Wins for 1sts, 2nds and Ladies teams
There was a clean sweep of league victories for all three club sides at the weekend with the 1sts having a hard fought 21 run win at Dundrum, the 2nds scoring a comprehensive 9 wicket victory against Lisburn at Wallace Park and the ladies side winning a nail biter at home to North Down by 6 runs.
Batting first at Dundrum, the 1sts got off to a good start with Stephen Johnston continuing his good form hitting five 4’s in the first 5 overs. However Dundrum removed opening partner Jack Hutchinson for 2 and Stephen Chambers (0) in successive deliveries and Johnston himself was out stumped for 43 off McNerlin with the total on 58. Strong middle order partnerships between Callum Gibson (41), Jack Maxwell (33) and Derek Wilson (18) kept the Lurgan run rate consistently around 5 an over and useful runs from Peter Maxwell (14no) at the end of the innings saw the visitors post a total of 194 all out in the 40th over.
An opening 58 run partnership between Hutley and Moag was broken by Callum Gibson when he had Hutley (37) caught behind by Scott Wilson and just 3 runs later an excellent ball from Iqbal Khan clipped the top of the bails to remove Moag for 16. A run out just before the 20 over interval saw Dundrum at 82 for 3 wkts. A tight 8 over spell from Peter Maxwell that claimed 2 wkts, including an excellent caught and bowled saw the home side gradually fall behind the run rate and economic bowling from Adam Johnson, Iqbal Khan and Jack Maxwell over the last 10 overs saw the home side finish on 173 for 9 in the final over. Peter Maxwell took 2 wkts for 13 runs in his 8 overs, Callum Gibson 2 for 35 in 8, Iqbal Khan 2 for 44 in 8, Adam Johnson 1 for 30 in 8 and Jack Maxwell 1 for 47 off 7.3.
At Wallace Park, the 2nds restricted Lisburn 3rds to 85 for 9 wkts in their 20 over a side match. Lurgan’s bowlers kept the pressure on the home side throughout the innings with only two of the home batsmen getting into double figures. Manav Tyagi took 3 wickets for just 10 runs in 3 overs and Quasm Mohammed also took 3 wkts in 3 overs for 18. Adam Johnson claimed the first wicket of the innings conceding only 6 runs in his 4 overs and there was a wicket for skipper Peter Hutchinson whose 3 overs went for 14.
In reply, the only Lurgan wicket to fall was that of Manav Tyagi (4) in the first over. After that, Marvin van Niekirk and John Woods confidently steered the visitors to victory with Marvin undefeated on 38 and John not out on 36, the winning runs coming with 5 overs to spare.
On Saturday the 2nds were awarded a walkover when Donaghadee 2nds were unfortunately unable to field a team to travel to Lurgan.
At Pollock Park, the Ladies edged a 6 run victory in their Premier League clash with North Down. Skipper Chloe Neville won the toss and elected to bat first and Sam Todd and Sophie Hinds got away to a quick start scoring from nearly every ball faced. Sophie was then bowled by Morton for 13 and Emma McMurray joined Sophie in the middle and both continued to keep the run rate at around 5 an over. Emma was then bowled by Dynes for 24 with 20 of those runs coming in boundaries. Sophie Hinds soon completed her second half century against North Down this season before being run out for an excellent 51 and Ellie Hinds was then run out for 11 as the home side set a target of 129 for victory.
Emma McMurray started off the North Down innings in fine form with the ball dismissing Harrison (1) and Morton (0) in her second over. The Lurgan bowlers kept the pressure on the visitor’s batters by taking wickets regularly and it fell to Sam Todd to bowl the final over with North Down needing 13 runs for victory. It was an excellent pressure over bowled by Sam with no boundaries scored and only singles conceded as the Lurgan girls claimed the 4 points. Emma McMurray took 3 wkts for just 13 runs in her 4 overs, Zoe Kilpatrick had 2 for 19 in 4, Cara Rainey 1 for 22 off 4 and Sam Todd took the other wicket to fall, her 4 overs including the vital last one conceding 25 runs.
