Divisions 1 & 2: review of the weekend 13th - 14th August; preview weekend 20th - 21st August
Last weekend was the first that the disciplinary action against North County took effect. Not only was the Balrothery-based side without the suspended players, but the LCU insisted those players be taken out of the starrings, further weakening North County 2 and hampering their efforts to avoid relegation back to Division 3,
County firsts were at Anglesea Road, won the toss and asked Merrion to set a score. They can't have been too unhappy at a 50-over total of 230, chaseable if three or four batsmen came off. It could have been better, though, Merrion recovering from 43-3 with a century partnership between Damian Poder (47) and John Anderson. Jeff Short lasted one ball, but Rory Allwright scored an unbeaten 31 at better than run a ball to add 78 with Anderson, who finished on 104*. Best bowling figures were from Josh Reeves, with 2/32 off his ten overs. He's learned very quickly, and is a vastly improved bowler from the one who arrived from Christchurch in May.
Another vastly improved bowler is Dom Joyce, and he and Matt Petrie had County at 7-4. John Mooney (30) and Shane Getkate (34) attempted a revival, but the general Fingal problems with slow bowlers were evident as John Anderson (3/2) and David Watkins (2/7) took five of the final six wickets as County crashed to 120 all out in the 36th over. I saw the real Dai Watkins when as a student I spent new year with my girlfriend in Swinton. The New Year's Day rugby league fixture was with local rivals Salford, for whom Watkins played when he “went North”. You didn't have to know anything about either code of Rugby (and I didn't) to know Watkins was a class act.
Could Railway Union take advantage of North County's discomfiture to close ranks at the top of the table? They travelled to the other side of Sandymount Green to play YMCA, a team in the relegation battle. Tom Fisher won the toss and had a hit. He lost Kenny Carroll early on, but he and Conor Mullen then added 136 for the second wicket, when he was stumped for 82. Mullen then added 58 with Trent Johnston (28), and finished unbeaten on 131 out of 314-5. Reinhardt Strydom (47) and Lee Cole (29) gave the home team a good start, but YM slipped to 110-4. Alan Lewis and Sameer Dutt (29) got their side back in the mix, and they stayed there as long as Lewie was batting. He perished four runs short of his ton, caught on the boundary, and YMCA were all out for 286 in the 49th over, a terrific effort.
In the Park, both teams needed to win, Phoenix to begin to climb out of the relegation midden, and Clontarf to avoid falling into it. The visitors won the toss and batted, accumulating 262-9 around 103 from Bill Coghlan, a run-a-ball 36 from Eoghan Delany and a late assault by Ropu Islam (29*). Phoenix kept control with 1/26 from Conor Kelly and 1/33 from Jeremy Bray, but the other bowlers all suffered, although Ryan Gallagher took 4/48. Phoenix lost Bray, Gallagher and Kelly for 56, but Rory Flanagan survived to put on 138 with David Langford-Smith and to give his side every chance of victory. Lanky was bowled by Vijay Gopal for 74, Flanagan caught and bowled by Alex Cusack four runs later for 79, and that was that. The last seven wickets fell for 27, Gopal taking 4/31 and Cusack 4/43.
Another team with relegation worries is Pembroke, and at always bat first (it never gets better) Sydney Parade, they lost the toss and had to field. Mike Baumgart continued his good form with 96 and, assisted by 22 from Daryll Calder, 46 from Max Sorensen and 22 from Naseer Shoukat, got his team to 226-9. Best bowling figures for Pembroke were the 3/40 from Ryan Hopkins. Naseer shot out the 'Broke's top three, Sorensen added a fourth, and 44 from Jono Hickey and 49 from Barry McCarthy were too little, too late as Pembroke were all out for 189 in the 46th over. Naseer finished with 3/36, and Yogesh Kashyap took 3/19.
Merrion are now tied at the top with North County on 61.45%, with Railway Union on 60%. The Hills and Clontarf are above 50%, while Pembroke, Phoenix and YMCA are within 2% of each other in the mid-thirties.
The big match in Division 2 was at Malahide, where Terenure were the visitors. I was in Castle Park to watch this encounter, and I saw Terenure, asked to bat first, race to 70-2 with 24 from Kenny McDonald and 43 from Andre Botha. A few poor shots saw them slip to 96-5, when John Hoey joined Justin Kleyweg. The man from PM-burg played a poor shot to be out for 26, but Hoey battled on for 41. Cheif tormentor of Terenure, not for the first time, was Jimmy Govan (4/16), and Peter Saville bowled well for 3/32. 177 didn't seem enough for victory, and shouldn't have been, especially after an opening stand of 38 inside six overs. But a mixture of good bowling and poor batting saw the Villagers fall six runs short, John Hoey capping a fine match with 4/38.
Up the coast at Kenure, Cork County were the visitors. George Barry's 113, plus 43 from Darren Fogarty, 27 from Matt Reed and 40 from Ernie Extras saw County to 287 all out in the 50th over, not a huge score in Rush. When the Russians were 70-1 (Lionel Jansen 34) the Munster men must have been worried, but their bowlers kept chipping away until Rush collapsed to 125 all out, Barry taking 4/38 and off spinner Fartran Shahid 4/21.
Rush were in action again on Sunday, making the short trip north to Milverton. This time Rush got to 77-1 (Sean Monks 27, Eoghan Conway 24) but then were 78-4. Shahid Iqbal rescued the situation with 83 (six fours, six sixes) with support from Jamie Farrell (19). Rush were all out for 218 in the 44th over in a match reduced to 47 overs by one stoppage. The D/L target was 222, and Double Nelson was never threatened. 32 from Mal Byrne and 24 from Darren Byrne got the Wilberries second string to a gross. Niall Mullen must have been as surprised as anybody when he took 3/23 at the death.
Terenure's win takes them to within five-sixths of a percent of Leinster at the top, and makes it most unlikely that Malahide will be able to gain promotion, even if they win both their remaining matches. Rush, in fourth spot on 60%, are not completely out of the hunt, but need a huge improvement in form. Cork County are probably safe, leaving The Hills hovering a few percent above North County and Old Belvedere, who are currently in the drop zone.
This Saturday, Railway Union have to beat Clontarf at Park Avenue to stay in contention, and I fancy them to do so. Similarly, Merrion must win at Phoenix: so must Phoenix. I'll predict a last hurrah for Phoenix. Up at Milverton, The Hills entertain North County. Those matches are always 50:50, and not even this fool will attempt a prediction. I shall be at Sydney Parade to watch the visit of YMCA to Pembroke, another match both teams must win. Pembroke should edge it, but I won't be surprised if they don't!
In Division 2, Leinster have a double weekend. On Saturday they travel to Cabra to play an Old Belvedere side desperate for a win. Could this be the Rathmines men's banana skin? Quite possibly. Also on Saturday, Cork County have an outing on the magic carpet in Terenure. If 'Plates' Brennan is back from the States, Terenure should win; if not, the Cork boys might tuck in to the 'Nure spinners and score too many runs. On Sunday, Leinster should be too strong for The Hills 2, and both their batsmen and bowlers will appreciate a nice Milverton track. I have an appointment at Inch to pick up my raffle sixth prize. While the Chink helps me put on Niall O'Brien's gloves, I'll watch North County 2 lose to Rush. How am I going to tweet with gloves on?