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Orrell’s juniors showed that the future is bright with morale boosting wins on both Saturday and Sunday on a weekend of league frustration for the first and second teams.

The first team welcomed Colwyn Bay to Winstanley Road on a gloriously sunny afternoon. Home captain Andy Baybutt won the toss and elected to bat in warm overhead conditions. However, it soon became apparent that overnight rain had had an effect on the pitch with seam movement more akin to early season conditions than mid summer. The Colwyn Bay pace bowlers used the conditions to their advantage as first Sam Heeley was adjudged leg before wicket and then Matthew Hayes also via the same method. When Mark Waddington edged behind, it left Orrell in dire straits at 6-3.

A fourth wicket partnership between Richard Everett and Matthew Wareing steadied the ship until Everett was also caught behind to leave the score at 45-4. It was becoming apparent that the moisture was disappearing from the pitch and batting conditions were becoming easier. Wareing, in particular, looked to be in great form as he raced towards another half-century. Unfortunately, he was caught on 48 at mid-on attempting to hit the visitors Sri Lankan spinner Dulanjala Mendis to the boundary to bring up his 50. Dominic Hayes and Baybutt then reprised their roles from the back end of last season as they continued to rebuild the innings and take the score beyond 100. The 71 run partnership was broken when Hayes (37) skied a catch to mid-off attempting to hit Mendis to the boundary also. Baybutt was then joined by Alfie Clarke as the skipper brought up a classy half-century. When Baybutt was out in a similar fashion to Hayes for 56, Clarke played an important cameo innings of 23 as the fourth batting point was brought up with the last ball of the 55th over as Orrell declared on 190-9.

Baybutt and his team knew that the result of this match was no foregone conclusion with the visitors having an impressive batting lineup and the pitch having become a easier to bat on. Indifferent opening bowling from the home team, saw the visitors off to a flyer until the introduction of Duvindu Tillakaratne brought the breakthrough with his first ball- to leave the score 47-1- as well as bringing some much needed control at one end. Unfortunately, whilst Tillakaratne brought control and menace from one end, the other Orrell bowlers were unable to back this up at the other end. Orrell did not help their cause also with dropped catches including the crucial wicket of the visitors Minor Counties player Will Evans. They were also unlucky with a couple of umpiring decisions that did not go in their favour- a stumping decision and the strong feeling that Evans had been caught behind.

Mark Waddington batting in the T20 against Spring View

Evans showed his undoubted class and when he was finally out- bowled by Tillakaratne- the game was essentially over with the visitors winning by 6 wickets with around nine overs of the day’s play left. Tillakaratne finished with figures of 4-40 from 17.2 hours- a phenomenal effort albeit in a losing cause. A loss that the team will be looking to bounce back from this weekend when they visit near neighbours Highfield.

The match scorecards and videos can be viewed here:

https://ort.play-cricket.com/website/results/6215823

This league disappointment was book ended by T20 success as the Wigan Big Bash competition got under way.

Richard Everett batting in the T20 against Spring View

Baybutt and his team welcomed neighbours Spring View to Winstanley Road on Friday evening. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first. They were restricted to 121-7 from their 20 overs with debutant junior Thomas Wilkinson the star of the show with four wickets. Orrell made light work of this chase as they won by nine wickets with over five overs left Mark Waddington top scored with an unbeaten 69 from 49 balls whilst Richard Everett was unbeaten on 38.

The match scorecards and videos can be viewed here:

https://ort.play-cricket.com/website/results/6602377

On Monday evening, a much changed T20 team made the trip up to play Standish. Baybutt won the toss and chose to field. The home team made 110 all out in 20 overs. There were 4 wickets for Duvindu Tillakaratne, three wickets for Alfie Clarke, two wickets for Matthew Wareing and one wicket for Arthur Moore. In reply, the Orrell chase was hampered by the retirement of Mark Waddington when on 24 due to a hamstring injury. Although they never looked in any danger of losing the game, a determined bowling and fielding effort from the hosts meant that the game went into the final over with Orrell winning by six wickets with five balls to spare. Matthew Hayes carried his bat throughout the innings for an unbeaten 51 and this innings proved pivotal in the Orrell success as he provided the stability to the chase.