Southport & Birkdale (66) lost to Formby (141) by 75 runs

Formby’s George Burrows took 5/25 in a fearsome spell of fast bowling to earn his side their first win of the season. 

Fired up on a chilly, grey afternoon, Burrows’ maiden Comp five-for made the visitors’ 141 seem like a mountain rather than the molehill they feared at the interval.

After Junaid Farooq made the first breakthrough by having Jack Stanley held at cover, Burrows didn’t give the batters anything. 

Basil Sultan dragged on, Chris Firth chipped a leading edge to a diving Ian Souness at mid-off, and David Snellgrove and Alex Halsall fell in the same over to a catch behind and a full, straight LBW. 

When Bobby Wincer flashed one to a diving Ryan Brown behind the stumps, S&B were still 110 behind and seven down. 

There was a rally, of sorts, in the form of a 35-run stand between Harvey Walker and Angus Gailey. But Ian Souness struck twice in an over, and Archie Davies bowled Gailey to wrap up a 75-run win.

The first half had belonged to Wincer, who followed last week’s seven-wicket haul with 6/51.

Four of Formby’s top order passed 20 but none made more than Brown’s 36, and wickets fell regularly to the nagging spin of Wincer and Chris Firth.

Brown played smartly to prolong the innings until 3pm; half an hour later, it was Burrows’ turn.