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First Division - Das' 159 is not enough as Recs regain lead
Saturday 30th July 2005

St Helens Recs once more assumed control in the First Division but, despite beating Ainsdale by five wickets, they hold only a two point lead over Newton le Willows, who were held to a draw by Maghull.

Richard Chee Quee (4-15) and Gary Freeman (3-21) routed Ainsdale for 76 (44.1 overs). In reply, Recs looked in trouble at 21-3 with Chee Quee back in the pavilion, but Steve Martindale (23*) guided them to a five wicket win.

SS Das hammered 159 (23x4s, 2x6s) in Newton le Willows' impressive 250-5d (53.4 overs), putting on 102 for the second wicket with skipper Ian Walkden (28).

Maghull rocked at 65-6, before Ian Plumbley came to the rescue with a defiant 56*, as the visitors held on at 181-9 with the last pair facing 17 balls. Ikram-ul-Haq Malik caused most problems with 5-71.

Colwyn Bay's promotion bid suffered through the weather at Orrell Red Triangle. The Bay dismissed the home side for 111 (39.2 overs) with Adam Taig (44), Huw Roberts (3-2), Debasis Mohanty (3-21) and Paul Jenkins (3-27). The rain came after 21.3 overs when Colwyn Bay had reached 70-2, Sion Morris 29 and Charlie Clubb 23.

Promotion rivals Formby reached 193-2 chasing Highfield's 220-7d but then lost eight wickets for 15 runs at Cricket Path. Highfield's Nick Simm hit his maiden Competition century (127, 21x4s), putting on 82 with Mark Ramsdale (22), after being 86-4.

In reply, Sam Hinton (103, 17x4s) and Dave Hadden (24) put together an opening partnership worth 102 and then Hinton and Darren Barton (48) shared 82 for the third wicket en route to what looked an easy win. Ramsdale had other ideas as wicket keeper Michael Farrell gave his gloves and pads to Tony Clark, came on to bowl and took 4-33 in 8.4 overs, Simon Mollitt assisted with 4-37, to see Formby dismissed for 208 (43.5 overs)

Southport and Birkdale thrashed Wigan as, thanks to Nilesh Kulkarni's 5-22 and Hassan Bokhari's 3-28, they were skittled for 71 (26 overs) after Mark Fletcher (72) and Kulkarni (45) inspired the home side to 204-6d from 54.5 overs.

Liverpool's chase against Worsley ended in defeat at Aigburth after the visitors set a target of 226-8d (58.0 overs), Andy Watson (61) and Greg Thompson (31) adding 95 for the second wicket. Nick Clarkson conceded his century, finishing with 4-104 and Terry Rollock, 3-53.

Grant Robinson (74) lifted Liverpool's hopes with 100 for the third wicket with Gary Dawber (36), but though Rollock made 55, they fell seven runs short, finishing on 219 all out after 47.1 overs, Mike Gould taking 4-74 and Ian Pearson, 3-59.

There was a close encounter at Caldy, where St Helens edged out the bottom side by 11 runs. Daniel Smith (5-40) and skipper Richard Battersby (3-31) restricted St Helens to 112 (45.1 overs) but Sanjay Pandey's superb 7-44 dismissed Caldy for 101 (42.3 overs) to leave the Wirral side bottom of the table, 64 pts in arrears.