A POWERFUL Ormskirk side were crowned ECB Area National Club Twenty20 champions after dispatching Netherfield in a rain-affected final at Parkside Road.

Gavin Griffiths and Matyn Farrell wreaked havoc for the visitors as the home side reached 75-8 in the 18th over before the weather brought their innings to a premature end.

Set a revised target, Ormskirk comfortably chased down their total with almost half their allocated overs remaining to move into next weekend’s regional finals.

After winning the toss and deciding to bat first, left-hander Craig Walmsley started with a bang, straight driving former Lancashire 2nd XI bowler Nick Caunce to the boundary fence.

However, the 24-year-old paceman was not to be denied and had Brown caught behind by a diving Gary Knight for a duck, leaving the hosts 5-1 after the first over.

John Huck was next in and together with Walmsley looked to add some impetus, hitting Caunce to the ropes three times in his second over although the visitors soon seized the initiative.

Walmsley had moved onto 15, a score which proved to be the highest of the innings, before falling to Griffiths after holing out to former Leyland all-rounder Liam Hurt at deep cover.

Griffiths, who went on to claim 2-8 from three overs, has a burgeoning reputation after signing a professional contract with Lancashire during the winter.

He also represented England under-19s in South Africa earlier this year and had Netherfield staring down the barrel at 32-3 in the sixth over, with Barrow caught behind for two.

Hurt came to the party and cleaned bowled Huck for 11 in his first over, before Greg Hall was stumped by Knight off Farrell.

The left-arm spinner also claimed the wicket of Chris Parry following a brilliant catch from Knight after the ball ricocheted off the batsman’s helmet.

Farrell finished with impressive figures of 3-11 from his four overs after seeing off Brad Earl, who was also caught by Hurt, with Netherfield reeling on 63-7 in the 13th over.

The Netherfield lower-order managed to move the score on to 75 before skipper Ian Robinson and Jamie Barnes accounted for Shane Dixon and Scott Clement respectively.

A downpour meant the hosts were unable to complete their 20 overs, with their innings suspended after 17.2 overs, meaning Ormskirk were set 58 to win from 14 overs.

And the Liverpool and District Competition club, who had seen off Rochdale by 12 runs in their semi-final, made light work of their run chase, finishing on 63-1 off 7.3 overs.

Robinson and Matthew Galyzer opened the batting with the former driving Chambers for four first ball and followed that up with a further boundary through fine leg.

The pair put on 41 for the opening stand before Robinson picked out Barrow at mid-on in the fifth over to depart for 13.

Clement returned figures of 1-17 off three overs, as Glayzer and Hurt ensured Ormskirk reached their target with few alarms, finishing on 25 and 21 not out respectively.

Hurt finished proceedings with a six off Greg Hall, as Ormskirk remain in the hunt for finals day at The Oval next month.