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MUCKAMORE 1st XI v CLIFTONVILLE 1st XI
With all the opposition falling away this Muckamore team held firm to win their penultimate match against Cliftonville and clinch the Ulster Bank Senior 1 Championship by a convincing 94 run margin. A truly remarkable feat as they had to play most of their matches away from home, only being able to return to Moylena on the 7th August after a major ground improvement scheme had been approved and handed back by the consultants.
In unsure weather conditions Captain Andy McCulloch won the toss and deciding to bat first sent Brian Dunlop and Jason Van Der Merwe in to open the innings. They steadily took the score to 34 runs into the 8th over before Van Der Merwe mistimed his shot and was easily caught by mid off fielder Turkington off a McCully delivery. Bryan Baguley joined Dunlop and they only added another 12 runs before the latter was disappointingly given out to an lbw decision when it was clearly obvious that the ball had hit the bat first. Indrajeet Kamtekar was the new batsman, who despite being unwell bravely decided to play, but it was no surprise when, three overs later, he was bowled by Munn after scoring 12 runs. Ralph Coetzee was Baguley’s new partner and against the accurate bowling of Munn and Menaul the steadily took the score to 97 runs into the 24th over before the latter was bowled by Munn after scoring a useful 24 runs.
Craig Drummond was next but the exuberant Munn bamboozled and bowled him three deliveries later to leave Muckamore struggling at 97 runs for 5 wickets at the drinks break. Neil Gill was Coetzee’s third partner and he sensibly played the secondary role as he helped Ralph though his half century as they took the score to 205 runs into the 47th over before he holed out to long on fielder Menaul for a valuable 29 runs. Johnny Kennedy faced six deliveries before he was bowled by McFadden and David Cardwell was bowled by Von Below for a duck leaving Aiden Howe to score 4 runs and see out the overs with Coetzee who finished on 88 runs not out to give Muckamore a final total of 232 runs. P Von Below (3 wkts for 32 runs) and D Munn (3 wkts for 48 runs0 were Cliftonville’s best bowlers.
Cahill and Munn opened the Cliftonville batting and the score raced to 70 runs as they saw off opening bowlers Drummond and Cardwell. With McCulloch and Kamtekar now the new bowlers, Munn set off for a second run after playing a McCulloch delivery towards mid on but he was left stranded when Gill’s return throw hit the stumps and Cliftonville had lost their first wicket. The new batsman was Cliftonville’s dangerous free scoring professional David Schyzol but the fired up McCulloch claimed his wicket four deliveries later when he deflected the ball on to his stumps before he had scored a run. Turkington joined Cahill and they took the score to 94 runs into the 26th over until he played a Coetzee delivery to deep mid wicket and going for a second run a lightning fast accurate return throw from Van Der Merwe left him well short of the safety of the crease. Menaul was Cahill’s fourth partner and they took the score to 111 runs before the latter’s big hit off a Coetzee delivery was well caught by long on fielder Kamtekar to bring his solid 56 run innings to an end. McCully joined Menaul and another 7 runs were slowly added in 4 overs before the latter was trapped lbw by Coetzee. Latham was next and the score progressed to 128 runs into the 38th over before he top edged a Kamtekar delivery to be easily caught by Dunlop. South African Van Below was Menaul’s new partner but two overs later Baguley took a good high dropping catch off a Coetzee delivery to dismiss the latter for 18 runs. Aston was the new batsman but he lost his partner Von Below in the next over when McCulloch took a good catch at mid on off a Kamtekar delivery. Now on 132 runs for 8 wickets Gill replaced Kamtekar for the 43rd over and off his 5th delivery he bowled Hawthorne for a duck. Coetzee, easily the best Muckamore bowler, claimed his fifth wicket of the match when he bowled Aston in the next over to give his team a convincing 94 run victory. This week Muckamore play their last match of the season when they entertain Woodvale at Moylena
CSNI 2nd XI v MUCKAMORE 2nd XI
The Seconds travelled to Stormont on Saturday to play bottom of the table CSNI Seconds in the first of five remaining matches to try and beat Ballymena Seconds or Bangor Seconds to avoid being relegated. The home team batted first and scored 171 runs for 9 wickets. C McMorran with 33 runs and R Morrow with 27 runs not out were their best batsmen. Nial McCullough took 5 wickets for 41 runs to be Muckamore’s best bowler. Muckamore could only reply with 148 runs to lose by 23 runs. Richard Van Der Mere top scored with 44 runs. R Black took 3 wickets for 24 runs to be the best CSNI bowler.
MUCKAMORE 2nd XI v WARINGSTOWN 2nd XI
The Seconds entertained League leaders Waringstown Seconds at Moylena on Sunday, seeking that victory that would give them the chance to avoid relegation. Muckamore batted first and were all out for the lowly total of 95 runs. M Allen took 4 wickets for 20 runs to be Waringstown’s best bowler. Despite a very spirited fight Muckamore just hadn’t scored enough runs and in the end lost by 3 wickets. A Mitchell top scored for Waringstown with 25 runs. Trevor Neill took 2 wickets for 24 runs and Andy McCulloch took 2 wickets for 27 runs to be Muckamore’s best bowlers. With home matches against Lisburn Seconds and Carrick Seconds and an away game at Waringstown Seconds, Muckamore must now win at least two of these matches to have any chance of avoiding regelation.
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