Report: Shaun Brocken, photos: Peter Rogan

The 1st XI continued their unbeaten start to the season with a thumping 171 run victory away at Leigh.

Our batters were once again asked to bat first by the hosts with the openers Calum Turner and George Politis leading the way with an opening stand of 76. Politis was bowled by Adam Shallcross for 30 and it would the 2nd wicket partnership of Turner and Sam Holden who would really lay the foundation for the imposing total Ormskirk went onto set.

Turner anchored the innings beautifully going onto make his half century off 101 balls. Sam Holden continued to impress in his new number 3 role alongside and passed his half century off 60 balls.

The partnership was broken just shy of the century mark when Turner was caught for 69 off Shallcross but at this stage with total already at 173 it was a case of how many Ormskirk would get. Whilst wickets fell at more regular intervals, the impetus of the innings was not lost. Holden would go onto finish with 63 whilst skipper Knight, 25 off 19 balls and Tom Brown 14 off 12 balls impressed with their cameos. This all resulted in Knight declaring on an imposing 250-6.

The reply was largely a carbon copy of the previous weeks' bowling displays with Sam Marsh and Scott Lees dismantling the oppositions batting line ups within their opening spells. Leigh had made there way to 30 without loss before Marsh struck the first blow bowling Grundy for 13. Lees was into the act in the next over dismissing Church before Marsh had Howard caught behind by Knight for 3. Lees picked up the important wicket of McKiernan for a duck, largely thanks to a wonderful catch from John Armstrong and he followed up with his 3rd wicket just 2 balls later to leave the hosts 35-5.

After a brief pause in the flurry of wickets, Marsh again stood up and took a further 2 wickets to take his tally to 4 for the afternoon. With the openers work done it was left to Jamie Barnes and Toby Bulcock to mop up the tail and seal a huge 171 run victory in Ormskirk’s first away league fixture of the season.

While only three games in, the result leaves Ormskirk 17 points clear at the top of the table.