Birkenhead Park's 1st team made it a hat-trick of successes over this weekend as they overcame Division Two side Spring View in a closely-fought game.

Having already beaten Sefton Park in the National T20 on Friday and Rainhill in the league on Saturday, Chris Stenhouse's team produced another exceptional all-round performance to secure their place in the last eight of the Ray Digman Knockout.

Missing the services of several 1st team regulars, Stenhouse took it upon himself to open the batting with usual opener Chris Bellis as the pair put on 52 for the first wicket. The Park skipper eventually departed for 26 when his shot was well caught at deep gully off the bowling of Declan Mulvey.

Bellis (with a cautious 35) and Khalid Wahbi (20) kept the score ticking though the introduction of spin caused a few problems as both batsmen fell to the bowling of Iain Critchley and View skipper Ryan Broad.

Craig Reid (41 not out) and Adam Liu (24) showed solid understanding for the most part as they put on 42 only for a bizarre run out to end the latter's stay at the crease.

Jon Crofton (13) and a quickfire 16 off eight balls from Aussie Matt Smith provided able support to Reid's unbeaten 41 as Park finished up on 191 for 7.
The visitor's reply started well with a couple of slick boundaries but Alex Harris (playing his first game for the 1s since last season's title-winning match at Wigan) bowled a fine delivery to dismiss Lewis Matthews.

Alexander Dean and Critchley then forged a 32 run partnership to frustrate the hosts only for Stenhouse to end proceedings with an LBW scalp.

But like the Park innings, spin would prove pivotal for the remainder of the match as Matt Smith began his spell with the key wicket of Dean (32) who skied his shot to Harris.

Smith had bowled exquisitely the day before and was continuing to find his rhythm as he then claimed the quick dismissals of Marc Birch (caught superbly by the ever-reliable Adam Liu) and David Gornall to put Park on top.

The visitors refused to bow down easily as Mulvey's vicious knock of 37 (inc. three sixes) offered some hope. However Smith kept troubling the batsmen as he nabbed his fourth victim via another catch from Liu. The much-deserved fifth wicket finally came his way when Mulvey tried to go big with his shot only to be caught sharply again by Harris. It was another fantastic performance from the young Aussie who finished up with nine wickets from two games over the course of this successful weekend.

At the other end, part-time bowler Bellis helped himself to two dismissals of his own via a stumping and a catch as the Bolton-based side faltered to 129 for 9.

Some late resistance did come from the experienced Phil Matthews as his 29 threatened to make things a little awkward for the hosts. Fortunately, the win was secured when Matthews smacked Wahbi's delivery towards the boundary only to be calmly caught by Reid as Park celebrated a deserving 42 run win.

Given the fact they were missing some key players, this was a crucial result for Stenhouse's team particularly with young lads like Steve Hird and debutant Rob Stirrup playing a useful role in the game as well.

Park now await their quarter final opponents with the choices being one out of Bootle, Leigh, New Brighton, Northern (all Premier League), Orrell Red Triangle, Rainford (both Division One) or Caldy (Division Two).