1sts remain unbeaten
The 1st XI continued their good start to the season with a 7 wicket win at home to Downpatrick in the Lagan Valley T20 Shield while the 2nds lost heavily in the Minor Cup at North Down.
At Pollock Park, the town’s bowlers kept a stranglehold on the Downpatrick batsmen throughout their innings. Iqbal Khan got the breakthrough in the third over having Carson caught by Jack Harrison for 3. Adam Johnson removed his opening partner Paul Tate in the next over and for the remainder of the innings the Lurgan bowlers were in charge. Hutton top scored for the visitors with 30 and at the end of 20 overs Downpatrick had scored 95 for 7 wkts. Peter Maxwell lead the bowling stats with 3 wkts for 11 runs in his 4 overs, Quasam Mohammed took 2 for 18 in 3, Adam Johnson had 1 for 9 in 4 and Iqbal Khan 1 for 24 in 4.
In reply it was Stephen Johnston who dominated the early part of the Lurgan innings with Jack Hutchinson in support. Johnston had made 32 including a huge 6 on to the clubhouse roof when a repeat attempt saw him caught out right on the line with the total on 46. However a 4th wicket partnership of 50 between Stephen Chambers (17no) and Callum Gibson saw the home side to victory with 23 balls to spare, Gibson’s 37no including 2 sixes and 5 fours.
There was no such joy for the 2nds however as they crashed out at North Down in the Minor Cup by 10 wkts. Batting first the visitors made 67 for 8 wkts in their 20 overs, with top scorer Fraser Cunningham hitting 21. However it was never going to be enough and the home side’s openers passed the Lurgan total to record a 10 wicket win.
For the second week running the ladies game was called off, this time the match at Waringstown being the victim of heavy rain.
