Another comfortable win for the GMCL U14s

GMCL Under 14s Interleague Team

On a balmy afternoon the GMCL U14 inter league team travelled to the fantastic setting of Liverpool CC, Aigburth to take on and beat the Liverpool comp U14s in the third of their four group stage matches.

All eyes were on the toss which took place on a flat looking surface in front of a growing crowd, already enjoying the 24 degree sunshine. GMCL Skipper Dan Ainscough (Clifton CC) guessed correctly and rather unsurprisingly chose to have a bat. He was joined by fellow opener Michael Witts (Heywood CC) at the crease and the pair began to immediately punish the early bowling, racing to 30 off the first five overs.

The first wicket fell in the sixth over, Witts caught for eight, bringing Aaaryman Roy (Prestwich CC) to the crease.

Ainscough continued to score quickly with the more circumspect Roy settling in at the other end. The pair took the score to 59 after 13 overs and a well earned first drinks interval.

The next seven overs were key in the game with Ainscough hitting top gear, sailing past 50, and propelling the score up to 100 in no time before he was adjuged lbw in the 20th over - on 61, made at more than a run a ball.

Roy was joined at the crease by Matthew Hall (Woodbank CC) and the pair consolidated through to the next drinks break at 27 overs, the score now 120 for 2.

This gave GMCL a great platform to attack the last 13 overs and a big score looked on the cards, but credit to the Liverpool side which stuck to the task and took wickets at regular intervals.

Hall was next to go clean bowled for 23 and Roy was caught for 45.

Owen Halstead (Greenmount CC), Declan Feakes (Flowery Field CC), Sam Chadwick (Greenmount CC) and Sam Rhodes (Walshaw CC) all chipped in at a run a ball taking the final GMCL score to 197 for 6 off 40 overs.

The opening GMCL bowlers Kamran Hussain (Stretford CC) and Feakes struggled to control the new ball with extras easily the top scorer.

Feakes struck the first blow, taking a simple returned caught and bowled removing opener Daulby. This brought to the crease Walkden who joined Clarke as the bowling really tightened.

Spinners Lleyton Belton (Bury CC), Roy and particularly Sam Openshaw (Walshaw CC) bowled really good areas and a lack of any clear intent from the Liverpool batsmen saw the run rate slow dramatically, with only 64 coming from the first 20 overs, half of these being extras.

When Belston removed Clarke in his last over, the required run rate was up to eight an over for the last 16, but there was still no intent shown by the Liverpool batsmen, though Walkden anchored the innings to complete his 50 off 112 balls in the 34th over.

By the time Walkden fell for 59, clean bowled by the returning Feakes, the required rate was 14 an over, asking way too much of the incoming batsmen.

Feakes and Hussain cashed in, each taking three wickets as the Liverpool struggled to up the scoring, eventually falling 45 runs short of their target on 153 for seven off their 40 overs.

Another comfortable victory for a very strong looking GMCL U14s team, who play the Pennine League in the final group match on Sunday 24 July. A win will book a place in the final.

Jim Ainscough, U14s GMCL inter league team coach/manager, said: "Thanks again to all parents, grandparents and significant others for their support of the boys, and a huge thank you to the staff at Liverpool CC for hosting the match. Very much appreciated."

GMCL U14 197 for 6 (40 overs) ; D Ainscough 61, A Roy 45.

Liverpool Comp U14 153 for 7 (40 overs) ; B Walkden 59, K Hussain 3-23, D Feakes 3-26.