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Review of Divisions 1 & 2 for the weekend 20th - 21st August; preview of weekend 27th - 29th August

Please forgive me for being late with my review of last weekend's Division 1 and 2 matches.  By the time I had all the scorecards to hand I was up Cold Blow Lane to umpire The Cricket Writers of Ireland versus The Irish Times.  It was the first game I had umpired fully since 2003, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Next year I am going to report on Saturdays and umpire on Sundays.  I then watched Arsenal's win at Udine, so I had little chance to put fingers on keyboard before the Ireland v England match started this morning.

All I'll say of that encounter is that Ireland continue to be as good as most full ICC members at bowling and fielding, but the Achilles Heel remains the inability to score enough runs quickly enough consistently enough to trouble the top six full members.  New Zealand, West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will remain coy about playing us, especially in Ireland, because they know we can beat them.  There is no way they want any reason for the gravy boat to be tipped in our direction, because they might be deprived of some of the lubrication and sauce.

The destiny of the Division 1 title became a little clearer on Saturday.  Merrion were effectively taken out of the reckoning when they lost to Phoenix.  The four Phoenix medium pacers (these days, that includes you, Lanky!) exploited the seaming wicket to bowl Merrion out for 101 in 29.2 overs.  Osama Khan returned the best figures, 3/20, while Kade Beasley top-scored for the visitors with 20.  Matt Petrie and Dom Joyce had Phoenix at 29-4, but Conor Kelly found support first from Corie Dickeson, then from Nazir, to see Phoenix home by three wickets in the 26th over.  Kelly was 44*, while Joyce took 4/42.

Up at Milverton, The Hills kept their title hopes alive and dimmed those of North County when they beat their near neighbours by 23 runs.  The Hills chose to bat first, and would have been disappointed not to have pushed on futher from 139-1 (Daryll Calder 42) and 174-2 (Mike Baumgart 75) to more than 249-9, Max Sorensen and Tomas Murphy each making 25.  Terry Richardson took 3/41.  North County started with a 42 opening partnership, but then lost four quick wickets before Josh Reeves (47) joined Greg Hay to give County a sniff of victory.  The game was up when Hay was caught behind off Naseer for 71.

I was at Sydney Parade to watch a remarkable match between Pembroke and YMCA.  The visitors won the toss, batted, and got to 72-1 when they lost Etesham Ahmed for 28.  Shammy likes to give it a whack, and will never die wondering.  Lee Cole had grafted 31 out of 87 when he was out having an uncharacteristic puck at Paul Lawson.  The remaining seven wickets fell for 25, thanks mainly to a fine spell of bowling from Allan Eastwood (5/18).  Could the 'Broke chase 112 and ease their relegation worries?  No way, Pedro.  Reinhardt Srydom bowled superbly for his 6/11, but nobody from the 'Broke was able to block out Rainy and pick up a few pies from the other end, and they were all out for 60.  On that showing they deserve to go down.

I then went across the road to watch Clontarf chase the 269-7 posted by Railway Union, principally a result of a fourth wicket partnership of 178 between Conor Mullen (78) and Graeme McDonnell  (92*) after contributions from Kenny Carroll (22) and Tom Fisher (27).  Clontarf were well in it when Alex Cusack was run out for 56, and still in it when Rod Hokin was stumped for 40.  Then Ropu Islam was run out, and 'Tarf always off the pace as they finished eight runs short.  Either run out decision might have gone the other way, when Eoghan Delany's 43 might have got 'Tarf home with the assistance of either of those other batmen.

In Division 2. Leinster were on cruise control on their way back to Division 1.  On Saturday they travelled to Cabra, and had put on 95 for the first wicket when Mark Jones was out for 67.  Off spinner Fullah Yousafzai then got among them with 5/24 before an unbeaten 48 partnership between  Will Lennon (22*) and Asif Hussein (15*) got them to a difficult to chase 229/8.  There was no chase.  Simmi Singh scored 46 out of 58 (5 wides) as Old Belvedere were bowled out in 16.1 overs, Corie Edwards taking 5/15, Will Lennon 3/28 and Peter Byrne 2/15.

On Sunday, The Hills 2 offered a bit more resistance, when at Milverton Amer Raza (58) and Ajaz Farooqi (41) put on 82 for the first wicket.  Joe Carroll (4/33) went through The Hills middle order, and 31 from Darren Byrne and 21 from Jason Magee got The Wilberries to 204 all out in the 49th over.  When I arrived up from Inch, Jonesey had reached 50* with Zac Curtis on 6*, but the left-hander then began to play his shots.  Jones was stumped off Farooqi for 85, Sonny Faizan ran himself for 14, and Carroll (18*) and Curtis (64*) got Leinster home in the 28th over.

On Saturday, Terenure beat Cork County very easily, zipping through the Cork top order, only opener Ross Durity (88) and number eight Morgan (25) reaching double figures as County were bowled out for 156 in 49 overs.  Best bowling figues were those of Mike Hoey, with 3/27.  Terenue had a minor wobble at 61/3 (Andre Botha 31), whereupon Nathan Carroll (66* - 3x4, 7x6) and Justin Kleyweg (32* - 4x4, 2x6) took them home inside 25 overs.

On Sunday it was a day for batting at Inch.  Rush ran up 382-6 in their 50 overs, with 146 (132 balls) from Lionel Jansen, 135* from Tipu Gull (106 balls) and a 22 ball 41 from Shahid Iqbal.  Jonno Andrews took 2/54 from his 10 overs.  North County 2 lost three early wickets before Jonno Andrews (53) and Terry Richardson (106 off 54 balls) made things look more than respectable.  Behind them came David Rooney with 77 and Clarke with an unbeaten 40 to take them to a very creditable 334-9.  I'd still like a justification from the LCU for penalising North County 2, always a pleasure to watch, play with or against, for the bad behaviour of their first team.

This weekend, Railway Union should move closer to the Division 1 title when they beat Pembroke at Park Avenue on Saturday.  The Hills should keep in touch with Railway when they beat YMCA at Milverton.  North County should be too good for Phoenix, at Inch, so the relegation battle will go to the last day of the season.

In Division 2, Leinster and Terenure seem certain to go up, regardless of any results.  Malahide travel to Rathmines in the outside hope of promotion, but they won't win.  Terenure should beat The Hills 2 at home, while Old Belvedere should finally disappear to Division 3 when they lose at home to Rush.

On Monday, Clontarf will play their rescheduled match with Phoenix in the Park.  A win for Clontarf will keep them with an outside chance of Division 1 honours and Phoenix close to Division 2.  Baldstu should be there to keep you informed.