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Review of Divisions 1 & 2, weekend 30th July - 1st August; preview weekend weekend 6th - 7th August

With the U19 World Cup Qualifying tournament in full swing in Leinster, there were just six Senior matches on Saturday, three each from Division 1 and Division 2, and the refixed match between Phoenix and Railway Union on Monday.

On Saturday in Castle Avenue there was a real see-saw of a match with The Hills twice demonstrating their powers of recovery.  Clontarf put the vistors into bat and had to wait 62 runs before taking a wicket, that of Malcolm Byrne for 28, and then a second, that of skipper Mike Baumgart.  Manu Kumar (21) and Darryl Calder (36) got the Wilberries  to 111-2, whereupon five wickets fell for 20 runs.  Naseer and Mark Dwyer (27) stopped the rot with a partnership of 49, and the brothers Clinton saw the total to 238-9 with Naseer 58*.  For Clontarf, Rod Hokin took 4/42 and Niall Delany 3/63.

Bill Coghlan lost fellow opener Joe Morrissey (19) early on, but with Hokin saw the score to three figures.  He was out for 51, but 'Tarf had reduced the deficit to under three figures with eight wickets in hand.  Then the wheels fell off as Mark Dwyer claimed the remaining wickets with his off breaks.  Hokin made 43, Andrew Poynter 25, Adrian D'Arcy 20 and Ropu Islam a late 23 as Clontarf were bowled out for 217 in 48 overs, Dwyer taking 8/49.  A seven-for is Magnificent, but what's an eight-for?

It was one-way traffic at Anglesea Road, where Dom Joyce and Damian Poder (38) put on 85 for the first wicket.  There followed a century partnership for the second wicket, Joyce out three short of his century.  Four more wickets fell in the final few overs as Merrion closed on 268-6, with Johnny Anderson unbeaten on 87.  For YMCA, Reinhardt Strydom took 3/55 and Sameer Dutt 2/44.  Matt Petrie knocked over Strydom and Shammy Ahmed, Chetkovich accounted for Alan Lewis (20), and after Dutt was caught and bowled by Poder for 39, YM crumbled to 113 all out in 32.5 overs, the remaining wickets shared by off spinner David Watkins (3/28) and leg spinner Anderson (3/18).

Up in the Park, Phoenix lost three early wickets (Ted Williamson 29) but recovered through 34 from David Langford-Smith and 54 from Corie Dickeson.  All the tail contributed as Phoenix were all out for 223 off the final ball of the 50th over.  The six Pembroke bowlers shared the wickets around.  Lanky removed the first two Pembroke batsmen with straight ones, Osama Khan got the next two, and the 'Broke were 15-4.  Rohit Bahl made 40 as Pembroke were bowled out for 95 in 29.1 overs.  That win lifted Phoenix above YMCA at the foot of the table.

They were back below them not long after tea on Monday, nobody making twenty as they were bowled out by Railway Union for 88 in 34.3 overs, Greg Lambert taking 3/23.  Tom Fisher and Kenny Carroll renewed their opening partnership after Carroll's absence through injury, and almost got Railway home.  Carroll was out for 35, Graeme McDonnell quickly run out, but national treasure Trent Johnston didn't have to face a ball as Fisher (45*) hit the winning runs  off the sixth ball of the sixteenth over.

In Division 2, I was down in The Mardyke, where I met Railway's Ted Mullen.  “What are you doing in the second city?” I enquired.  “It's because my wife thinks it's the first city,” came the reply.  I watched Cork County stutter to 146 all out in 49.4 overs, Shannon Madden top-scoring with 39.  For Leinster, Corey Edwards took 4/24 and Anton Scholtz 3/23.  The Rathmines men thought about blowing it until Scholtz got a grip with 67* to see them home for five wickets in the 36th over.

Up in the Village, Malahide faced a North County 2 team containing more Mooneys than would be found in the Merry Cricketer on a Saturday night.  Everybody made a few as Malahide piled up 277-6 in 50 overs: John Pryor 35; Nick Turner 25; Paul Tweddle 25; Sirash Kiran 44; Damian Ryan 28; Callum Riches 62*; and Peter Saville 32*.  Joey Mooney took 2/50 off his ten, not bad for the old man.  County, apparently a man short, batted through to the 50th over for 208, Jonno Andrews scoring 34, Daniel Nolan 28 and that old man again, Joey Mooney, with 44.  For Malahide, Peter Chase took 3/34.

There still isn't a scorecard in for the Terenure v Old Belvedere match.  Scorer David Brennan had to deputise for one of the umpires, who left to resolve a problem, and the sprog who scored couldn't tell his assad from his el hajji.  I do know that Terenure clocked up 306-6 in 50 overs, Kenny McDonald scoring 81, Andre Botha 79 and Justin Kleyweg 37*.  Belvo, missing main man Simmi Singh, made only 120 in 26.1 overs, Kleyweg doing PM-burg proud with 4/19 (Merrion's Anderson is also from that town, but for me it will always be the location of Tom Sharpe's first two, and best, comic novels, Riotous Assembly and Indecent Exposure).

Terenure stay top of Division 1, a midge's niff-naff ahead of Leinster, with Malahide a gnat's crotchet further back.  Old Belvedere are bottom, with North County 2 just behind The Hills 2 in the second relegation place.  Cork County still need a couple of wins to make them safe.

There is a full set of fixtures in each of the top two divisions this coming Saturday.  Pembroke need a win to ease them a little further from the drop zone, and this might be their best opportunity to beat North County at Inch.  Pembroke are missing Barry McCarthy to the Ireland U19s, but County are missing Adam Coughlan (also on U19 duty), Conor Shiel, Eddie Richardson and both Armstrongs.  I don't know if Richie Lawrence has recovered from shingles.  I still fancy County to take the win points.

Phoenix will definitely be without Jeremy Bray, the coach to the U19s, when they meet Railway Union for the second time within the week.  Railway must now be warm favourites for the league title, and are not going to slip up at home to Phoenix.  The Hills and Merrion now have an outside chance of the league title, so each will be keen to win when they meet at Milverton.  I shall be there to see The Hills win – follow @baldstu on Twitter.

The remaining fixture, YMCA v Clontarf, is also a must-win match for each side, YM to get away from the relegation spots, Clontarf to avoid dropping into them.  I keep on backing 'Tarf, and they keep on losing – Clontarf to win!

In Division 2 it's Malahide's turn to take a spin down the M8 to The Mardyke, where I think they'll be too strong for Cork County.  Terenure host Rush, who can be very dangerous opponents on the mat.  I fancy the Russians to put a stop to the 'Nure gallop.

Should that happen, Leinster would go back to top spot with a win over North County 2 at Rathmines.  Given that it will be closer to a North County 3 side, it will be a turn-up for the books if Leinster don't win.  Old Belvedere entertain The Hills 2, and if Simmi Singh is back should have enough firepower to win.

That just leaves Sunday's Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup semi final at Shaw's Bridge between Instonians and Phoenix.  The Leinster side would be underdogs even with their two former internationals, David Langford-Smith and Jeremy Bray.  Only if Ireland have already secured their qualification for the U19 World Cup could I see Bray being released to play, and perhaps not even then.  I would love it if Phoenix won, but I don't see it happening on Sunday.  I think their best bet is a washout (the forecast isn't great) and then do for Instonians in the Park with Brayser back in the fold.