The Irby Steam Train Thunders on

Victory for the 1st and 2nd XI whilst the 3s come agonisingly closed to an amazing final-wicket stand. Here’s a summary of the weekend.

Victory for the 1st XI Places them in a Three Horse Race

It was a low scoring rollover for the first team as they breezed to victory at Mill Hill Road. Captain Cam is back and the toss is lost..! It was a warm sunny day at home and the lads were stuck in to bowl. I think once again, the visiting Halsall West End had a peek at our scores in the previous week! It was a fantastic start with the ball once again for superstars Geen and Wilson, Geen having their opener bowled 3rd ball of the game with an in-swinging yorker.

Ollie and Geen toiled with the ball in the heat, Geen striking again having the opposition captain caught in the covers by Nabeel. From an amazing spell the week before, gathering 8 wickets to his name, it’s only fair that he gave others a go this week, finishing his nine overs with 2-14. Then it was time for some spin action. Newly formed left arm duo Mallon and Kammy were raring to go on a low and slow Irby wicket. They successfully tied the batters down, Mallon collecting two for the tally and Kammy with the major breakthrough post-drinks, trapping their opener LBW. Crawford was now on replacing Mallon (2-21 off 9) quickly getting into his work, dismissing the new batter sharply. Kammy continued from the other end picking up one more and finishing 2-14 off his 9 overs. Wilson came back to replace Kammy, picking up one wicket which cracked the innings wide open, allowing Crawford to mop up the remaining tail. The visitors were out for 92 and it was time to have a bat.

Openers Umer and Wilkes got us underway with another fast start, just what the hosts needed and Umer continuing his good form from the week prior. Umer and Wilkes both hit boundaries until Wilkes was caught clipping a ball straight back at the first change bowler! Irby were 68-1 and arguably the damage had already been done. The home side needed 25 to win and Rafi was now at the crease. Rafi quickly got on with it, continuing the flow and momentum set up at the start of the Irby innings. Umer surpasses 50 once more, Rafi with 17* and Irby walked to another victory in the Southport Premier Division.

It won’t all be plain sailing for the lads. Three teams hold top position in the league with four wins in four, who will crumble first? We will find out next week, as Irby travels to face Burscough, one of the league leaders. A real test for the boys as they quest for the league title.

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The 2s Defend a Low Score

A true Skipper's innings set Irby 2nd XI up for victory this weekend in a low scoring hold off on a seemingly troublesome pitch.

Irby were off on the road once more, this time traveling to Aughton CC’s 1st XI with the hope to regain momentum following a tough loss the weekend before. Upon inspection of the pitch, it was clear to see it was a ‘bowl first’ day. We just needed to win the toss… which we didn’t. Rarely is the coin falling the other way for the 2nd XI and we were facing a bat on a track where 100 seemed like 300. Openers Bennett and Jones were first up and the pitch did not disappoint, with the first ball of the game a ‘pea-roller’, colliding with off-stump and bamboozling Bennett. We were 0-1 and a little flustered. In came Delaney, hot off a smart run of form with the bat the last few weeks. He settled the ship with Jones and we were going well, until disaster struck in the running department. One called yes, the other prepping for the next delivery, both none the wiser. It was Delaney that was out and Jones having to carry the can for a mixup. Tarar was in, the week before scoring a brilliant 70* for the 1st XI cup match, but he too couldn’t find his feet, mis-timing a shot down the throat of mid-on. In came TJ and the ship steadied a little while longer, but the visitors were struggling to put any runs on the board.

TJ was dismissed, clipping a ball to the hands of square-leg. Skipper Wilkes walks to the crease with only around 70 on the board. It was time for some change. He worked through the gears well and once Jones had been dismissed it was time for Davidson to join the crease. They worked very well together, cutting and pulling, watching the spitting tennis ball bounce carefully and taking their time to collect the runs past 100. Nathan hits a bit 6 down the ground before he is dismissed going for round 2. Wilkes Jr. is now in and ready to impress, with a second ball 6 much bigger than his Dad’s a few balls before (and much to his Dad’s distaste). The visitors finish on 111. Davidson and Wilkes played an excellent hand and the Irby bowlers were raring to go.

It was Oscar Wilkes with the ball in hand and a fiery opening first over that damaged the opening batter, relentlessly peppers by sharp deliveries that seemed to hit every party of his body before one cannoned on to his stumps. TJ at the other end held his line for the first few overs before bowling a rare loose few deliveries in his third. Miles replaced TJ and bowled with pace, line and length. Arguably, along with Delaney, the three young seamers were much too quick for the batting attack of the hosts. They were unsettled for a while. Once the wickets began to fall, in strolled superstar Smithy to wipe out the middle order. In combination with Delaney, the pair successfully dismantled the innings, with Wilkes appearing to take the final wicket of the match to leave the hosts 60 all out. 

Irby remain at the top of the table by 5 points, next week with a home game facing up against Birkenhead St. Mary’s.

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3rd XI Suffer an Unfortunate Setback

It was a trio of toss-losses this weekend as Irby were stuck in the field against Birkenhead Park’s 4th XI. Opening the bowling was the master Nayak, blitzing through the team with another 3 wickets to his tally. With a 0.5 economy, his spell went for just the 4 runs off his 8 overs with 3 wickets to his name. Skipper TJ opened the bowling with him, spinning his way to another three as well and the visitors steamed towards bowling Birkenhead Park out for a low total. It was Leigh who continued the good form of the 3s, the hosts were bowled out for 81 on a nice day and it seemed like another victory was on the cards. But never underestimate a low total. Their openers found the right spot and it appeared like our lads just couldn’t get going, 2s stalwart Gillespie top scoring with merely 11, batter after batter appeared to fall to the hands of the Birkenhead bowlers. Even though the score ticked ever closer and a long partnership formed between Captain TJ and Leigh, this visitors found they were unable to cling on to success, the total in the 80s was too far out of grasp. Birkenhead Park successfully bowled out Irby for 74, winning by all but 7 runs.

The league system for the Liverpool Comp works on an ‘average’ score across multiple games, due to the volume of teams within the league. This means that the average points for Irby’s 3rd XI unfortunately dropped from 25 to 18.33, a massive difference compared to the points we have totalled over the last few weeks leaving the side in 4th place. They are not out of it yet though, momentum can be regained and the lads will hopefully be back to their winning ways. The 4th XI had a gap week this week, but it looks like there will be all four teams next week. The 3rd XI will play Northop Hall at home, the 4th XI will travel to play Wavertree 3s.

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