Formby travelled to Wavertree CC on Sunday 7th September for the final of the Merseyside Youth Cricket League U15 Echo Cup.

Formby were in the final against Wavertree after topping a group which included Bootle, Maghull, Ainsdale and Rainhill. This is the second year that Formby have entered the competition and it was a great achievement for the lads to reach the final.

Formby captain Daniel McCann won the toss and decided to bat, hoping to get runs on the board and put pressure on Wavertree when it came to their innings.

Wavertree bowled well from the start with only 13 runs coming from the first 5 overs and taking the wicket of Formby’s Jake Eastwood. Ben Aitchison came to the crease for Formby and formed a superb partnership of 130 with Jackson Cockbain, ending when Ben was bowled by Hitchen on 99.

Jackson Cockbain and Ollie Sutton then added a further 46 runs before Jackson was run out on 42 with the score on 187 in the 37th over. Two runs later Ollie was caught off the bowling of Wyman on 25.

With just two overs remaining the remaining Formby batsmen threw caution to the wind and lost 4 wickets in 9 balls for 7 runs. Formby finished on 201 for 8 from their 40 overs, a great total but one they knew they would have to work hard to defend. Jones (3 for 29), Wyman (2 for 29) and Hitchen (2 for 49) were the pick of the Wavertree bowlers.

After an excellent tea it was Wavertree’s turn to bat. O’Brien and Daulby would face Formby’s opening attack of Eastwood and Sutton. Sutton struck first in the 3rd over, Daulby edging to gully where Ben Aitchison took a great catch.

O’Brien and Gill then formed a useful partnership for Wavertree, scoring steadily and helped by the alarming number of extras that Formby were conceding. Gill was finally bowled by Daniel McCann and then Bennett was run out by Aitchison.

Formby needed to reduce the number of extras and captain Daniel McCann brought on Cockbain and Powell who did just that.
O’Brien finally succumbed to Cockbain in the 25th over with Wavertree on 96.

Profitt and Jones added runs but were bowled by Powell and Eastwood. Wavertree were on 135 with just 6 overs remaining. Another wicket for Eastwood (caught by McCann) and two wickets for Will Carrigan (one caught by Aitchison) stopped Wavertree from building any momentum and the innings finally ended with them on 158 for 9, Formby winning the cup by 43 runs.

It had been a great game of cricket between two very good sides and played in a great spirit throughout. Wavertree were fantastic hosts and it really was a great day, a real advert for local junior cricket. Thanks go to the league, both clubs, coaches, umpires, spectators and most of all the two teams.

Man of the match for Formby was Ben Aitchison for his 99 runs, two catches and a run out. It was a shame he couldn’t get his maiden century but the 99 puts him over 1,000 runs for Formby this season so a great achievement.