Rainhill CC U18s 127/7 (Lawler 46, Pennington 25, Foulkes 24; Howard 16-4)
Leigh CC U18s 71/8 (Batterley 44; Pennington 3-3, Tyms 13-3, Morrissey 21-2)
On a bright Thursday evening in Leigh, Rainhill Under 18s arrived looking to build on their strong start to the 2025 campaign. Winning the toss, skipper Stevie Pennington opted to bat first, and it proved to be a decisive choice.
The innings began with calm assurance as Nathan Lawler and Stevie Pennington set about constructing a solid platform. The pair ran superbly between the wickets, showing sharp awareness and communication to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking over. Nathan, dropped before he’d scored, made full use of the reprieve to produce a powerful and fluent 46, laced with five boundaries and punctuated by a mighty six launched into the tennis courts. Stevie provided the perfect foil at the other end, striking two crisp boundaries on his way to a composed 25, his touch and timing matched by smart running.
Their opening stand of 58 laid the foundation for a competitive total. As the innings moved into the middle overs, Freddie Foulkes added to the momentum with a lively 24, mixing placement with aggression. The middle order wobbled slightly under pressure from some sharp bowling, but it was the lower order that captured the imagination. Youngsters Ben Shute and Lucas Leigh — both just 12 — stepped up brilliantly when called upon. Ben brought a roar from the Rainhill supporters with two well-timed boundaries, including a thrilling slog sweep over midwicket, while Lucas showed maturity to stay composed, and get off the mark, with both batters finishing unbeaten. With 127 posted on the board, Rainhill left the field with runs, confidence, and pride in their efforts.
When it came time to defend, Rainhill’s bowlers seized the moment. Stevie Pennington was electric with the new ball, delivering a sensational spell of 3-1-3-3. He tore through the top order with pinpoint accuracy and intensity, setting the tone for the defence. At the other end, Jack Tyms was equally destructive — his 4-over spell yielding 3 wickets for just 13 runs. Jack broke the spine of the opposition’s chase with crucial middle-order scalps.
Owen Morrissey added two more wickets, one via a brilliant diving caught-and-bowled. The fielding effort was every bit as committed as the bowling. Ollie Unsworth’s diving catch forward was a standout moment, and Sarah Lawler, just 11, was kept busy — cutting off three certain boundaries and showing bravery going for an overhead catch.
Leigh fought valiantly but were never allowed to settle. Rainhill’s discipline, energy, and togetherness saw them close out the game comfortably, restricting the hosts to 71 for 8, and sealing a second consecutive victory in style.
The blend of experience and youthful exuberance promises much for the season ahead.
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