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Divisions 1 & 2: Review of the weekend 28th-29th May; preview of the weekend 4th-6th June

Last Saturday saw most of the first round of the LHW Senior Cup.  Readers will be quick to point out that I got most of my predictions wrong, something that pleases me because it means that the unfancied sides are better than I think they are.

The biggest turn-up was at Park Avenue, where the holders, Railway Union, got rolled by Phoenix.  Put in to bat, it was business as usual when the Wheeltappers and Shunters were 62-1 (Fisher 28).  Then Jeremy Bray, relieved of the gloves, Conor Kelly and Saadaf Raza got among the wickets, and only an uncharacteristically patient 29* from Saad Ullah got the home team to 147 all out.  Twiggy Langford-Smith polished off the tail to claim 3/29, while Bray's dozen overs yielded 3/23.  Ted Williamson and Rory Flanagan went early, but Bray (81*), opening the batting, and Kelly (45*) shared an unbeaten century partnership to see Phoenix home by eight wickets.

Another one I got wrong, but only just, was at Milverton.  The Hills elected to bat, lost three early wickets, and then consolidated through Mark Dwyer (34), Max Sorensen (59) and Naseer Shoukat (42).  Manu Kumar (44*) and Tomas Murphy (43) provided the finish to reach a sixty over total of 275-8.

Opener Sean Monks dropped anchor and helped his team to 102-4, when he was joined by Lionel Jansen, who contributed a run-a-ball 34.  Another run-a-ball 28 from Patrick Sheridan kept Rush in the game, as did a better than run-a-ball 36 from Niall Mullen.  The last over was squeaky pants time, but confirmed number eleven Eoghan Sheehan scrambled a single off the final ball for a one wicket victory, his mate unbeaten on a maiden 107.

A third prediction I got wrong was the match I watched at Sydney Parade.  Pembroke amassed what should have been a winning total of 281-9 through 80 from Andy Balbirnie, 64 from Steven Moreton, 34 from Rohit Bahl and 27 from Barry McCarthy.  Dom Joyce's persistence with the ball earned him an excellent 7/66.

Despite a fluent 53 from opener Ben Ackland, Merrion slumped to 120-7 (McCarthy 3/32).  Matt Petrie, given a life on one, and Damian Poder, settled in then began to put bat to ball.  Petrie was out for 64, but the 151 run partnership was converted into a one wicket victory when Poder chipped his sixth six off the first ball of the last over to finish on 86*.

The fourth errant prediction was at Claremont Road, where YMCA elected to bat first but kept losing wickets and no batsman got past 33.  The final total of 203 all out off 56 overs was never going to be enough.  Skipper Craig Mallon led the reply with a patient 50, while Zac Curtis (34), Anton Scholtz (49*) and JP O'Dwyer (35*) scored at their usual quick rate to see Leinster home by seven wickets.

The predictions I got right both involved North County.  At Inch, North County 2 were never in it against Malahide.  Jono Andrews top-scored with 40 out of a disappointing 131 all out (Pete Saville 3/25, Steven Smith 3/24).  The Village People needed only 17.5 overs to chalk off the runs, John Pryor scoring an unbeaten 77, Jimmy Govan 30.

At Terenure, County's firsts enjoyed first hit on the magic carpet, Conor Armstrong scoring 102 and Greg Hay 118* out of a 60 over total of 310-4.  A century partnership between Benn Hoey (34) and County old boy Andre Botha gave the 'Nure some hope, but that was lost when Boatsy was seventh out for 133.  Terry Richardson returned impressive figures of 5/22.

On Sunday there were two Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup refixes, Limavady visiting The Hills and Strabane going up Cold Blow Lane.  I was at Milverton to see a dispirited bunch of Wilberries stutter to 95-7 before Manu Kumar (38) and Tomas Murphy (22) gave them something to bowl at – 156 all out.  Decker Curry saw off Naseer's opening spell then filled his boots for 61.  Thomas Riddles, strokeless until the drinks break, gashed his way to 54* accompanied by Stuart Thompson's neat 30* and a nine wicket victory in the 33rd over.

I said in my preview that I didn't think Limavady were as strong as they had been.  The recruitment of the Thompsons, father Nigel and son Stuart, has given them a depth I thought they might be lacking: Andrew Riddles was injured and didn't play, while all pro Adnan Akmal had to do was keep a tidy wicket and remind everybody that he had played tests for Pakistan before his more illustrious brothers.

Unlike The Hills, Railway Union rebounded from their defeat of the previous day to cruise past Strabane.  The Co. Tyrone outfit had been 96-1 when Martin was out for 53.  Beukes (44) followed soon after, and only Mark Gillespie (57) bothered the Shunters' bowlers as Strabane were bowled out for 227 in the fiftieth over.  Tim Townend and Conor Mullen went early, whereupon Tom Fisher and Patrick Collins added 154 together.  The Fish fell five short of his century, Collins remaining unbeaten on 72 as Railway won by seven wickets in the 43rd over.  Phil Eaglestone took 3/46.

There was a Division 2 match at Inch where there was an element of history repeating itself, or was it just deja vu all over again, as Terenure were the visitors.  The 'Nure won the toss and batted, and at 189-1 the game was all over.  Then Andre Botha was out for 124 scored out of 160 added while he was at the crease, and Shane Plant nipped in with a Michelle (5/39).  Kenny McDonald scored 74, Nathan Carroll 24, Abdul Salam 37 and Tom Lynch 25* as the 50 over total reached 314/8.

Boatsy removed Adam Coughlan, caught and bowled for a duck, Jason Kleyweg accounted for Rooney and McLoughlin, then Boatsy claimed Plant, all with catches to the keeper, to leave North County 2 on 21-4.  They fought back well, Greg Hay making 45, Manmeet Singh 40 and Conor Shiel 59*, before being bowled out for 197 in the 38th over, not too far off the asking rate.  If only County hadn't had that disastrous start.

What's on the menu for the bank holiday weekend, and how do I think they'll turn out?  In Division 1 on Saturday, the Wilberries' miseries will be deepened as they are beaten by Railway Union at Milverton.  I shall be in the Park to watch Phoenix beat YMCA, while at Anglesea Road I expect Merrion to beat Pembroke again, although I wouldn't put my house on it.

In Division 2 the big match is at Terenure, whither Leinster take the 15 bus up the Rathgar Road (you can't get your car into the Clee, so you might as well take the bus!).  Andre Botha will drive Terenure to a win.  The nearly as big match is in the Village, where Rush are the visitors.  I fancy the Russians to return across the Broadmeadow with the 20 points for a win over Malahide.  I believe tickets have long been sold out for the match in The Mardyke, where Cork County will comfortably beat Old Belvedere.

On Sunday there is the outstanding first round LHW Senior Cup tie at Milverton between The Hills 2 and Old Belvedere, which will put smiles back on Wilberry faces as the home team wins to book a second round home tie against Rush.  There is also the delayed first round tie in the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup at Sydney Parade, where I expect  to watch Pembroke to beat Lisburn.  In addition there is a Division 2 match at Inch, where Malahide will repeat last weekend's victory over North County 2.

There's a full Division 1 programme on Monday.  I shall don my long johns to combat the Arctic Brass Monkeys as I lead my team of huskies up Cold Blow Lane to watch Railway Union lose to visitors North County.  Elsewhere I also go for away victories: Clontarf at the The Hills; Phoenix at Pembroke; and Merrion at YMCA.

In Division 2, Leinster will beat Cork County in Rathmines, Terenure will beat Old Belvedere at Cabra, and The Hills 2 will lose to Rush at Kenure.  Am I sure of all these predictions?  Of course not.  Do I care?  Not as long as I watch good cricket.