ST HELENS Recs 1st XI travelled to top-of-the-table Liverpool on Saturday and slumped to a four wicket defeat. After losing the toss and being put in to bat Recs struggled against tight bowling by Davies (4-20) and Shah (3-24) with only Lyon and Ford making any headway.

And when they both fell for 25, Recs were 125 all out from 57.1 overs.

When the homesters replied, the bowlers were again on top early on as Liverpool were reduced to 61-6. But a dropped catch proved to be costly as Wylie (41 n.o.) and Davies (28 n.o.) finished the innings off reaching 126-6 from 35.4 overs. Paul Ford (3-49) was pick of the Recs bowlers.

On Sunday Recs hosted Southport in the Chelmere Homes knockout. The seasiders' batsmen were in trouble but Recs let them off the hook as Prince (81) and Kuruvilla (39 n.o.) shared a partnership taking the visitors to 190-7 from their allotted 45 overs.

In reply, Recs made a reasonable start before losing their first two wickets to foolish run-outs. Paul Ford (22) and Orford (20) steadied the ship until Orford was also run out.

Garvey (22) and Malone (37) also scored well, but Recs could never keep up with the run rate and Filson was left on 21 not out as they fell six runs short of the target reaching 184-8 from 45 overs.

The 2nd XI entertained Caldy who won the toss and strangely elected to bat first on a damp, green wicket.

Runs were hard to come by as the visitors struggled to 37-3 from 17 overs with Coulton (3-53 from 20 overs) bowling particularly well early on.

Caldy staged a mini-revival before Ball struck three times in one over and they never recovered finishing all out for 107 off 44.4 overs. Ball wrapped up the tail to produce career-best figures of 6-14 from 9.4 overs.

In reply, the Recs top order again struggled as they were reduced to 22-3. Huyton and Sheeran then took the score to 64 before Huyton was out for 21. But Sheeran went on to reach a magnificent 58 not out as Recs moved to 108-5 from 37 overs to take the points.

The 3rd JP XI played hosts to high-flying Ormskirk and were asked to bat first. Critchley (19) and Orford (15) got them off to a reasonable start as they reached 51-3 before a middle-order collapse reduced them to 106-9.

At this point Parsonage stepped in, hitting two massive sixes before being last man out for 40 as Recs were dismissed for 142 from 51.5 overs.

In reply, Ormskirk got off to a good start and having reached 97-4 looked set to win easily. But the re-introduction of Howden and Filson proved to be decisive as they ripped through the Ormskirk batsmen. Filson finished with 3-23 from 9 overs but the rejuvenated Howden was the star with 6-34 from 13.3 overs as Ormskirk crumbled to 104 all out with 3 overs left to give Recs their first victory of the season.

This week the 1st XI play hosts to Bolton on Saturday, the match being sponsored by Dengraphics graphic art and design.