Sefton Park 176-3 (40 overs) ECAD North 177-2 (22 overs) Scorecard

ECAD North started the Deaf Cricket season with a bang, beating Sefton Park CC in Liverpool by 8 wickets with 18 overs to spare.

Winning the toss and opting to field, ECAD opened the bowling with two fifteen-year-olds, Edward Denton and debutant, Gabe Francis. The home team started well adding 71 for the first wicket in 13 overs before Will Spilsbury was bowled by off-spinner James O’Connor, making his Deaf Cricket comeback after a couple of years.

O’Connor bowled tightly in tandem with leg spinner John Kenward-Nash as ECAD North pulled the innings back under their control. By the time opener Stirling retired on 50 not out, the North team had reduced the run rate to a shade over 4 runs per over at 135-2 in the 36th over.

Denton returned to tie up the innings, taking a wicket in the process, and Sefton Park ended on 176-3 in the 40 overs. Denton ended on 1-20 off 7 overs of tight bowling. O’Connor taking the other two wickets to end on 2-23 from his 8 overs.

In reply, Denton opened the innings with veteran Derek Grabham who was bowled in the 5th over for a brisk 12. Cameron Sweeney came to the crease and brought his usual fireworks with him, moving to 25 in his first 13 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes. Sweeney reached his 50 off 28 balls with his sixth maximum and his next one took ECAD North past 100 on the first ball of the 14th over. He eventually retired on 82 off only 36 balls with 6 fours and 9 sixes, having put on 104 with Denton off less than 10 overs.

Denton was run out just 3 short of his half-century with 9 fours off 44 balls having shortly before hit 20 off one over.

James O’Connor and debutant keeper, Chris McElroy’s 28 run partnership saw ECAD North safely over the line with plenty of overs to spare.