Frustration for Norley Hall as Southport Trinity dig in for draw
Norley Hall’s first team had the better of the spoils in their top-of-the-table clash at Southport Trinity but, try as they might, they couldn’t quite secure a deserved victory.
The Green and Golds knew they were in for a tough test at Southport, who won the toss and chose to bowl first in bowler-friendly damp conditions.
This looked to be an inspired decision as Norley crashed to 1-2 with the quick loss of both opening batters Charlie Benson and Alex Martlew.
Shah Afridi (40) and Matthew Hayes (20) took the score beyond 50, but got out in quick succession which triggered a batting collapse that saw Norley plummet to 86-6.
Skipper Callam Hughes (64) and Liam Martlew (56) then put together a seventh-wicket partnership of 119, with the Norley innings eventually ending on 213-9 declared in 55 overs.
In reply, the home team got off to a slow and steady start in the face of some tight bowling from Norley opening bowlers Ryan Wood and Callum Martlew.
A flurry of wickets reduced Southport to 41-4, after which the home team's lack of intent to seriously attempt to chase the winning target became even more obvious to those watching.
It became more a question of whether Norley Hall could take the 10 required wickets for victory, and this looked to be an affirmative 'no' with costly dropped catches for the second week running.
However, when Hughes had Liam Sherriff trapped leg before wicket and Benson had Wim Van Der Walt caught behind by Hayes, it saw a flurry of wickets fall to make the score 109-8, from 103-4.
The reintroduction of Wood’s extra pace saw him clean bowl the home team’s No.10 batter to make the score 110-9 with just under five overs left of the day’s play.
However, the home team’s last batting pair thwarted all attempts to seal a Norley Hall victory, with eight bonus points to the Green and Golds and five points to the hosts.
Wood took 3-43, Callum Martlew 2-27, Benson 2-6 and Hughes 2-4.
Despite not winning for three weeks, Norley Hall remain top of a congested table going into their game against Fleetwood Hesketh next Saturday.
Back at City Road, the second team welcomed top-of-the-table Northop Hall, who won the toss and chose to bowl.
When Steve Atkinson was out for 17 with the score on 42, Colin Parrott was joined by Martyn Caddick, who made 22 before a mini batting collapse saw Norley reduced to 94-5 from 79-2.
Andrew Magrath (16) and Mo Kapadia (20) led the comeback as the home team's innings ended on 145 all out in 52.3 overs, Parrott top-scoring with 39.
In reply, with the absence of most pace bowling options, the Green and Gold attack was opened up by Aston Bailey and Kapadia, but a spirited home team bowling effort was let down by a number of dropped catches.
The visitors secured their win with only a few overs left, finishing on 146-3 in 36.1 overs, with one wicket for Kapadia, one for Parrott and one for home team skipper Keiron Ashcroft.
Norley’s second team should have been back in action on the Sunday in a cup quarter final away at Caldy, but the home team conceded the game, which sees Norley progress to the semi-finals.