RAINFORD provided the day’s upset in the MI Dental Liverpool Competition Premier Division with a three wicket win at Northern.

Described by skipper Paul Farrar as “a complete team performance” this third win out of five games played in the top flight so far, is perhaps more than anyone at the Jubilee Recreation Ground could have hoped for. “We know how tough it is” said Farrar, “and we will not get carried away but we are a developing team and you never know”.

After electing to bat Northern lost two early wickets to Bokang Mosena and Chris Connolly before Stephen Lucas took a hand with 103 not out. A fine bowling performance by John Dotters (4-82) pegged the hosts back before a declaration on 202-6.

Rainford, in turn, lost an early wicket before Matthew Bailey (24) Saad Khan (36) and Mosena (27) built a platform for a match-winning partnership of 75, taking the score from 106-4 to 180-5 from Dotters (48) clearly revelling in his return to Moor Park, and Paul Farrar (48 not out). With time running out Ravi Mistry decided the matter with three sixes to give Rainford the win.

The 2nd and 3rd X1 games fell victims to the weather.