Thread by @TomEvansCricket

It’s the big day, the one we’ve all been waiting for… across the city, excitement has been mounting to fever pitch. Now, finally, we’re shortly going to find out who will win.

And after Sefton Park v Liverpool, apparently there’s some kind of singing thing happening?

Huzaifa Zubair opens the bowling for the hosts, who won the toss. Liverpool skipper Matty Jackson underway with a lovely cover drive. Steve Rimmer the other batter; Jimmy Dixon from the other end.

It is, as you can see, a nice day for it. Liverpool looking to make it five wins from five; Rimmer punches Zubair to the cover boundary. 12/0 from 3

A couple from Zubair’s end have bounced a little; Dixon keeping it tight as usual. But not much to encourage Sefton so far. 17/0 from 5

Decent crowd gathering on the bank, as befits the weather and the occasion. Jackson aims three big drives at Zubair, the third of which flies off an edge for four. Another edge drops just short of slip. Busiest over so far. 25/0 from 7

Mind drifts to a game I played here for an Echo XI. Took a slip catch off @dankay’s bowling. Later he was fielding at short leg, wearing a silver LFC away shirt, and putting the batter off by doing the John Barnes rap. Did everything with a smile. Lovely man.

Jackson has been quite aggressive and gives a chance to mid-on, who can’t hang on. Not one he’ll want to see again, and thankfully I don’t think anyone was videoing. 31/0

Wicket - Jackson offers a much tougher chance off Dixon to Leo Spilsbury at mid-wicket, who hangs on one-handed. Superb catch. 40/1 and a breakthrough the hosts really needed.

New batter is Ali Andrady (according to the scoreboard, which has made an indifferent start)

Abishek Jagan gets a go… starts with a wide then gets carved through point by Andrady… but his next one beats the outside edge. Scoreboard ticking along nicely for Liverpool, 58/1

Rimmer gets a leading edge to cover off Dixon - 62/2. Liverpool will be happy with the scoring rate but could do with someone going big.

Dixon is still going from the Smithdown Road end, some effort in this heat. Jared Clein the new batter; Andrady continuing to play his shots, particularly through the leg side. 71/2

Jagan raps Clein on the pad, but he’s well forward. Andrady whips Dixon through mid-wicket to make it 83/2

Leo Spilsbury gets a go from the park end. Fellow left-armer Dan Kelly ostentatiously warming up. First ball flies into the slips; either put down or dropped short, couldn’t quite tell. Decent pace though. 87/2

Andrady is steaming with himself, he’s just hooked Spilsbury down deep square leg’s throat. That’s drinks at 87/3. There will be a short break in the coverage, like when the BBC used to have the Tests on. Go watch a semi-pro horse race or something.

I’m missing quite the passage of play - Liverpool have slipped to 101/6. Spilsbury and Dixon have three each. Should be back at the ground in 15

(Make it 45)

Spilsbury has another - 109/7. Quite the turnaround

Now 127/8! Fantastic turnaround by Park. They’re heading for a chasable total here, to inflict their rivals’ first defeat of the season.

Just arrived back … Liverpool all out 159, having raced to 87/2. Their attack has been on fire this season though, set up nicely for the chase. Dixon finished with 5/83 from a lionhearted 21-over spell; Spilsbury took 4/21 having sparked the collapse.

Taiwo Awoniyi… but apart from that, the players are coming back out. Think Liverpool were keen on a quick turnaround, they were milling about in front of the pavilion for ages. Sabbir Patel has the ball.

Ben Percival gets one away through cover but struggles with a few. Dan Clubbe from the other end, to James Stirling.

First blow for Clubbe as he beats Stirling’s forward push and bowls him. 8/1

Richie Forsyth the new man. Patel causing all kinds of problems early on.

But it’s Clubbe who gets the second wicket, inducing a loose drive from Forsyth. Callum Doyle with the catch. 10/2

Captain Paul Horton tasked with the rebuilding job. Not the start Sefton wanted but the target isn’t massive.

Umpires confer about a catch but I think Percival whacked it into the ground. Patel causing problems still.

Clubbe can’t believe his luck here… he bowls two full tosses in an over, and Horton launches the second straight to Patel at deep square leg. 20/3

Huzaifa Zubair creams a lovely cover drive off his first ball but the home side need something more substantial from their middle order. 28/3

Another for Clubbe! He’s sticking to the plan of full and straight, and it gets results as Zubair clips a leading edge to mid-wicket. 34/4

Percival is joined by Dan Kelly. They can’t lose sight of the target, which is still within reach if a pair of them get in.

Percival slices Clubbe over the slips. Patel still making all kinds of everything happen. 45/4

Kelly unfurls his sweep against Patel, which seems quite effective. 49/4, 111 needed.

Now Percival gets on the front foot to Clubbe and belts him for three fours. 62/4

Ross Allen replaces Patel, like for like. Overpitches one to Percival and disappears through mid-wicket. 66/4

Feels like a crucial bit of the game, this. Percival and Kelly have made a start - they need to score the bulk of these runs now. 68/4, 92 needed

What

Adam Stringer replaces Clubbe after a very effective spell. 75/4, 85 needed

Percival clips an Allen full toss to the boundary to bring up his 50, a knock which could prove decisive. A child on the pitch draws the umpire’s ire; then Percival rocks back and pulls four more. 83/4

Kelly punches Stringer through the covers, then gets away with a slice that loops towards point. 90/4. Batters go for a drink, fielders for a pep talk.

BIG shout from Allen against a sweeping Kelly… just too high maybe? 91/4

Percival has been very strong off the front foot, he belts Stringer for a straight four. 96/4, 64 needed

Jared Clein replaces Allen, who has missed his lengths a bit. 98/4

These two have put on 67 to rescue their side; long way to go but a big chance. 107/4 as Percival launches Clein over cow corner. 53 needed

Matty Jackson throws the ball to Sabbir Patel, who looked dangerous earlier without taking a wicket. Change of ends for him. It’s 111/4, 49 required

The scoreboard is not working, which could be fun if this is tight later on. For it to be tight, though, Liverpool need to break this stand sharpish. Boundaries have dried up but they’re set enough to pick the gaps. 117/4

Every run being applauded by the spectators on the bank, at least the ones who aren’t busy having a barbecue or being four years old. Dan Clubbe gets a go from the park end at the satisfying score of 123/4

#drinks

Shadows lengthening as Patel bowls to Percival but still plenty of time left in the game. 131/4, 29 needed

Kelly pulls Clubbe for four to bring up the 100 partnership, then drives another. But then Percival drags one on! Five for Clubbe and possibly a twist? Fine innings of 82 comes to an end, 140/5. 20 needed

*79. And it’s 141/6 now as Kelly feathers Patel behind for 42. So often happens when a partnership is broken, the other one goes too.

Leo Spilsbury breaks the tension with two fours as Patel drops short. 150/6, just 10 needed

Stumped! Patel draws Andrew Hale out of his crease, Doyle does the rest. 150/7, 10 needed

Clubbe to bowl to Spilsbury. A bye, then a scampered two for Ayan Madhu. Then a controlled edge for two more. Then another edge……… for four! Scores level.

Patel to Spilsbury… over the bowler’s head for the winning run! Sefton Park win by three wickets. Really enjoyable game.

The second half of Liverpool’s innings showed how important it was for the batters in the first half to stay in once they’d got in. Keep allowing an end to open up and anything can happen.

159 looked plenty after an early clatter of wickets, but as soon as Percival and Kelly got in, it was a different game.

UPDATE: Oh

“Shall we make it so our live cricket scores service only gives accurate scores?”
“No let’s have it sometimes pretend there’s been a tie.”

@threadreaderapp unreal unroll