Narrow defeat for 1sts in cup semi-final
Narrow defeat for 1sts in Cup semi-final
The 1sts lost their semi-final Junior Cup tie against Laurelvale by the agonizing margin of just 3 runs in an excellent match at Pollock Park on Saturday. And such are the narrow margins that if a shot off the 2nd last ball of the game by Derek Wilson had cleared the boundary instead of being caught just inside the line, it would have been the home side that would have progressed to the final. But it was not to be and it’s Laurelvale who will meet Lisburn 2nds on 21st August.
It was a different day weatherwise at Pollock Park with rain forcing the players off the field with Laurelvale 17 for 1 wkt and causing the match to be reduced to 35 overs a side. Once again it was the visitor’s opener Malik, who hit an undefeated 196 against Lurgan earlier in the season, who dominated the early batting hitting 82 before being caught out by Peter Hutchinson off Quasam Mohammed. Sinton maintained the momentum for the ‘Vale finishing undefeated on 80 with former Lurgan player Craig Irwin contributing a useful 32. Peter Hutchinson, deputising for the injured Callum Gibson, took 2 wkts for 35 off 6 overs while there was a wicket each for Jack Maxwell, Callum Grieve and Quasam Mohammed.
In reply, Lurgan lost Openers Jack Hutchinson for 3 and Stephen Johnston for 16, but it was Stephen Chambers who was largely responsible for getting the home side so close to the winning line. His excellent 97 no contained 10 fours and a six and he was well supported by Jack Maxwell (35) and Derek Wilson (20) as the home side just fell short of victory.
