Liverpool were beaten at home in the Love Lane Liverpool Competition for the first time since June 30, 2018, as Lytham chased 196 for a four-wicket win - despite the best efforts of Jared Clein.
The off-spinning all-rounder’s 5/54 proved in vain, however, as Edward Fiddler’s 82 provided enough of a base to get the visitors over the line.
Earlier, Thomas Hessey had taken 6/59 to bowl the hosts out; Liam Naylor’s 71 and Daniel Kelly’s 53 offered the most resistance.
Matthew North’s 128 - his maiden first XI ton - helped Old Xaverians pile up 234 at Rainford - but the hosts were able to hang on for the draw at 190/7, thanks largely to William Shuttleworth’s 94. John Dotters led from the front for the hosts with 6/71.
Madduma Lakmal was in the runs again with 56 for Highfield as their 240/5 proved too much for Birkenhead Park, who never kept up with the chase and fell 96 runs short.
Slow left-armer Paul Jenkins took 6/47 as Colwyn Bay restricted Ainsdale to 115, with Mark Lucas’s 71 the lone hand. The Welshmen knocked off the runs without too much alarm for a six-wicket win.
Fleetwood Hesketh’s bowlers did the damage in a team effort at St Helens Town; only one home batter reached double figures, as the side crumbled for 64. The visitors stumbled themselves, to 12/4, but Lee Rimmer’s unbeaten 44 saw them to a five-wicket win.
Opening pair Ben Walkden and Marc Debrabander put on 100 together as Newton-le-Willows chased 185 to earn a seven-wicket win over Northop Hall. Debrabander hit 68, while Walkden finished unbeaten on 78.
