Local cricket: Paul Horton stars with the ball as Sefton Park overcome Caldy in battle of England internationals

got the better of their tussle with at a sun-kissed Croxteth Drive, on a day to warm the hearts of cricket fans everywhere.

Three England internationals went toe-to-toe, two 15-year-olds gave glimpses of a big future, and one veteran gave an exemplary performance in the art of stand-up wicketkeeping, in both senses.

But the crucial intervention in the clash came from the hosts’ skipper, former Lancashire favourite Paul Horton.

Haroon Khan and visiting captain Mark Wilkie had put on 63 together and Caldy were 113/2, with Park’s 230/6 coming into view.

Horton, deprived of frontline spinner Raheem Kasser by a nasty hand injury suffered the previous week, gave his off-breaks a go and immediately trapped Khan playing around his pad.

Five balls later, Ayan Madhu - a tall, whippy seamer who found bounce others couldn’t - persuaded Wilkie to chip to mid-on, a full-pitched punchline to several overs’ worth of rough stuff.

South African teenager Corne Nel was starting to rebuild, and took Horton for three fours in four balls - but the next delivery beat his forward push and took his bails.

With 94 still needed, half the side gone and 13 overs left, the lower order was left to shut up shop.

But Horton and Madhu continued to make inroads and, when the latter was removed from the attack for bowling two beamers, Huzaifa Zubair ripped out Lloyd Eastham’s stumps, leaving the skipper to claim the last wicket with 4.1 overs to spare.

His 4/32 was more wickets than he’s taken in a season since 2006 - but the important thing was the win.

“We know we’re not blessed with huge amounts of spin bowling at the club at the moment, so I’ve got to provide an option,” Horton said.

“But I’m not really that concerned if I take wickets or score runs,