SUITED skipper Kyle O’Connor admits he was delighted to see Joey Marshall scorch to a century as Read piled on the runs at the weekend – even though he was kicking himself at not joining his fellow opener in the 100 club.

On a day when the runs flowed in the Houldsworth Solicitors Ribblesdale League, Marshall hit a magnificent 114 as Read piled up a massive 334-8 – the third highest score in the history of the league – against Brinscall with O’Connor himself making a swashbuckling 87 as the pair shared a 160-run opening partership.

On the hottest day of the season, Oswaldtwistle Immanuel batsman Daniel Metcalf was another amateur centurion and O’Connor said: “It was a good day for the batsmen.

“I was really made up for Joey to go and get the ton and he batted really well after I got out. It was a great knock from him and it was good for us to finally put a partnership together for the first time this season.

“But I was kicking myself at getting out. I seem to have the Australian disease of getting out in the 80s – but if I could do that every week I would be pretty happy to be fair.”

Read eventually won by 158 runs as Brinscall closed on 176-7 and while frustrated at not claiming maximum points, O’Connor was happy enough to see his men get back to winning ways after their horror show against Whalley in their last game.

On that day Read slumped to 59 all out and the skipper added: “That’s in the past – but I told all the lads to get out into the middle and spend some time there. I told them that if they did the runs would come.

“It was one of those days and there was no margin for error whatsoever. The wicket was like a road and the outfield was really quick.

“Anything that went past a fielder shot to to the boundary and it wasn’t a day to be fielding first.

“Hopefully now we can kick on from that and we have a big weekend ahead.

“We play Baxenden on Saturday and Padiham on Sunday before playing Prestwich in the Lancashire Cup on Monday.”

The cup is one competition Read want to do well in and the tie with the Lancashire County League outfit at The Heys is one O’Connor is relishing.

“It’s a good competition and one that we want to do well in,” he said.

“You get to go to different grounds and play different teams and that is a good test and we want to go as far as we can.”