2x6s), and Stuart Wade (12*) at least saved some pride as they reached 128 (30.2 overs).

Destroyer Botes ended with excellent figures of 7-32 from 11 overs, his best against Sefton Park since taking 8-58 in August 1996. Paul Strang (71, 97 balls, 9x4s, 1x6) and Paul Bryson (68, 62 balls, 6x4s, 4x6s) shared 93 for the fourth wicket as the highlight of the visitors' innings, while Howard Parker took 3-80.

With the ECB Premier League leaders Northern being held to a draw, Bootle also closed the gap to 14 points with victory over Northop Hall by 23 runs which leaves the Welsh side 38 pts adrift of Hightown, who, while still second from bottom, now have 120 points, with Lytham (122), Leigh (126), Fleetwood Hesketh (126) and Ormskirk (131) all looking vulnerable.

Ian A Cockbain (67*) and Graham Lloyd (35*) shared 105* for the third wicket in a home total of 203-2d after only 38.3 overs, in which Paddy McKeown (45) and stand in skipper David Snellgrove (40) also contributed.

Danny Nolan (52) and Dave Kennedy (42) added 75 for the fourth wicket to put the Welsh side on course, but Adam Warren (5-47) and Charlie Lamb (4-45) blew them off again as they were dismissed for 181 after 54.4 overs.

Fleetwood Hesketh are not out of the woods, but Kevin Murray's splendid century showed Fleetwood's defiance in submitting to Northern's attack. Murray (100, 198 balls, 13x4s) transformed the visitors after they had slipped to 56-4 and a vital 53 for the last wicket with Bhautik Shukla (10*) saw them reach 207 from 68.5 overs.

James Marshall made 47 on his farewell appearance but, despite efforts from Steven Cole (44) and James Cole (35*), the Crosby side reached 184-7 after 47 overs in reply.

Hightown's vital win at Leigh, their first for six games, boosted their hopes of surviving the drop after only one season in the top flight, although they are still in the bottom two. Just eleven points separate five clubs and Nathan Heathcliff-Core (5-66) and Evon McInnis (4-51) combined to restrict the home side to 191 (44.5 overs) after Andy Batterley (69, 13x4s, 1x6) and Gareth Cross (52, 10x4s, 1x6) had added 80 for the first wicket.

Guy Edwards (40) and Sean Vosloo (37) replied confidently with 67 for Hightown's first wicket and their four wicket margin was the result of solid support from McInnis' 18 ball 47 (8x4s, 2x6s) and skipper Ian Sutcliffe's 32, finishing on 192-6 after 35 overs.

John Armstrong won't be happy after Ormskirk's batting slumped at Huyton, where Graham Bolton (4-33) and Michael Lewis (4-46) held them to just 116 from 31.4 overs after being inserted, Adam Sanford top scoring with 34 and Adam Waterhouse, 15.

Huyton slipped to 54-7 but a stand of 65 between Bolton (23*), Paul Westhead (who retired hurt on 22 after being hit in his eye by a ball from Sanford went between the grille and peak of his helmet after an attempted hook) and Ashraf Nawab (18*) calmed nerves for a three wicket success. Sanford took 3-29 in a total of 119-7 after 35.1 overs.

Danny Ashton's maiden Competition century was the focal point of a magnificent chase by Wallasey to beat Lytham by three wickets with 13 balls to spare.

Ashton hit 14x4s and 3x6s in his 109 out of the Wirral side's 236-7 from 52.5 overs (Marcus Sharp 3-70), in reply to the visitors' 233-7d (51 overs). The recently promoted second teamer shared 105 for the fourth wicket with skipper Phil Luxon (40).

Lytham's total was due mainly to Jimmy Wisniewski's 69 in a stand of 82 for the third wicket with Aaron Alley (56, 11x4s), supplemented by Guy Roberts' 43*. John Murphy took 3-43.

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