Gordon Scott
Following a complete washout last weekend a full programme was completed on Saturday which eases the increasingly congested fixture list.
Having suffered their 13th defeat at the hands of League leaders Lurgan at Pollock Park Dundrum will be competing in Section 2 next season. Dismissed cheaply for 46 with veteran spinner Paul Stafford taking 5-13 the visitors were defeated by 8 wickets in the latest of a long line of crushing defeats. Hopefully Jeff Maguire can galvanise the side next season and with improved player availability they can challenge for a swift return to Section 1.
Close behind Lurgan in second place are Downpatrick who won a rain affected game at Seapark where the home side struggled in difficult batting conditions finally totalling 124 all out with Kieran Donnelly best with 47. Having taken 3-27 the visitors professional Amit Patil completed a sound day’s work with 46 in guiding the Down men to a 9 wicket win under D/L target of 96. Dale Mullan also made an important contribution with 44no.
With both these sides due to meet at Strangford Road next Saturday could it be a title decider?
Carrickfergus are also still in the hunt and they enhanced their prospects with a narrow 3 wicket win over Templepatrick at the Cloughan. In another low scoring affair the home side’s 108 all out with Bob Homani best with 31 was almost enough but dogged batting from Ryan Eagleson (25), Indrajeet Kamtekar (24) and skipper Ian Parkhill (20) edged the visitors over the line.
The remaining 4 clubs in the Section are all on 24 points having played each other on Saturday!
Woodvale were the visitors at Queensway but their total of 97 appeared way too short – skipper Michael Irwin top scored with 32 while Mark Stinson took 4-41. In reply Matthew Jennings’s side made hard work of the reply before squeezing home by 2 wickets in an exciting finish. Jonathan Burnside had excellent figures of 5-22.
Finally Bangor entertained Cliftonville at Uprichard Park and gained full points with a comfortable 5 wicket win. The visitors batted first making 134-8 in their 50 overs with Chris Whitten best with 44. In reply Nicky McCollum led the charge with 35 joined by Kuda Samunderu (37no) and Ryan Law (32).
NEXT FIXTURES
Saturday 16 August
Bangor v Templepatrick
Carrickfergus v Holywood
Downpatrick v Lurgan
Dundrum v Derriaghy
Woodvale v Cliftonville
Sunday 17th August
Cliftonville v Templepatrick
P W T L NR/V Pts
Lurgan 13 9 0 4 0 36
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Downpatrick 11 8 0 3 0 32
Carrickfergus 12 8 0 4 0 32
Holywood 11 6 0 5 0 24
Templepatrick 11 6 0 5 0 24
Woodvale 12 6 0 6 0 24
Derriaghy 13 6 0 7 0 24
Bangor 13 6 0 7 0 24
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Cliftonville 13 6 0 7 0 24
Dundrum 13 0 0 13 0 0 R