Northern will face Wallasey in the group final of the ECB National Club Championship - while their Love Lane Liverpool Competition rivals, Ormskirk, also reached the last stage of their regional group.
Sunday’s group semi-finals saw Wallasey edge out Prestwich by virtue of losing fewer wickets in a thriller on the Wirral.
Six visiting batters passed 23 but none more than 43 as Andrew Beaver’s 4/39 kept the brakes on to restrict the Cheshire County Premier League side to 231/9 from their 40 overs; in reply, 50s from Daniel Beaver, skipper Alex Eagles and Andrew Ward helped keep the hosts in touch, before Jack Leckey and Mykhal Graham managed 11 runs off the last over to tie the scores with seven down.
Wallasey achieved their win without star opener Jamie Crawley, who was busy blasting 206 off 144 balls for the Eastern Knights in Cricket Scotland’s Pro50 tournament.
Meanwhile, a Jack Boardman ton help the Crosby side overcome Formby at Cricket path. Boardman’s 112 from exactly 100 balls led his team to 251/7 from their 40 overs; only Tom Simpson, from number 8, got going for the hosts as Liam Grey’s 4/36 wrapped up a 45-run win.
Ormskirk chased down 219 to beat Walkden by six wickets at Brook Lane. Akbar Ur Rehman’s 116 was the only score of substance for the visitors, before Taylor Cornall’s 61 and John Armstrong’s unbeaten 79 saw the hosts home with 13 balls to spare.
The group finals will take place on Sunday, June 27, before the 16 group winners go into the national knockout stage.
