Strabane Weekly News - Sports - Late starts prove costly as rain interrupts play

Sports

Late starts prove costly as rain interrupts play

Thursday, 15 July 2010

THE North West Cricket Union's persistance of starting matches at 1pm, rather than 12 noon, proved costly on Saturday as all four Senior One matches had to be abandoned due to rain.
The matches that took place in the top flight reached 33, 40, 42 and 45 in overs bowled before the rain came, meaning that none of them had reached the halfway stage and could therefore be continued this week.
An extra hour for each match would have made the difference, but as things stand all four matches have been scrapped and must now be replayed as T20 matches.
In division two there were also four matches on the schedule for Saturday and while two of those reached the halfway stage, with Drummond declaring their innings at Bonds Glen on 206 for six after 45 overs, meaning that their score stands.
In the action that did take place on Saturday in the top flight, Fox Lodge had league leaders, Limavady in some trouble at Ballymagorry before the conditions changed.
The Roesiders were in difficulties on 173 for six after 33 overs and they will certainly need to bat better in the T20 replay which may be played this week.
Having played so well for no reward on Saturday, the 'Foxies' saw their title hopes diminished slightly on Sunday when they fell to a low-scoring eight run defeat to Donemana at the Holm on Sunday.
Bready and Glendermott were to start their replay at 6.30pm yesterday (Tuesday), the hosts having been in a reasonable position when the heavens opened at the weekend. Mark Olphert made 60, Steven Clarke 51 and Ian Young with 36 not out had helped the Magheramason outfit to reach 215 for six with five overs left. Gordon Montgomery and Steven Smyth each picked up two wickets but again their efforts were to be all in vain.
And if they were frustrated then spare a thought for Gareth McKeegan and Junior McBrine as Brigade versus Donemana also fell foul of the elements. McKeegan is a classy player but has been struggling badly for runs this season and was a boundary short of a half century when the players were forced off in that one. By then the home team were 152 for five off 42 overs and considering McKeegan's efforts that looked like the innings had got tied down along the way.
The reason was an opening spell of bowling from McBrine that read seven overs, six maidens, two wickets for one run and although the Donemana stalwart has turned in plenty of stunning perfornances in the past 30 years, that's some achievement to have wiped from the books. Again it looked like the replay was to be played this week.
Eglinton and Coleraine re-scheduled their replay for Sunday and the Villagers will have been left disappointed at falling to a five wicket defeat. Eglinton posted just 90 runs, while Coleraine laboured to victory with only five balls remaining.
Sunday's game between Strabane and St Johnston was postponed because the Intermediate Cup final between Brigade IIs and Bready IIs was carried on to a third day at Strabane Park and the senior game now looks set to be played this weekend.
Senior Two
The encounter between Ardmore and The Nedd will be replayed, while Drummond versus Bonds Glen continues today (Wednesday). Burndennett had managed to bowl Creevedonnell out for 131 with Chris Cooper 27 and Ellis McGarrigle 26 not out top scoring with Mark Roulston claiming four for 30 and Philip Kelly and Dean Mehaffey three wickets apiece for the home side. Burndennett will have fancied their chances of closing out a win when play resumed last (Tuesday) night.
Another side to get an innings in was Ballyspallen. Clive Rodgers' side set Killyclooney a victory target of 200 thanks to 35 from Jamie Miller, 31 from the skipper and 28 from Matt Cassidy, while Mark Gordon with four for 19 from his 10 overs was the pick of the bowling by a long way.