1sts Cup defeat to Carrick

Donaghcloney dramatically crashed out of the Junior Cup, losing by 19 runs to Carrickfergus II, after a disappointing batting performance (22nd May 2010).

Skipper looking a better performance away to Cooke in the league

Carrick chose to bat first on a sporting wicket. The Cloney’s opening attack, Stevenson and Marshall made early in-roads with wickets apiece and a superb direct hit from Timmy McClure reduced the home team to 35 for 3. Stevie Hanna, brought into the attack early, bowled economically and picked up a couple of wickets thanks to some good glove work from skipper Keith Martin.

Both Timmy McClure and Colin Martin continued to apply pressure and were each rewarded with a wicket. This left Carrick reeling at 102 for 8 but then a Carrick tail-ender launched into the Cloney attack hitting 4 sixes and quickly accumulating 38 runs before he was spectacularly run out with a direct hit from the boundary by Davy Marshall. The final wicket fell almost immediately but Carrick had amassed 156 runs.

In reply, Donacloney got off to a bad start with Colin Hylands edging behind off his first ball. This brought Allen Martin to the crease to join Stevie Hanna. They batted sensibly, but punished any bad bowling, and with a lightning outfield, runs accumulated quickly – the first 50 brought up in the 12^th over.

With the score on 65, Martin unluckily played on to his own wicket having scored 30 runs. Unfortunately, the old cricket adage that one wicket brings two or in the Cloney’s case three, came true with Matthew Lyttle and Colin Martin following immediately, both playing aggressive shots early in their innings.

Davy Marshall came to the crease with the score at 76 for 4 and he and Hanna proceeded to take the Cloney score over the hundred mark. With these two batsmen set and in fine form, it was surely only a matter of batting the overs to score the final 50 runs. With the score on 105, the match turned with a horrendous umpiring decision, Hanna, who had crafted an excellent 47, being adjudged LBW. This sparked another batting collapse with the Cloney losing another 3 wickets in quick succession, leaving them 112 for 8. Timmy McClure joined Marshall and they got the score pushed up to 130 but then McClure gloved a wicked bouncer and was caught behind.  It was up to Marshall to find the remaining runs but he was caught with the score on 137 in the 34^th over.

Skipper, Keith Martin, speaking candidly said “we are playing some good cricket but you can’t score runs if you don’t spend time at the wicket and too many of us didn’t occupy the crease”. He has demanded a better batting performance next week when they travel to Cooke Collegians for a league fixture.