FARNWORTH are through to the ECB National Twenty20 area final after beating Liverpool Premier Division league leaders Ormskirk.

The Lavender Road outfit will face Cumbrian side Netherland away next Sunday for a place in the national final.

The original tie was due to be played following the conclusion of the two semi-finals which took place at the weekend, but rain forced the clash to be postponed.

Farnworth were first on the wicket during Sunday’s four-team tournament, held at Monton Sports Club, and were up against group favourites Ormskirk.

Opener Ross Sutton scored a quickfire 31 before Kamran Younas hit nine boundaries to score 53 off 32 balls.

Skipper Simon Booth chipped in with 29 and Danny Higham scored a vital 16 late on as Farnworth posted 149-8.

Andrew Baybutt top scored with 40 in reply, but once Imraz Mirza (2-25) bowled out both openers, Nakash Qamar (3-24) and Sutton (2-16) kept it tight to ensure Ormskirk ended on 121-7.

Skipper Booth said of the win: “We played really well and the wicket probably suited us more than it suited them. It was wet and they are not used to playing on a wicket like that, their home ground is like a road.

“We’re use to weather like that in Bolton so we knew what we needed to do.

“The key to winning Twenty20 matches is to hit boundaries and we have players right the way through our squad that can do that.

“The one thing we didn’t want is the final to be a joke of a game. Because of the rain, we got asked if we wanted a 12-over game but we decided along with Netherfield that 15 overs was the lowest we would go.

“If you take the overs any lower than that then it takes the ability out of the game. We really fancied our chances in the final.”

It turned out to be a perfect weekend for Booth, whose side extended their lead at the top of the Bolton League Premiership Division on Saturday to nine points after second-placed Kearsley lost to Farnworth Social Circle.

“It has been the perfect week really,” he added. “Farnworth Social Circle against Kearsley is always a big game so it was nice for them to do us a favour.

“We have still got to play Kearsley, Social and Walkden. With no disrespect to the other teams if we beat those three we should be fine.

“But who knows in this league, we could lose to Heaton next weekend.”

Result

Farnworth 149-9 Ormskirk 121-7, Farnworth won by 28 runs.