LEAGUE leaders Rainhill crushed Moorfield at Victoria Terrace on Saturday.

They amassed 200-5 declared off 48.4 overs. Top scorer was Captain Mike Rotheram with 46. Peter Mercerwho steadied the innings for a very patient 27 which took 95 minutes.

Even though the 1st wicket went at 75, Moorfield came back into the match briefly, but then Paul Robinson hit a quick 33, and Chris Carlisle had aslog and was unbeaten at 35 with two sixes and four fours when the declaration came with double batting points.

After tea, Moorfield's Harrison was the only one who put up a fight to try and draw the game with a fine 51 before he was trapped lbw. Paul Robinson was the one who did the damage, taking 6-39 with four of them bowled. Nick Chapman then took the other four wickets for 25including two catches from wicket keeper Matthew Clifford asthe visitors were bowled out for 93.

The 2nd XI took the short trip to Widnes to meet Moorfield and were put into bat.

Rainhill made steady progress but then Dave Hawkins started to let rip to score an excellent half-century. Ian Kelly also took the bowlers onbut was out four short of his fifty. Alan Malthouse made his debut for the 2nd XI to compile a useful 28 which enabled Captain Mark Candeland to declare on 169-7 off 50 overs.

With double batting points assured, the 2nd XI were keen to get Moorfield out, but there was dogged resistance from youngster D. Sefton who made an excellent 35 and under 12s player Michael Harrison was ssecond top score with 27. It wasn't until the penultimate over that Rainhill made sure of the victory, bowling them out for 163.