ST HELENS Recs 1st XI made the short journey to Orrell Red Triangle on Saturday and secured a win, after winning the toss elected to bat first.

Scoring was difficult as Recs got off to a slow start. Andy Ford scored 21 but wickets fell at regular intervals and by the time 50 overs had been bowled Recs had only reached 116-6 and looked in trouble.

However, Lyon and Garvey led the recovery. Lyon was dismissed for 46 but Garvey went on to score a swashbuckling 54 not out which allowed Recs to declare on 188-for 8 from a massive 69 overs.

In reply, Orrell took up the chase but struggled against the leg spin of Tambe, who finished with figures of 4-34, and the pace of Garvey, who capped a fine all-round performance with 4-32. Orrell were finally dismissed for 150 from 38.2 overs to give Recs the points.

In the opposite fixture the 2nd XI played hosts to Orrell who won the toss and opted to field first.

Tickle bowled tightly restricting the run rate but could not stop Critchley (38) and Evans (41) pushing the score up to 90-2. Tickle finished with 6-67 but with Burrows coming in at the end and scoring a quickfire 33, Recs declared on 173-8 from 55 overs.

In reply, Orrell got off to a steady start and never really looked in trouble against Recs' attack as they reached 96-1 going into the final 20 overs.

Recs tightened up the bowling and a close finish looked on the cards as Orrell lost wickets. However, a few lusty blows got them back on track and they eventually reached 174-5 with seven balls remaining.

The 3rd JP XI played hosts to Northern AN who won the toss and put Recs in to bat. Recs got off to a good start with Atherton scoring 26 and had reached 85-3 before disaster struck as Watson too four wickets in five balls, including a hat-trick. That left the Recs' innings in tatters and only Collins (24) resisted as they crashed to 96 all out from 41 overs.

In the reply, Recs' fielding was poor with Atherton (1- 38 from 8.2 overs) being particularly unlucky. Only Parsonage (2-16 from 5 overs) managed to restrict the batsmen as Northern reached 94-4 from 19.2 overs to win. This week the 1st XI travel to Caldy on Saturday, the match being sponsored by Ruskin Drive Club and Lounge.