ST HELENS Recs 1st XI played hosts to Southport on Saturday and secured a comfortable victory after winning the toss and electing to bat first.

Recs started well with Andy Ford and Martindale playing the pace of Kurravilla (4-66). Paul Ford top scored

with 46, ably abetted by Lyon (32) and all the batsmen chipped in with runs which allowed Recs the luxury of declaring on 192-9 from 62 overs.

In reply, Southport never looked like reaching the target as Recs slowly chipped away at the batsmen. Spinners Freeman (3-47 from 16 overs) and Martindale (3-5 from six overs) bowled well but it was the pace of Garvey that did the damage.

He finished with 4-49 from 17 overs as Southport were all out for 146 in the 45th over to give Recs the points.

On Monday Recs visited neighbours St Helens and secured a second victory of the weekend on a damp green wicket.

The 2nd XI travelled to Huyton on Saturday and beinmg put in Recs batsmen struggled against the pace and were reduced to 40-4 from 23 overs. The ship was steadied by the middle order with Huyton (32), Filson (34) and Logan (26) all making useful contributions. However the tail was blown away and Recs ended on 148 all out.

In reply Huyton got off to a slow start which proved costly as going into the last 20 overs they needed 104 to win with seven wickets remaining. Filson (2-31) and Hughes (2-24) were the main wicket-takers with Ball bowling tidily for his 1-28 from 12 overs. Huyton needed eight from the final over but fell two runs short

reaching 146-7 to draw the game.

On Monday the 2nd XI were involved in a tense match against local rivals St Helens at Ruskin Drive.

The visitors put Recs in to bat on a lively wicket and they were soon in trouble against the pace of Massey and Sheppard. Massey was replaced by spinner Fell who bowled tidily for figures of 3-35 from 11 overs, while Sheppard bowled with pace and aggression to finish with 3-21 from 15 overs.

Only three Recs batsmen could reach double figures - Chorley (11), Huyton (19) and Gibson (15 not out) - and Greener was introduced and quickly mopped up the tail finishing with 3-6 from 5.5 overs as Recs were dismissed for a disappointing 83.

Recs came out all guns blazing after the break though and St Helens got off to a slow start against the pace of Filson and Jenkins but it was the introduction of Ball that brought the game to life.

Good bowling and fielding combined with some indifferent batting put Recs into the driving seat as the visitors' wickets tumbled leaving them on a precarious 38-7 from 23 overs.

Massey and Supria steadied the side chipping away at the total as Jenkins finished his spell taking 3-33 from 18 overs. When Massey was dismissed for a hard-earned 25 St Helens had reached 66 with 13 overs remaining.

Ball finished with superb figures of 5-29 from 19 overs and in a tight finish Supria scored a vital 13 not out as St Helens reached 84- 8 with only one over to spare to win the game.

The 3rd JP XI played hosts to top-of-the-table Bootle who smashed the home attack reaching 204-3 from 39 overs.

In reply Recs were never going to be able to reach the target and had to settle for the draw reaching 148-9 much to the annoyance of the Bootle side.

Recs under-15s played Earlestown in the first round of the cup.

Batting first, Earlestown reached 84-6 from 20 overs with Watkins (2-18) and Foley (2-3) being the main bowlers for Recs.

In reply Recs eased their way towards the total with Burke (20) top scoring. In a tight finish Watkins finished on 17 not out as Recs passed the total reaching 86-6 with just two balls to spare.

On Monday the under 13s had a close game against Newton who reached 97-3 from 20 overs, Mowatt taking 1-13.

In reply Smith starred reaching 64 not out and in an exciting finish Recs needed three off the last ball but could only get two, reaching 96-5. On Sunday they beat Sutton in another close game. This week the 1st XI visit Worsley on Saturday, the match being sponsored by Ruskin Drive Club.