A great Waine for Rainhill
Sam Waine's 5-29 powers Rainhill to victory at Northop Hall
Northop Hall 127 (Harry Williams 42, Harri Sigsworth 21; Sam Waine 5-29) Rainhill 131-3 (Dan Woodward 35, James Clarke 32; Michael Arden 1-14) Rainhill (25 pts) beat Northop Hall (4 pts) by 7 wickets
Sam Waine's first five-wicket haul for Rainhill helped the 2nd XI to a 7-wicket win at Northop Hall.
Northop Hall won the toss and elected to bat, but in a devastating opening Waine bowled openers Liam Ford and George Oultram for 8 and 2 runs respectively. After Phil Morgan had caught and bowled Jack Smallwood (0), Waine also dismissed Tom Hellen (1) as the hosts collapsed to 16 for 4.
Daniel Edwards and Harri Sigsworth tried to engineer a recovery but, having taken the score on to 40, Edwards became Morgan's second victim of the day when he was caught by Paul Valentine. Sigsworth's resisatnce was ended shortly afterwards when he was bowled by Oliver Powell for 21. Harry Williams (42) and Michael Arden (8) shared a partnership of 52 in the face of some determined and accurate bowling to take Northop Hall beyond the hundred mark but, with a half century in sight, Williams was bowled by Rainhill seamer Sam Williamson.
Northop Hall's tail wagged a little, with Sion Hellen offering a few shots in a contribution of 15, but his entertaining innings concluded when he, too, was bowled by Waine. The hosts were all out for 127 when Arden's resistance was finally broken by Waine. Finishing with figures of 5-29, Waine demonstrated his potential as a match-winning bowler.
Rainhill's James Clarke and Dan Woodward had little difficulty scoring runs and added 59 for the first wicket. Clarke departed, for 32, when he was caught by Liam Ford off the bowling of Thomas Cottle. Woodward and new partner Sam Williamson continued to press towards the target, with both getting into the 30s before getting out: Woodward, on 35, fell lbw to Sion Hellen while Williamson was stumped for 32 by Jack Smallwood. However, they had done the hard work and Paul Ford (11) and Conor Morris (9) were able to see the team home without further loss.
It looked a straightforward win but, in the opinion of Rainhill captain Paul Ford, it was Waine who was the difference between the sides.
Rainhill will look to carry their good form into their match at home to Wigan on Saturday. Umpires: Andy Watford, John Veacock
Scorers: David Oultram, David Crossley