ST HELENS Recs 1st XI travelled to Maghull on Saturday, but it was not their day as they slipped to a six-wicket defeat.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Recs started well and reached 55 before the first wicket fell when Martindale was dismissed for 17.

Lyon (17) continued the good work, along with Andy Ford, to take the score to 80-1.

Then a flurry of wickets, in which Ford was dismissed for a fine 55, left Recs on 92-4.

Wood and Freeman (22) took the score to 135 before Malone crashed a quick 29 off 18 balls.

Unfortunately for captain Wood (28 not out), the Recs' tail could not shine as they were all out for 178 off 51 overs, possibly 20 runs short of the target they would liked to have set.

In reply, Recs' bowling was tight, but the fielding was lacklustre which allowed Maghull to reach 129 before the first wicket fell.

Martindale took 2-30 off 11.4 overs, but the home batsman easily passed the target reaching 179-4 with 10 overs to spare.

The 2nd XI played hosts to Colwyn Bay who won the toss and elected to bat first on a slow wicket. Ball and Atherton bowled superbly to restrict the visitors to 117-9.

But Puddle (69 not out) batted well with the last man as Recs, once again, could not finish off the innings enabling the visitors to post 155-9 from 48 overs.

Atherton finished with 4-53 from 19 overs and Ball with 5-55 from a mammoth 24 overs.

In reply, Critchley (16) and Logan (17) enabled Recs to reach 74-4, but it was opener Ericson, in a return to form, who took the score on to 123-5 before he was out for a fine 50 with five overs remaining.

Captain Huyton was dismissed for 30 chasing the runs, but Recs had to settle for the draw reaching 150-9 from 48 overs.

The 3rd JP XI played hosts to Sefton SM who elected to bat first. Cooper bowled well finishing with 4-44 from 13 overs as Sefton declared on 182-6 from 42.3 overs.

In reply, Recs were always going to struggle but all-rounder Cooper (44) provided resistance with Critchley (16). Wills (19) chipped in with some flashing shots as Recs earned a draw reaching 119-9 from 46 overs.

Recs under 15s played Hindley St Peters and batted first reaching a massive total of 131-1 from 20 overs, the main scorers being Hunter (43) and Foley (61 not out).

In reply, Hindley could only reach 61- 8 off 20 overs with Hughes, 4-4 from two overs and Halliwell 2-11 from three overs the pick of the bowlers as Recs maintained their 100 per cent record in the Wigan league.

The under 13s had a close game in the cup against West Leigh who reached 59-5 from 20 overs, Knowles being the star bowler with 2-15 from four overs.

In an exciting finish, Recs, despite the efforts of Mowatt (21), fell just short of the target reaching 56-9.

This week the 1st XI are at home to Southport on Saturday and away to local rivals St Helens on Monday, the matches being sponsored by A. E. Burrows Newsagents and Ruskin Leisure.