RAINHILL CC made mincemeat of Tranmere Victoria at Victoria Terrace on Saturday to extend their lead at the top of Division Two of the Bromborough Paints Merseyside Competition.

The visitors won the toss and paid the price for batting first. Rainhill's Paul Robinson was in devastating form taking 5-17 runs off 13 overs.Just as good was under 15s Captain Matthew Dooling. His brilliant leg break bowlingproduced 4 -8 runs! Nick Chapman was the other wicket taker. Extras were 2nd highest score at 11 as Tranmere Vics were bowled out for 49.

In reply Captain Mike Rotheram was equally ruthless in scoring an unbeaten 41 including six fours in only 21 balls. The winning runs were made in only the sixth over for Rainhill to win by nine wickets.

The 2nd XI travelled to Tranmere Victoria and made 55 for the first wicket with Dave Hawkins scoring 30. When he was bowled, Ken Boldtook over to compile 67, including eight fours in two hours 25 minutes. This brought in-form Ian Kelly to the crease and he powered the ball all round the park, hitting 10 fours to set up the declaration at 160-2 from 41 overs.

During the break it rained but cleared to let the home side have a bat. They scored 27 without loss off eight overs when both captains agreed to call it a day.

The Sunday XI were lucky to have a game after Hale were unable to raise a team because of injuries and holidays. But thanks to a last minute phone-call a game was arranged with Stretford CC in South Manchester. After getting three hard-earned wickets for only 44 runs, Rainhill thought their luck was in. But it took a turn for the worse as J. Aldred decided to hit out, blasting a total of 11 sixes and five fours (with his second 50 coming in only 20 balls) to retire on 101. Not being outdone, M. Kelly also had a go and was unbeaten on 66, enabling Stretford to amass a total of 217-4 declared off only 32 overs.

Colin Gannon was Rainhill's star bowler with 2-35,while Liam Yate took a catch off the- for 34.

After an excellent tea, Rainhill Sunday XI started steadily enough but then lost two quick wickets for 15. Mark Candeland took the total to 45, scoring 30 of them. Inevitably there was a middle order collapse, but last minute recruit and intended scorer, David Crossley came to the rescue, doing Rainhill proud in scoring a brilliant undefeated 26 off only 37 balls. He was ably supportedby Colin Gannon, whose well-crafted 16contributed well to the biggest partnership of the innings, which took the score from 49-7 to 100 . After this partnership was broken, the final two wickets fell in three balls, so that with only one over left Rainhill were all out for 100.