Stu argues that the NCU Irish Senior Cup Final doesn't present a changing of the hold in the effectiveness of the regions in Irish club cricket and thanks Leinster clubs everywhere for keeping things a secret!
Rain interfered with last Saturday's Division 1 and 2 matches in the Dublin region. In Section 1, the two matches in Fingal avoided the showers until late afternoon, and achieved results via D/L, while the two matches in Sandymount were washed out before D/L could get into play.
I was in Milverton, where Merrion got to 219-9 off their 50 overs after being put in to bat. The back of the innings was 88 from Dom Joyce, with contributions up top of 28 from John Anderson and in the later middle place of 36 from Rory Allwright. The wickets were shared around, Luke Clinton ending up with 3/37. Darryl Calder and Mike Baumgart got The Hills to 89-1, and when Baumgart was out for 42 they were still way before on D/L. But three wickets were chucked away (Calder 40) to give the Wilberries only just ahead. Then Yogesh (22) fell to a superb catch by Alex Chetkovich to inch Merrion ahead. They stayed there until the rains came, with The Hills 166-6 off 40.4 overs, three behind the D/L par.
Four miles to the southwest at Inch, Pembroke struggled to 94-3 (Ryan Hopkins 22, Stephen Moreton 26). 56 from Jono Hickey lifted the 'Bust to 146-4, but he became the back of six victims for Richie Lawrence as Pembroke subsided to 173 all out in the 46th over. Lawrence's figures were 10-3-27-6. Bill Whaley nipped out Conor Armstrong and Mossie Sheil, but Greg Hay and John Mooney each made 56 to remove North County to 135. John Boy was out off the inaugural chunk of the 25th over exactly as the rain came down, and that was that. County won by 59 runs D/L.
In Claremont Road, rain delayed the beginning of the match, and the Clontarf innings closed after 48 overs with the account on 209/9, Andrew Poynter making 54, Alex Cusack 50, and Yaqoob Ali taking 3/25. No further work was possible. I've very little thought what went on in Park Avenue: I know Phoenix were two down for 40-odd, but the only other hint I possess is a twitch from Trent Johnston bemoaning the fact that Railway never got the opportunity to chase 130-odd. Park Avenue is not a reason that yields up information easily - it's sometimes hard to get out what's going on even when you endure the c and ice and the gale-force easterly wind to be there!
In Part 2, Leinster blew away North County 2 in jig time, taking full points and supping pints long before the weather closed in. Stand-in skipper Anton Scholtz stuck County in and stood at slip as his bowlers did the business. Corie Edwards took 3/13, Will Lennon 3/29 and Peter Byrne 3/11 as County were all out for 74 in 27.2 overs. There were no devils in the Rathmines pitch as the national team raced home for no exit in the 11th over, Zac Curtis making 33* and JP O'Dwyer 35* as Jonesey rested his torn calf muscle.
In what sounds like a near twin in The Mardyke, Cork County made 236-9 in their 50 overs, with 74 from Ross Durity and 58 from Chris Banon. For Malahide, Callum Riches took 3/47. Riches then made 48 and Nick Turner 39 as Malahide scraped home by two wickets in the 49th over. I'm reliably informed that if Cork County don't take a scorecard soon, they'll be docked points, which won't do their cause much good.
In Cabra, The Hills 2 were in a firm stance against Old Belvedere when the rains came. Having bowled Belvo out for 172, they were 51-2, but because 20 overs hadn't been completed, no result was possible. It might have been difficult even if 20 overs were completed, as there was no D/L facility, I'm told. Matches in Terenure are ordinarily more weather-proof than in other locations, but not on this occasion. Rush had set a place which Terenure were near to pursue. That's all I know. Thanks to clubs everywhere for keeping everything a secret. You don't actually want anybody to know what's going on in the top two divisions of LCU cricket, do you? The publicity might put people off.
With Railway unable to effect their expected victory, North County have stayed over 10% clear of the pack, and yet if the Wheeltappers and Shunters win their final four matches, which they should, County would stay ahead with one or maybe two more wins from their final four games. It looks like two from YMCA, Phoenix and Pembroke to go down, although Clontarf are not out of the frame. In Division 2, Leinster are a micro-teeny ahead of Terenure, with Malahide not far behind. Rush are comfortably fourth, and any two from the former four can go down.
On Sunday, Phoenix represented the LCU in the semi-finals of the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup. Missing Jeremy Bray, they made the travel to Shaw's Bridge, Belfast, to play Instonians. An unbeaten fourth wicket partnership of 170 between Conor Kelly (75*) and David Langford-Smith (106*, 67 balls, 8x4, 9x6) wasn't enough to get them into their first final since their win in 1986. Instonians had 3.4 overs to save as they won by eight wickets, Stevenson making 72, Rory McCann 86, James Shannon a 34-ball 60* and Andy White a run-a-ball 30*.
There were apparently no gremlins in the Shaw's Bridge pitch, but there was enough of aid for the bowlers at Beechgrove, where Waringstown battled to 150-9 off their 50 overs thanks to 41 from Jonny Bushe and 25 from Morrison. Johnny Thompson took 4/24. The Brigade achilles heel is their batting - there's nothing after Gareth McKeegan at four unless Johnny T comes off. He didn't. Lee Nelson (3/30), Gary Kidd (2/19) and Simon Harrison (3/25) combined to bowl Brigade out for 123 in the 43rd over.
I extend my sincere congratulations to Instonians and Waringstown for reaching the final. They have been the two best teams in the competition this year, and thoroughly deserve their day out in Comber on the 4th September. May the best team, whichever that is, win. Unfortunately the winner of these two NCU clubs this class has given rise to an eruption of all one-eyed and totally unjustified boosterism from NCU quarters.
Let's get a few facts, although many NCU eejits won't let them get in the way of what they believe is a full story. 2011 will be the 1st time an NCU club has won the Irish Senior Cup since 1995, when North Down beat Bready. It will be the start sentence in 20 years there has been an all-NCU final. 1991 was the 4th all-NCU final in the first ten seasons of the competition. NCU cricket used to be the scoop on the island, but that was 20 days ago.
It is now way can the LCU and still the NWCA in quality. Waringstown and Instonians are the only NCU clubs to win a Bob Kerr match this season: the other eight all lost in the first round proper. The NCU jibe that really tickled me was that the cause for the ten-year LCU dominance prior to this season was the front of "backpackers" in the LCU sides. Who are these "backpackers"?
Trent Johnston? Andre Botha? Naseer Shoukat? Jeremy Bray? David Langford-Smith? Reinhardt Strydom? All long-settled in the Dublin region, all, except Naz, married to local girls. All excellent contributors to Irish cricket in its most successful period ever! I prize that the only NCU experience of one of these "backpackers" is half a temper of Thinus Fourie. Enough said. But what about Peter Connell, Nigel Jones and Eugene Moleon? Are they "backpackers"?
The more I mean nearly the petty-mindedness behind the label, the more laughable it becomes. Hang on! Am I a "backpacker"? I came to Dublin in 1971 for the money and with every intention of moving on inside a few years. In 1975 I virtually did. But I stayed because I liked life here. I probably am a "backpacker", though, because I didn't marry an Irish girl. I brought my own wife with me. Is she a "backpacker's moll"? Are my kids, born in Holles Street, who never lived anywhere else but Ireland, "travellers" or "hitch-hikers"? Give me the force to cope with the total stupidity of the writer of the label!
Away from the delusions of the sick and support to the material world. There's a broad set of fixtures in Section 1 this Saturday. In the Park, Phoenix host Clontarf. I keep expecting Clontarf to start winning, and I keep tipping them: Clontarf to lead Phoenix in the relegation mire. In Sydney Parade, Pembroke entertain The Hills. The Wilberries now can't win anything, nor will they go down. The 'Broke must win: they will. At Anglesea Road, Merrion welcome a Union County side that must surely this week be shorn of their suspended players: Merrion to win.
That leaves the see of Railway Union to Claremont Road. Not just on paper but in the flesh, the Wheeltappers and Shunters must be too hard for YMCA, yes, no? In Part 2 there are just two fixtures. Cork County travel to Kenure, where I see them to love their away day against Rush. I shall be in the Village to see Malahide host Terenure. Each position must win: Malahide will on their own low, slow track where you run off the second foot at your peril.
On Sunday baldstu will tweet his way through through the Near FM all-singing, all-dancing finals of the Twenty20 Alan Murray Cup, held this class in Inch, Balrothery. At eleven, Clontarf and Pembroke contest the first semi final, which I expect 'Tarf to win. At two, Railway Union might find Leinster no push-over. The Rathmines men could easily win this but for their capacity to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. At five, Clontarf will win the final.
Cheers,
Stu.
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