Thread by @TomEvansEcho

I’m wide awake, it’s mid-day and I’m here, like some kind of non-giving-up cricket guy. Rainhill won the toss and inserted Bootle; two overs have been bowled but not much has happened.

It’s cloudy but pleasant enough; forecast is set fair both here and in Leigh, where Southport & Birkdale are batting. Here’s what matters and why… liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/cricket/…

Rainhill’s Tyler McGladdery and Ross Higham have moved the score on to 7/0; Toby Lester and Will Purser looking for the breakthrough. Hosts without Danny Davies, and Keith Barker is still on Hampshire duty; visitors missing Jamie Harrison and Peter Kelly from their attack.

Pitch has a tinge of green and the outfield doesn’t look the quickest. Probably a good toss to lose for a side wanting 25 points… Higham edges Purser through third for the first boundary of the day. 13/0 from 6 overs.

McGladdery needs 68 today to pass 1,000 runs in all competitions for the fourth proper year running - he’s just smacked Lester back over his head for six, two balls after a much more orthodox on-drive for four. 28/0.

Purser has an LBW shout against Higham turned down: it’s been a solid start from the batters so far. 35/0 from 10.

Butterworth replaces Lester from the Wadham Road end (I don’t know if that’s what the end is called - seems weird calling it that when the ground is called Wadham Road, but that’s the end where Wadham Road is).

McGladdery charges at Butterworth and nicks it to Neil Williams. Gift of a wicket really - the seeds planted when he tried it more successfully against Lester a couple of overs ago. 35/1.

Will Hale holds a good low catch to remove Sam Kersham - Butterworth the successful bowler again. 39/2, one point in the bag for Bootle.

But a blow for them now as Purser pulls up mid-over. Seemed to be holding his knee. Jhangir Liaqat has to complete his over.

Issuing a correction to an earlier tweet, Rainhill of course chose to bat. Higham, on 20, and James Clarke are currently doing just that, trying to rebuild after losing two quick wickets.

Clarke had been a bit tied down but he produces a dreamy late cut for four off Butterworth. 50 up for Rainhill, who have their own Lancashire Cup ambitions to think about. 52/2.

Higham has been doing a very good job of waiting for the loose ball - he drives Liaqat emphatically through cover to move to 30. 58/2.

Liaqat pins Clarke on the back foot. Looked like it kept a little low maybe. That’s as committal as I’m prepared to be. 61/3 in the 22nd over.

Rob McKeown is the new batter and he eases Butterworth for four through gully. Purser is stretching gingerly at fine leg; would be a big blow if he can’t bowl any more. 68/3.

Butterworth gets McKeown LBW. 68/4 and a second bowling point for Bootle. They’re taking drinks.

Elsewhere, Taylor Cornall is 112* off 90 balls for Ormskirk, who have reached 197/0 against New Brighton.

Relevant to the relegation battle, S&B are 97/1 at Leigh.

Dave Atkinson creams Butterworth through the covers. Luke Procter was carded to play for Rainhill but pulled out last minute, I’m told.

Liaqat draws a #genuine edge from Atkinson but it flashes through the slips for four. 81/4.

From 35/0, Rainhill have gone 47/4 - and slowed down a lot. Sequence started with McGladdery’s rush of blood but also the introduction of Butterworth, who’s been consistently hitting a line and length.

Meanwhile S&B have their second batting point, 130/1. JJ Fielding is 65* - if that’s what he gets when he’s fielding, imagine when he starts batting.

Big shout against Atkinson from Liaqat, but too high I reckon. 85/4 from 30 overs. Bonus point cut-off is 55 overs.

Butterworth drops short and Higham reminds him why that’s not a good idea. He’s on 44.

For the second time, Butterworth theatrically moves square leg out to the boundary then pitches one up. The first produced a wicket; this one doesn’t.

But now a short one works for Butterworth; Atkinson tries to pull but can only spoon it to Charlie Towle at mid-on, who has time to steady himself and make the catch. 92/5 in the 33rd over; skipper Ben Edmundson - possibly the Prem’s tallest captain - to the crease.

Edmunson goes, nicking Liaqat to keeper Williams. 95/6. Three points for Bootle. S&B closing in on their third, 158/2.

Higham, on 48, is inches away from chopping on to Butterworth. S&B have that third point.

Someone from @RainhillCric will have to help me out with the new batter here…

I think it’s Mike Rotheram, so let’s go with that for now.

CONFIRMED it is Mike Rotheram. So there’s that sorted out. Liaqat has been a bit spray-y at times, often bailed out by his keeper. Bowlers on top here though. 97/6.

JJ Fielding has reached his century at Leigh, making me wish I’d saved that pun on his name. Higham takes a quick single to move to a well-made 50; brutal on anything short and very clear about which balls he’s meant to attack.

Butterworth and Liaqat have been bowling unchanged for the best part of two hours now. Not bad conditions to bowl in - quite cool with a bit of a breeze - but they’ll need a break soon, you’d think. Purser doesn’t look fit. Sure enough, here’s Ben Saunders from the Park end.

Higham lofts him over mid-on for four to move to 60. 120/6 from 40 overs.

S&B have their fourth batting point up at Leigh - they’re 192/2.

Higham is going for a few shots now - he leans back and thwacks Butterworth for four through mid-wicket. Rainhill, remember, need the points - Formby are going well at Sefton Park and will probably edge them out of the Lancashire Cup places if they don’t win. 128/6 from 41.

Six more from Higham, from another short one, despite two men being back on the fence. Then a cute glide to the third boundary. Butterworth is starting to look tired - he gets a breather cos the ball’s gone in a bush. 141/6, Higham 79.

They find the ball; Higham finds the cover boundary. Great knock so far.

50 partnership up in that last over. Shaneil Patel replaces Butterworth.

Very defensive field considering there’s six wickets down and Bootle need four more in 10 overs for maximum points. Higham looking to score but he’s not been reckless about it.

JJ Fielding has gone for 114; S&B closing in on their fifth point, 211/4. They’ll still need to win the game, of course, if Bootle win here.

Hale almost pulls off a low boundary catch off Higham; he stops the four at least. Not sure if it carried. 152/6 from 47 overs.

S&B have maximum batting points - if they win, Bootle are down.

Higham goes for a big one off Saunders but can only pick out Butterworth. He goes for an excellent 86. 154/7

Atkinson steps out and biffs Saunders through mid-wicket. Not long until tea; wonder if Rainhill will turn Bootle’s desperation for a win to their advantage by giving them as little time to chase as possible. 161/7.

Now number 9 Simon Brown hits Patel for consecutive fours, sparking “yee-hahs” from his watching team-mates… but the next shot picks out mid-on. 170/8. Liam O’Toole to the crease.

S&B have collapsed a bit since earning their fifth point; 233/8.

Patel castles Atkinson, whose eyes were on the long-on boundary. 175/9.

Still very defensive fields. 180/9 at the start of the 55th over.

Number 11 Jack Lowrie clobbers Patel for six, but then picks out Vishal Tripathi at long on with one needed for a batting point… all out for 189 from exactly 55 overs.

Now does someone fancy live tweeting me trying to drive to Gateacre and back in the tea break.

S&B 244/9 dec

Didn’t quite make it… but I am back now. Bootle 22/0

Now 38/0, Owais Shah and Will Hale going nicely. I may have said Atkinson when I meant Rotheram a few times earlier; soz. I tweet flawlessly all season, then the one afternoon anyone’s reading them…

Shah deposits Jack Lowrie over mid-wicket for four and that’s the 50 partnership up inside 12 overs. 51/0 chasing 190.

Huge shout for a catch behind but nothing doing. Leigh are 37/2 against S&B, who will relegate Bootle if they defend 244.

David Atkinson’s off-breaks getting an airing here. Batters relatively untroubled still; 65/0 from 16 overs, 125 to win.

Cracker of a square cut by Shah off Edmundson. Leigh have moved on to 51/2 chasing 245 against S&B. I make it that if S&B take the sixth Leigh wicket, Bootle then have to win; if both sides lose, it comes down to bonus points.

Shah in particular looks like he could get 190 on his own. He belts Atkinson dismissively over mid-off for four. 74/0, Shah 34 Hale 33. Break while they find the ball.

Now the Scotsman belts Edmundson back over his head for six. Another break while they find the ball; 93/2. Leigh on to 68/2.

93/0 soz. There I go again.

Congratulations to @nlwcricket, who are promoted as champions after a five-wicket win over Rainford. Meanwhile Hale sweeps Atkinson for four. All a bit flat for the fielding side. 97/0.

Another Hale four brings up the 100 stand. James Clarke the bowler. 101/0.

Two quick wickets for S&B though. Leigh 73/4.

Shah hoists Atkinson (who has changed ends) over long on for six to bring up a classy 50. 109/0, 81 to win.

50 for Hale as well. All very serene - the action is happening many miles away…

Speaking of which, another wicket at Leigh. Now 74/5.

🤔

Drinks. 120/0, 70 needed. Excellent from Hale and Shah. Whether it will be enough is out of their hands.

Hale smacks Clarke for two fours through the covers. 133/0. Hale 70, moving ahead of Shah on 57.

Leigh 84/6. Bootle now have to win, they can’t get enough bonus points whatever happens. They’re going to win, like. Hale’s inside edge brings four more. 147/0, 43 needed.

It’s Hurst who’s gone for Leigh, the well-set batter… Bootle now need Leigh’s lower order to hold off S&B’s spinners for I reckon about 22/23 overs. Shah belts another four; the ease of the batting here in sharp contrast to the desperate situation they’re in. 154/0, 36 needed.

Shah hits a spectator with a one-bounce four, then briefly excites a dog with another. An inside edge brings him four more. These two denying each other a century. 166/0, 24 needed.

Tyler McGladdery lets slip a beamer which Hale glances for four. 173/0

Leigh now 93/7. Bootle need 11 to win; Hale needs 11 for his century.

Now 93/8 at Leigh.

Shah slogs McGladdery over mid on for four and Bootle win by 10 wickets. Comprehensive, dominant… and in all likelihood irrelevant.

Sure enough, S&B have beaten Leigh by 130 runs and keep their place in the ECB Premier Division - Bootle, despite their 10-wicket win over Rainhill today, are relegated for the first time in their history.

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