Sohail sinks Saints
Ashar Sohail's 46 helps Rainhill to victory over St Helens Town
Rainhill 137 (Ashar Sohail 46, Ollie Unsworth 19; Dave Hazeldon 5-35) St Helens Town 108 (Ivan West 28, John Trathen 17; Scott Clegg 4-26)
Rainhill (23 pts) beat St Helens Town (7 pts) by 29 runs
Rainhill's 4th XI earned a win at home to St Helens Town, thanks to a brilliant knock fo 46 from Ashar Sohail (pictured) and a terrific performance in the field.
Put into bat by the visitors, Rainhill were all out for 137. The stand-out batsman was Sohail, who hit 46 from 47 balls and will feel unlucky not to have recorded his first half-century of the season. He was finally caught by Dave Hazeldon off the bowling of Mayank Bali but, in the wider context of the match, his contribution was absolutely crucial to the outcome. Only three other Rainhill batters reached double figures and there is little doubt that the home side had hoped to post a more challenging target.
St Helens Town started positively, with Stephen Barker and Ivan West sharing an opening partnership worth 45. Scott Clegg eventually made the breakthrough, dismissing Barker for 12. He then struck again when Hazeldon was caught behild by Ollie Unsworth for 8. When West was bowled by Deepak Gupta for 28 just minutes later, the visitors were on 68 for 3 and Rainhill sensed an opportunity.
St Helens Town lost their last seven wickets for 40 runs as Scott Clegg (4-26), Colin Moran (2-15), Deepak Gupta (3-24) and Amber Bowie (1-8) took control. Ollie Unsworth had a brilliant game as wicketkeeper and it was only fitting he was invovled in the final wicket, stumping James Eccleston to wrap up the match.
The result takes Rainhill to fourth palce in the league, just 12 points behind second-placed Wavertree with a game in hand.