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Review of Divisions 3 & 4: week 25th - 30th June

Two of the Storm Cricket Trophy quarter final matches were resolved in the  recent week.  On Sunday Civil Service travelled to Claremont Road to play a 50 match against YMCA 2.  The home team batted first, and 'keeper Travis Partridge held the innings together with an unbeaten 110, putting on a hundred for the sixth wicket with David Robinson (38).  Service never threatened the 251-7, being all out for 140.  Salman Ali took 4/25.

On Tuesday Leinster 2 played Merrion 2 at Anglesea Road in a 20 over match, and could make only 126-9, a score Merrion chased down in the final over for the loss of five wickets.  Oakhill and Clontarf play a 20 over match tonight (Thursday), the winners travelling to Balbriggan on Sunday.  The other semi final is at Claremont Road.

There was better news for Leinster 2 on Sunday, when they easily beat Balbriggan in Rathmines.  Mind you, when the visitors were 66-0 (Barry Archer 33) and 92-2, it looked a different story.  Then Gareth Delany (5/31) and Sunny Faizan (3/22) went through the Fingal men like the proverbial through a goose to bowl them out for 148 inside 40 overs.  Although Dwayne Harper had an early strike, Faizan (47), Dave Lucas (32*) and Gavin Gilmore (45*) saw Leinster home to a seven wicket victory in the 36th over.

Pembroke 2 remained a gnat's crotchet above Leinster at the top of the Division when they beat Oakhill at Sydney Parade.  Oakhill got to 115-2 (Barker 28, Fitzsimons 47), but could add only fifty more, Andy Leonard and Walia each getting a Guildford Four-for.  Ernie Extras top-scored with 52!    Pembroke lost Darren Nicol and Jack Balbirnie for 34, whereupon Danny Barclay (72*) and Walia (43) did the needful to bring a seven wicket victory in 33 overs.

In Division 4 a severely depleted Mullingar side travelled up to Anglesea Road and were put to the sword by Merrion 2.  The home team racked up 302, with 106 from Neil Brown and 58 from Cillian O'Donoghue.  The Westmeath men obviously wanted to catch the early bus home, being shot out for 89 in 22.2 overs.  Principal beneficiary was Sum Wijesundera, who took 5/16.  That defeat leaves Mullingar in second place, but drags them back towards North Kildare, YMCA 2 and Phoenix 2.  Their all-rounder, I Haider, has batted five times this season and been run out on every occasion.  Is this a record?