Ormskirk v Highfield Ray Digman Trophy 2nd Round

Ormskirk won the toss and elected to bat, with Andy Baybutt and Ian Robinson opening the batting.

Things looked good for Ormskirk from the outset as Andy and Ian put on a partnership of 71 before the first wicket fell, with Ian (47) being caught by the Highfield skipper James Taylor. The loss of the wicket brought in Alex Rankin who made 14 before being caught and bowled by Darshan Misal. During the relatively short partnership for the second wicket Andy had picked up his momentum and taken his score to 43 at the loss of Alex’s wicket the score had progressed to be 112 -2.

With Andy going well and now enjoying the company of George Lavelle, who looked to be on top form, the writing was on the wall that Highfield were in for a very difficult afternoon in the field, and so it turned out to be.

The runs started to pile on as both Andy and George peppered the boundary, feasting on mediocre bowling and indifferent fielding.

It was not long before it was looking that both would score centuries. That, however, didn’t happen as, when Andy was on 91, and the score on221, he misjudged a shot and offered an easy catch that was comfortably taken, leaving George as the lone century seeker. He did not disappoint and reached his century in the company of Gary Knight, who had replaced Andy.

In a superb innings George went on to score an undefeated 144 runs to include thirteen 4s and seven 6s, while Gary, in a supportive role, scored a lively 35. At the end of the innings Highfield were left with the unenvious task of chasing down a massive 346 runs.

Things couldn’t have got off worse for them when Alex Mason and then Tom Hartley had the openers back in the Pavilion with only 5 runs on the board, each winning lbw decisions.

Wickets continued to be taken and with Scott Lees (3-27 off 4 overs) doing the damage to leave the score on 57-5. The only thing that could possibly have saved the visitors, despite the classy batting of not out batsman Owais Shah, would have been a downpour of rain of biblical proportions. That didn’t happen.

With so many runs to defend, Alex Rankin was given the opportunity to bowl for the first time since coming into the First XI and he did well with a haul of 3-17 off 3 overs to include the prize wicket Shah (94).

Nicky Caunce was the other wicket taker with figures of 2-28 off 4 overs.

Highfield were all out for 159 leaving Ormskirk the winners by a massive 187 runs

In essence, it was a poor contest, with Ormskirk much too strong for the visitors.

Nevertheless, it was enjoyable, if only to witness the fine third wicket partnership of 110 shared by Andy Baybutt and George Lavelle, George’s undefeated 144, the success of Alex Rankin with the ball and the previously ‘unseen spectacle’ of watching Gary Knight bowl an over.