Ormskirk are the 2008 Liverpool & District Premier League Champions despite losing to Wallasey

Sep 18 2008 by Our Correspondent, Ormskirk Advertiser

Ormskirk are the 2008 Liverpool & District Premier League Champions despite losing to Wallasey

ORMSKIRK Cricket Club are the 2008 Liverpool and District Premier League Champions after gaining eight bonus points in their defeat to Wallasey on Saturday.

Bootle’s failure to secure maximum points, despite beating St Helens Recs, handed Ormskirk their first title since 2001.

On a day which will surely be remembered as one of the greatest in Ormskirk’s illustrious history, John Armstrong provided the icing on the cake by becoming the first Ormskirk batsman to score 1000 runs since T Ainscough in 1899.

Adam Waterhouse’s men had started the day knowing that seven points would secure the title, but having lost to Wallasey in their previous two meetings, Ormskirk also knew that playing simply for bonus points could be a risky strategy. The Wirral side required a victory in order to secure their Premier League status.

Wallasey won the toss and elected to bat on a damp pitch. Ormskirk were without Neil Wagner after the left arm fast bowler had returned home to South Africa. Waterhouse need not have worried about the absence of his new-ball bowler as he himself stepped up to fill the void in fine fashion.

Waterhouse took season-best figures of 5 for 36 in a superb spell of seam bowling and he received more than adequate support from the ever-reliable Simon Kerrigan, who took 3 for 55. Wallasey’s aggressive opening batsman, Kuran Makol, plundered 45, although the mainstay of the home side’s innings was an impressive knock of 84* by Richard Conlon.

Wallasey were bowled out for 205 off 49.5 overs, handing Ormskirk five bonus points for their bowling efforts and leaving them with the target of 130 runs in the second innings to claim the extra two bonus points.

However, there was to be no need for a tense run chase as, just as opening batsmen Matthew Glayzer and John Armstrong were about to head onto the pitch, news had started to filter through from St Helens that Bootle had finished their innings. The 2007 champions had failed to reach 220 batting first, with their total of 137 all out from 50.1 overs meaning they could only claim a maximum of 22 points, therefore handing Ormskirk the title regardless of their performance with the bat.

In such circumstances, Matthew Glayzer could be forgiven for being trapped LBW first ball and, Armstrong apart, the rest of Ormskirk’s top order appeared to have relaxed with the news of the victory. David Hayes chipped in with 20 but wickets fell at regular intervals.

A lower order surge from Nicky Caunce (26*) and some impressive strokeplay from Martyn Farrell (19) took Kirk close but they eventually succumbed for 189 from 47.4 overs.

But before the disappointing conclusion to Kirk’s run chase came the moment which will be remembered for a long time. John Armstrong (80) reached 1000 runs for 2008 with a scrambled single off the bowling of Chris Bourne, capping a truly remarkable season within which the tall left-hander has confirmed his status as the best batsman in the league.

And so all that was left for Adam Waterhouse’s men to do was celebrate their victory, and the team certainly obliged as the 2008 champions were greeted with a heroes’ welcome by the waiting crowds back at Brook Lane.