THERE were mixed fortunes for the district's cricket clubs in 2004 leaving all of them with something to prove in 2005.

St Helens Recs overcame pre-season upheaval to finish a very worthy fourth in the Liverpool Competition first division with New Zealander Mark Orchard leading the way with bat and ball.

His 833 runs and 78 wickets was matched with fine batting performances from Steve Garvey (360) and Ian Huyton (308).

Significantly Garvey and Gary Freeman both bagged over 50 wickets apiece to help the Ruskin Drive outfit achieve their lofty finishing position.

Newton-le-Willows (8th) and St Helens (10th) both won eight games and both clubs will believe that they can improve this year.

Indian test star SS Das topped the Divisional batting table with a massive 1269 runs for Newton while Dave Barlow (526) and Ian Lyon (318) provided effective support.

Top man with the ball was Ikram-ul-haq-Malik with 65 wickets while Peter Appleton had another good season capturing 49 wickets at an average of just 13.

Paceman Sanjay Pandey, now in his third year at Windleshaw Road, again fired St Helens to a number of their successes finishing with 86 wickets and scoring 462 runs.

Ian Lawless top-scored with 562 and there were valuable contributions from Ian Moncrieff (349), Craig Horabin (448) and Darren Tyms (458).

Haydock struggled all season and despite West Indian Mario Ventura's 801 runs failed to win a single game and were relegated from the Liverpool Competition. Scott Pickavance (352) and Craig Gardener (303) achieved respectable totals and Paul Roberts bowled well claiming 21 wickets.

Haydock drop down to the Merseyside and Southport Cricket Alliance where Rainhill and Rainford await them in the first division.

Mike Rotheram's men from Rainhill finished third in 2004, after being champions the previous year.

The runs were shared between Jim Titmuss ( 541), Rehan Rafique (533), Paul Ford (479) and Rotherham (401).

Leading wicket-taker Steve Jordan (51 wickets) has transferred to Sutton leaving a big gap to be filled in 2005.

Rainford finished 5th after being led by inspirational skipper Dave Tully to a blistering finish, winning five of their last seven games.

Opener Steve Meredith top-scored with 605 runs, and was well supported by Michael Lambert (395) and Shannon Fitzgerald (332). Young Lambert also topped the Rainford wicket table with 37 victims.

Sutton, meanwhile, had a disappointing season finishing bottom of Division 1.

Overseas man Milind Tamhane, destined for Rainford in 2005, delivered 828 runs and 25 wickets and although Mike Rimmer passed the 500 run mark and Mark Reynolds had a good season with 34 wickets it was not enough to save them from Division 2.

Prescot and Odyssey pass them on their way to Division 1 after finishing second to Liverpool Nalgo in Division 2.

Skilfully led by skipper Iain Handley (36 wickets) they were heavily reliant on popular Indian Pravin Tambe averaging 97.36 with the bat, scoring 1071 runs and taking 87 wickets.