Playing each other for the first time since 1995, the two sides went head-to-head in a match that was originally predicted to be rain-affected. The hosts were looking to put on a better performance than they did against the Premier League champions Northern a couple of weeks earlier.

Park were inserted to bat by the visitors and this gave openers Chris Bellis and Mike Barnes the chance to finally get some time in the crease and not be pressured into chasing a score.

For an hour or so, the pair resisted the deliveries of versatile bowlers like Gavin Griffiths, Nicky Caunce and Liam Hurt and did well to put on a shrewd opening partnership of 70.

But after a frustrating start, the visitors were to eventually profit from the immaculate bowling of their new West Indian pro Dane Currency.

The left-arm Barbados man was to prove just why he was a reliable stand-in for the absent Lancashire/England man Simon Kerrigan as he claimed the breakthrough wicket of Bellis (34) via a stumping.

Two balls later, Barnes (29) also fell as he was caught behind off Currency to take the initiative back to the visitors.

Left-hander Chris Davies resisted pressure from the pro and was to hold the innings together but Khalid Wahbi struggled at the other end as he was also stumped.

Adrian Kinsey provided a brief fightback with a quickfire 13 (including a six) before becoming Currency's fourth victim as his shot was brilliantly caught on the boundary by Hurt.

Several balls later, the West Indian clinched his five wicket haul after trapping Adam Liu LBW to leave the hosts at 121 for 5.

Robbie Houghton attempted to quicken the run rate only to be caught and was then followed swiftly by Matt Smith who fell for a first ball duck as Currency celebrated his seventh dismissal.

Fortunately for Park, Davies looked in fine form as he went on to make a majestic 56no which included two sixes. The hosts eventually settled on a convincing 179 for 7.

Despite some halted spells because of the rain, the match continued on as the visitors came out to bat.

Openers John Armstrong and Andrew Baybutt took their time before they eventually went after Park's bowlers.

The former proceeded to smash a couple of emphatic boundaries while the latter played some crisp shots to get Ormskirk past the fifty mark.

Skipper Chris Stenhouse finally made the breakthrough as he trapped Baybutt LBW for 28 to give his team a bit of momentum which would unfortunately be all-too brief.

Armstrong and his captain Ian Robinson were to overcome the usually-effective bowling of Stenhouse and Houghton as they took the pair on with brunt force.

A couple of excellent sixes showed the true quality of the visitor's batting attack with Armstrong getting to his half-century.

Although rain paused things for a bit, Ormskirk were determined to chase the score down as the two batsmen continued to reign havoc with some eye-catching sweep shots.

The introduction of Smith only made things worse for Park as the Aussie's bowling figures took a hammering as the visitors closed on victory.

Robinson eventually made it to 50 but it was his teammate who wrapped up a very convincing nine wicket win as he smashed a four towards the boundary to finish unbeaten on 95.

Home matches are certainly not good for Park at the moment....

2nd XI Report

Scorecard

The 2s didn't have much luck either against Ormskirk as they brushed aside by eight wickets.

The top order struggled against a sharp bowling attack as they were restricted to 49 for 4 which included the dismissal of in-form batsman Jon Crofton for 10.

They did rally back thanks to a useful 48 run partnership between Tom Steele (36) and late call-up Dale Taylor (12) but that was to be ended by a familiar face....

Having spent many good years with Birkenhead Park, Mike Quinn was to make a crucial impact on the game as the tall fast bowler dispatched Steele and Taylor before getting former skipper Mark Evans and David Smith out cheaply.

Chris Smith, who had taken two wickets earlier in the innings, was to nab a further two dismissals as he and Quinn shared eight scalps to restrict Park to a paltry 118 all out.

Ben McGuinness made an early breakthrough to dismiss Ormskirk skipper Shaun Brocken cheaply but it proved to be a frustrating struggle for Evans and his team as Jonathan Glayzer's unbeaten 56 and useful 20s from James Illingworth and Owen Griffiths led the hosts to an emphatic win.

3rd XI Report

Scorecard

The 3s were the third Park side to suffer a bad day as they were swept aside by Merseyside Cricket and Cultural Club at the Oval.

They initially started well when Sam Wicks tore into their top order. The hosts then battled back thanks to a useful partnership from Sanjay Bala (37) and Dhvanli Kaira (32) as they got past the 100 mark.

Their innings was then improved drastically by Razi Khan as the number seven batsman smashed a brilliant 66 (four 4s and four 6s) to help his team get to 184 all out.

Dave Wightman cleaned up the lower order to finish with four wickets.

Steve Hird got Park off to a good start in reply as he made 36. However, it was former Birkenhead St Marys player Fildus Vincent who had the last laugh as he ripped through Park's batsmen as they collapsed to 78 all out.

Hird was the only batsman to reach double figures as Vincent finished up with an excellent five wicket haul.

4rd XI Report

Scorecard

There was some consolation for Park as their fourth team breezed to a storming 112 run win over Northern on Cannon Hill.

Veteran Andy Hurworth set the ball rolling with a crisp 24 but it was young Alex Harris who took the glory as he made a supreme 118 (inc. 18 fours and 3 sixes) to help the 4s reach a commanding score of 226 for 4. Neil Winchester (22) and Ramsey Morsy (27no) also contributed to the hefty total.

Imran Mann gave the visitors early momentum with a well-struck 40 but his fellow batsmen struggled against Park's mixed bowling attack.

Rob Stirrup kept up his promising start to the season with three wickets while Morsy and skipper Ken Crofton nabbed two dismissals each as Northern were bowled out for 114.