A DRAMATIC batting collapse against Highfield sentenced Rainford to their second successive league defeat.

At 66-0 from only 14 overs the large crowd sat back in readiness for another home side run feast with openers Cook and Robinson totally on top.

However, their dismissals saw a succession of batsmen come and go as the Rainford innings folded like a house of cards, eventually ending on 136.

The premature end to the home side innings left Highfield with a maximum 59 overs to seal victory and it was to Rainford's credit that the win only came with two overs to spare as the visitors ran out three wicket victors.

Match ball sponsor was Rainford Printing Company.

The second XI suffered a severe mauling away to Highfield Second. Only Pendleton reached double figures as Rainford were shot out for a miserable 86, the 10-wicket victory coming in only 10 overs of the restart.

On Sunday, the Pochin Cup aspirations of the second team suffered a knockout blow in a topsy-turvy encounter with Litherland.

The visitors batted first and were soon in trouble on 8-2 as Harrison blew away the top order. However at 80-2 it was Litherland in the ascendancy until a further two wickets from Harrison plus tidy spells from Ford, Fogarty and Mills saw the visitors all out on 135.

The reply started well as Rose and Maddison put on 30 for the first wicket. After their dismissals it was left to Williams (27) to bolster the middle order, but with wickets falling all around the run chase fell behind and not even the bold hitting of Mills and Winstanley could rescue the home side as they were all out for 126.

Match ball sponsor was Beesley and Fildes.

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