Thread by @TomEvansEcho

Well this is nice

Early breakthrough for the hosts here at Sefton Park, where Huzaifa Zabair has removed Ormskirk’s Taylor Cornall. Visitors are 21/1 in the 6th over.

Ormskirk harrying for singles but struggling to find much more. Park skipper Jimmy Dixon finds Rob Rankin’s edge; 38/2 after 9.

Stung by my “struggling to find much more” comment, Alex Rankin has started playing some shots, including a straight six off Zubair; he’s on 37, ORM 67/2 off 13.

Ormskirk skipper Gary Knight chips Zubair to mid-on, who makes a simple catch look difficult but takes it all the same. John Armstrong nicks his first ball between keeper and slips; 70/3

First look at league Raheem Kasser now; one full toss gets the treatment from Armstrong. 85/3 off 15.

Dixon into the 10th over of his spell here. There’s a bit of a breeze, but still rather him than me. He’s keeping it tight as well. 89/3.

What if he never stops bowling, what then.

Kasser is giving it some air from the other end. Rankin pushes a single to bring up his 50. Ormskirk 109/3 at drinks after 25 overs.

The Ormskirk players in front of me are very, very excited about the discovery of a yellow plastic cup in someone’s kit bag. “That is absolutely classic,” one says. You probably had to be there.

I’m assuming there was some previous incident involving a yellow plastic cup.

Dixon is still going; Armstrong, on 28, survives a sharp chance at mid-wicket.

Armstrong holes out to long-on; first wicket for Kasser, who has varied his length and speed well. 112/4.

Alex Rankin is joined by his brother Harvey and plays a dreamy on-drive for four off Dixon, WHO IS STILL BOWLING.

Alex Rankin goes for a big swing and loses his bails to the tireless Dixon; a well-made 54 but he’ll have wanted more. 116/5.

Now the remaining Rankin survives a massive stumping chance, and celebrates by carving then sweeping Kasser for consecutive fours. 124/5

Ormskirk need a rebuilding job here. Long way to go in the game but they are being tested.

Dixon is STILL going from the Smithdown Road end; still creating chances too as Sam Marsh inside edges one for four. 139/5 off 34.

Dixon gets his third Rankin of the innings, as Harvey misses a straight one. 159/6

Keeper Adam Coates has been standing up for Dixon’s bowing and it’s contributed to two big wickets. 19 unbroken overs now for the skipper; 3/57.

He could have had more as well; short cover puts one down off Scott Lees.

JIMMY DIXON HAS STOPPED BOWLING.

Ben Percival comes on and is heaved into the press box* by Sam Marsh, who is scoring some useful runs here.

Zubair returns for another spell from the Park End.

185/6, Marsh 44*

Marsh brings up a sprightly 50 by being completely squared up and nicking one through the slips; next ball he slices to point. 191/7 in the 43rd

George Politis is the new man; Scott Lees gets stuck into Percival as the declaration (or the last wicket) looms. 201/7. Last man Jamie Barnes is padded up so Knight won’t be calling them in just yet.

Kasser has another go from the Smithdown Road end. Since Dixon’s spell finished, Park have lost a bit of control and allowed Ormskirk to accelerate.

Lees smacks Zubair for consecutive straight sixes - 232/7 from 47

He then hits another six then falls to a steepling high catch; and that’s enough for Knight, who DECLARES on 243/8.

Fielders are out, umpires are out... can’t help but think someone’s missing.

Harry Lewis and Michael Row, that’s who. Scott Lees opens for Ormskirk.

Lewis biffs Marsh for a couple of uncomplicated fours; Marsh responds with a snarling bouncer. Lees then pins Row LBW for a blob, falling over to the off side. 8/1.

Sorry, I just had to nip to Asda

Sefton have moved on to 36/1 while I was in Asda.

Jamie Barnes and Josh Thompson have replaced Lees and Marsh; Harry Lewis is on 22, Ben Percival 14. Game nicely poised.

Lewis has just arrived at Sefton from Northop (NOT Northop Hall) and he doesn’t mess around, evidenced by a not-one-man-move straight drive off Barnes. Gives a VERY sharp return chance off the next ball. 55/1

Barnes beats Percival’s lunge and castles him for 19. Sefton 56/2 chasing 244.

Scott Aitchison has joined Lewis in the middle. Gary Knight spoke before the season about the balance of Ormskirk’s attack without Tom Hartley; it’s all been seam so far.

Batters finding it difficult to get the ball through the ring field. 60/2 from 24.

Stung by my “finding it difficult to get the ball through the ring field” comment, Aitchison gets the ball through the ring field for a couple of fours. 69/2 from 25 at drinks.

Bit of #spin now courtesy of Taylor Cornall’s left-armers.

Barnes v Lewis is an interesting one... but at the other end, Cornall pins Aitchison with a bit of a long-hop. He’s gone for 11, Rob Supria the new man, 88/2.

Scott Lees replaces Barnes, Knight having clearly seen enough of the interestingness.

Park are 3 down, not 2. Soz

Supria keeps autocorrecting to “surprise” on my phone, and by a staggering coincidence that’s what Cornall gets when Supria dumps him over long-off for six.

Lewis smacks Lees dismissively down the ground for four to bring up a punchy debut 50 and the team 100.

And for the third time today it’s 50 and out. Cornall does Lewis in the flight. 105/4.

Leg-spin from the Smithdown Road end now as Harvey Rankin comes on. Supria plonks a four. 109/4 - Ayan Madhu the other batter.

Into the last hour now. 17 overs to go, 150/4, Park need 94.

And as I hit send, Supria (who had been striking it cleanly) is beaten by a throw from the deep for 41. 151/5.

Straight away, Richie Conlan plays on to Cornall.

*Coates, sorry. Conlan is in now, and drives two fours. 159/6.

Petition for Liverpool Competition players to have their names printed very large on the backs of their shirts and sweaters.

Winning would be a stretch from here for Sefton, but they’re still having a go. Ormskirk keeping the spinners on. 180/6, 12 overs left, 64 to win.

Tweeter’s curse. Conlan takes a risk too many and picks out mid-off from the bowling of Harvey Rankin. 180/7.

Madhu is playing one hell of a rearguard here. Support from Huzaifa Zubair. 202/7, 8 overs left. 42 needed.

Barnes back on from the Park end.

And Lees from the Smithdown Road end. Trusting the seamers to finish the job.

Six overs to go, 39 to win. My mental #WinViz is at 10-60-30.

Zubair takes seven from the first four balls of Barnes’ next over but the fifth castles Madhu for 38.

212-8 becomes 212-9 as Dixon feathers his first ball.

Now it’s Lees to Zubair, Kasser at the other end. One wicket, 32 runs, five overs.

BARNES WINS IT WITH A HAT-TRICK

After two in two balls at the end of the previous over, his next pins Zubair for 23 and Ormskirk are over the line with 3.5 overs and 26 runs to spare.

Barnes didn’t even realise it was a hat-trick.

In summary: League cricket, bloody hell. More to follow.

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