Lytham CC frustrated by the weather on first day

Matt Taaffe’s players had been due to start the new campaign at Sefton Park on Saturday.

However, last week’s wet weather saw the match at Croxteth Park cancelled because of a waterlogged playing surface.

The abandonment meant both teams were awarded five points with Lytham hoping to get their season up and running next weekend, when they welcome St Helens Town (12pm).

Lytham’s second XI did see action in their Premier Division competition, losing by nine wickets against Colwyn Bay on home soil.

Having chosen to bat first, Lytham had reached 85-1 before the last nine wickets fell for a further 88 runs in seeing them all out for 173.

Opener Niall Dunn top-scored with 37, while Frederick Hackett contributed 27 and Jason McGreehin 22.

Ryan Hogarth and Archie Legge had put on 61 for the seventh wicket in taking Lytham to 173-6.

However, Hogarth’s dismissal for 25 to Shay Williams saw the last four wickets fall without any further addition to the total.

Howard Lewis, Ethan Burgon and Samuel Curran were all out first ball to Williams as he ended with 5-7, leaving Legge 34 not out at the close.

Colwyn Bay then breezed to victory in reply, reaching 174-1 inside 26 overs.

Burgon dismissed Dan Russell (6) early on but an unbroken second-wicket stand of 166 saw Lytham beaten.

Opener Shaun Davies anchored the Colwyn Bay response, finishing 53 not out, but it was Matt Russell who dominated matters.

He struck 12 boundaries and five sixes in making 100 not out from only 55 deliveries.