It’s been a really positive start. But we’re aware there’s a few tough games coming up

James Cole, Northern captain

Northern’s start to the Love Lane Liverpool Competition season has almost been too perfect. 

So skipper James Cole (above, keeping wicket) can’t wait to see how his side react to their toughest test so far, when champions Wallasey come to Moor Park.

Against both Wigan and Rainhill – two sides who are struggling to get going – Northern batted first, made exactly 220, declared and bowled themselves to victory.

Their marquee signing, opening batter Tyler McGladdery, made a century on debut and 79 against his former club – there have also been runs for Chris Laker and Liam Grey, and wickets for spinner Tom Sephton and Aussie seamer Alex Vincent.

It’s gone like a dream – but Cole is ready for a wake-up call.

He said: “It’s been a really positive start. But we’re aware there’s a few tough games coming up – Wallasey this week, Ormskirk the week after – so there’s more challenges ahead.

“Wallasey are a dangerous side, packed full of really good cricketers who are used to winning.

“It’s always one of the harder games of the season. They’ve got 11 fellas who can all win games.”

The Wirral side’s biggest match-winner is Indian left-arm spinner Sumit Ruikar, who is nursing a shoulder injury. 

He missed the opening day defeat at Ormskirk altogether, and couldn’t bowl as his teammates eked out a win against Formby last Saturday.

Captain Greg Beaver can’t wait to have him back fully fit – but he’s encouraged to see his side rising to the occasion without him.

It’s been a family affair so far – one Beaver brother, Andy, has taken five-fors in both games so far; another, Dan (above, batting), is primarily an opening batter but chipped in with the crucial wickets of Sam Oldham and Ian Cockbain last weekend when they looked well set to bat Formby to victory.

Greg himself had already made 71 to rescue the side from 91/5 – having stared down the barrel of two defeats in two, now they’ve got some positivity to take into another tough challenge.

He said: “Overall, I’ve been delighted with the start from the guys.

“In week one, we played near enough the perfect game in the first inning to restrict a side like Ormskirk to 120-odd, especially without Rui.

“But it wasn’t a great wicket to be batting on, and unfortunately that showed on the day.

“It was a shame but there were lots of positives.

“Then on Saturday, it was great to be able to finish off the job and get a win under the belt to get us going in the season.”

We know we’re good enough to beat anyone on our day, so as long as we go out there and perform to our best then we’ve got a sniff

Greg Beaver, Wallasey captain

Coming back from adversity wasn’t something Wallasey had to do much last season. Their games mostly followed a pattern of big runs – usually from Jamie Crawley and Dan Beaver, both yet to hit their straps – followed by reliable wickets from Ruikar.

But like Cole, Beaver knows it won’t always work like that. 

He said: “It’s important that us lads who are coming in further down the order muck in.

“They did a lot for us last year – so when it doesn’t happen for them, we need to help them out.

“As well as Dan and Jamie did last year, it’s not all going to go our way this year.”

With games to follow against Southport & Birkdale and Colwyn Bay followed by the May Bank Holiday clash with New Brighton, Beaver is determined to see his side come out of a tough opening period with some momentum.

He added: “It’s a pretty tough start in the first three games, but you’ve got to play them all regardless.

“We know we’re good enough to beat anyone on our day, so as long as we go out there and perform to our best then we’ve got a sniff.

“We’re under no illusions about how tough it’s going to be on Saturday – at the same time, I’m sure they know what a game they’ve got on their hands.

“It’s set up for a great game.”

Last season’s encounters both ended in draws, each edged by the home side. Sephton and Ruikar traded blows in a low-scorer at the Oval, before the visitors closed out eight down; Laker’s century put Northern in the box seat at Moor Park, in a game which could have wrapped up the title for Wallasey.

Cole hopes a game-changer like McGladdery will be enough to tilt the scales in his side’s favour.

He said: “Tyler has played two contrasting innings over the first two weeks. 

“In the first week, he gritted out 100 and probably wasn’t at his fluent best – then at Rainhill, he was really aggressive, put his foot down and really showed his class.

“So in two innings, we’ve seen two Tylers. He’s a fantastic cricketer – he’s actually probably better than I thought he was.

“We’re not naive enough to think we’re going to win every game of the season. 

“But we’ve got that many good players, where if we play well, we will win a lot of games of cricket.”