Muckamore travelled to Uprichard Park on Saturday to play Bangor in the first round of the NCU Gallagher Senior Challenge Cup. Because of the NCU Cup Rules professional Fahad Iqbal wasn’t allowed to play in this game. Bangor won the toss and batting first C Burns and N McCollum opened their innings against Muckamore’s pacemen Neil Gill and Pavan Karthik. A great start for Muckamore when in only his first over Karthik had McCollumcaught behind by wicketkeeper David Miller and in the very next over Burns was dismissed by another Miller catch off a Gill delivery to leave Bangor on 2 runs for 2 wickets in only the third over. The new batsmen were A Nixon and T Khan but they just couldn’t cope with the accurate Muckamore bowling. The score progressed to 8 runs into the 8th over before Nixon was caught by point fielder Sam Gordon off a Karthik delivery. The new batsman was A McCusker and with Khan they struggled to take the score to 19 runs until the latter’s mistimed shot was well caught by point fielder Gordon off new bowler Steve Lazars second delivery. M Grossett now joined McCusker and the score slowly progressed to 39 runs before three more batsmen came and went in the space of four overs without a run being scored. McCusker was bowled by Aditya Adey and Grossett was caught by mid on fielder Karthik off a Lazars delivery and new batsman J Patterson was trapped lbw by Lazars before he had even scored to leave Bangor struggling on 39 runs for 7 wickets in the 26th over. The batsmen at the wicket were M Nixon and R McClarnon and at last a bit of a revival as they took the score to 84 runs into the 43rd over before the former stepped forward to miss a Karthik Rajavelu delivery to be easily stumped by wicketkeeper Miller. J Griffin was the penultimate batsman and with McClarnon they took the score to 100 runs into the 48th over before he was caught by cover fielder Francis Collins off a Karthik delivery. Last man in was G Prince and the score progressed to 105 runs before he was well caught by long on fielder Gordon off a Rajavelu delivery to bring the Bangor innings to an end. Best of the Muckamore bowlers were Pavan Karthik and Steve Lazars who both took 3 wickets for 17 runs and Karthik Rajavelu who took 2 wickets for 19 runs. Muckamore got off the worst possible start after batsman Aditya Adey wasn’t able to score any runs off bowler T Khan first over. Then the other openerDavid Miller had a swing at Grossett’s very first delivery to sky the ball heavenwards and then see it drop into the safe hands of wicketkeeper Griffin to take his little duck back to the pavilion. Jamie Rodgers joined Adey and in the next four overs they took the score to 33 runs before the latter edged a Prince delivery into wicketkeeper Griffin’s hands after scoring 28 runs. Sam Gordon was Rodgers next partner and in the next 15 overs they comfortably scored the 73 runs to clinch this easy 8 wicket victory. Jamie Rodgers finished with 47 runs not out and Sam Gordon finished with 22 runs not out. Robert Latimer representing the Sponsor Gallagher Ltd presented Pavan Karthik with the Gallagher Man of the Match Award after the game. This Friday evening Muckamore are at home to CSNI in a Lagan Valley Steels 20/20 match and on Saturday they travel to Comber to play North Down in their next Robinson’s Services Premier League game.
The Seconds had North Down Seconds as visitors to Moylena on Sunday for their next Junior League 1 game. The visitors batted first and scored 148 runs for 9 wickets in their allocated 40 overs. Their top batsmen were S Scott who scored 31 runs, H Coulter who scored 26 runs and P Shields who scored 22 runs. Best of the Muckamore bowlers were Leslie Allen who took 3 wickets for 10 runs and Pavan Karthik who took 3 wickets for 15 runs. With opener Francis Collins anchoring the Muckamore innings he scored 43 runs before he was caught and bowled by Shields in the 31st over, leaving 40 runs to win in just 9 overs. Luke Allen and Pavan Karthik were the only other batsmen to take their score into double figures and it was disappointingly too much for the remainder to get and they were defeated by 6 runs when the last man in was given out lbw off the first delivery of the final over. In the last few overs of the game no less than three Muckamore batsmen were run out in the desperate push for the runs needed when a little bit of urgency earlier in the innings would have made such a difference. Best of the North Down bowlers were P Shields who took 3 wickets for 29 runs and T Carson who took 2 wickets for 25. This week the team travel to the North West on Sunday to play Fox Lodge Seconds in the first round of the Ulster Plate.
The Thirds entertained Templepatrick Seconds at Moylena in their Junior League match on Saturday. Muckamore batted first and scored 156 runs in their allocated 30 overs. Their top batsmen were Johnny Gordon who scored 54 runs and David Irvine who scored 26 runs. Best of the Templepatrick bowlers were M Hamilton who took 2 wickets for 24 runs, C Munroe who took 2 wickets for 27 runs and S Shepherd who took 2 wickets for 28 runs. In reply Templepatrick could only muster 150 runs to give Muckamore the 6 run victory and their first win of the season. Their top batsmen were S Campbell who scored 44 runs, A McCrea who scored 29 runs and G Lutton who scored 17 runs. Best of the Muckamore bowlers was David Irvine who took 4 wickets for 23 runs. This Saturday the Thirds are at home to Holywood Seconds in their next league match.
The Fourths played Laurelvale Thirds at Moylena on Saturday in the first round of the Minor Cup. The visitors batted first and scored 166 runs for 6 wickets in their allocated 30 overs. Their top batsmen were J Livingstone who scored 65 runs and C Stewart who scored 38 runs. Best of the Muckamore bowlers were T McCloskey who took one wicket for 20 runs and J Kuriakose who took one wicket for 25 runs. On what was a bad day for Muckamore they could only reply with 117 runs for 8 wickets to lose the game by 49 runs. Their top batsmen were Benny George who scored 31 runs and P Kumar who scored 14 runs. Best of the Laurelvale bowlers were J Spiers who took 4 wickets for 22 runs and J Smyth who took 2 wickets for 18 runs. This Saturday the team travel to play Instonians Fourths in their next league match.
The Fifths travelled deep into Co Down to play Dundrum Seconds in their Minor Cup match. Dundrum batted first and scored 104 runs in their allocated 30 overs. Best of the Muckamore bowlers were E Wilson who took 2 wickets for 19 runs and C Stewart who took 2 wickets for 21 runs. Chaita Rane and James Hood opened the innings for Muckamore and went on to score the 105 runs needed to clinch the 10 wicket victory. Chaita was unbeaten with 41 runs and James was unbeaten with 34 runs. The Fifths now face CIYMS Fourths at home on 29thJune in the quarter final. This Saturday they return to Dundrum to play the same team in a Junior league match.
The Sixths couldn’t raise a team to play Larne Seconds in the Minor Cup on Saturday but they travelled to Ballyclare on Sunday to beatTemplepatrick Fourths by 4 wickets in a league match. Templepatrick scored 150 runs in their allocated 30 overs with young bowler Aaron Gill taking 4 wickets for 21 runs. Then Tom Kennedy with 30 runs and Cliff Wilson with 27 runs not out clinched the victory for Muckamore. Next Sunday the Sixths are at home to Cregagh Thirds in their next league match.
The Muckamore Midweek teams return to action this coming Wednesday evening with the A team playing CSNI at Moylena and the B team playing BISC at a venue yet to be agreed.
The Muckamore Bluebelles had Carrickfergus Ladies as the visitors to Moylena on Sunday in the first round of the Gallagher Ladies Senior Cup. The Bluebelles batted first and scored 199 runs for the loss of only 2 wickets in their allocated 20 overs. Their top scorers were Susan Keates who was not out with 83 runs and Amy Caulfield who was not out with 68 runs. Carrickfergus replied to score 47 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in their allocated 20 overs to give the Bluebelles the comprehensive 152 run victory. Sarah Keates took two Carrickfergus wickets for 8 runs. This Sunday the Bluebelles are at home to CSNI Ladies in their next league match.
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