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Review of Divisions 3 & 4, weekend 30th July - 1st August

There was plenty of action – and some inaction – to report on in Divisions 3 and 4 over the long weekend.  Things started well for Division 3 leaders Leinster 2 with a comfortable win in the Phoenix Park at Civil Service.  Leinster asked Service to bat first, and after Safeen went for 20 there was a clatter of wickets.  Keith Webster was fifth out for 34 with the score on 82, and Fayyaz Sayyam sixth to depart, for 33, with the score on 110.  Seghal and Hussain made 20s as Service were all out for 156 off 31 overs.  Gareth Delany took 4/28 and skipper Geraghty 3/47.  Joe Byrne didn't last long, leaving Pete Johnston (51) and Dave Lucas 63* to do most of the scoring as Leinster 2 won by eight wickets in the 38th over.

On Sunday Balbriggan put a dent in the promotion hopes of Pembroke 2 and in the process increased their own chances.  In Balbriggan, Pembroke won the toss, batted, but only Darren Nicol (21), Hugo Mays (28) and Dehihne Oliver (52) got past twenty, and the 'Broke second string were 166 all out in 45.2 overs.  Dwayne Harper took 3/24 and Paddy Martin 3/30.  Russell (25) and Barry Archer (34) gave the home side a good start, but there was a severe wobble before Dwayne Harper (32*) and his uncle Albert (27) saw them home for the loss of six wickets in the 39th over.  Nicol took 3/31 and Walia 3/36.

Clontarf 2's trip to Oakhill did no more than generate greenhouse gases as the match was washed out.  On Monday Leinster 2 travelled to the Village, won the toss and batted against Malahide 2.  Pete Johnston went for a duck, but Joe Byrne dug in for 70, Sonny Faizan made 27, Dave Lucas 36, Jason Nagle 30 and Niks Nagar 24* to arrive at a 50 over total of 246-8, Ronnie Runouts contributing a Colombia Three-for.  It was nowhere near enough.  Killian Byrne (24) and Neil Boyne (39) gave the villagers a solid start allowing Sirash Kiran (79 off 63 balls) and Alan Reynolds (70* off 63 balls) to smash their team home inside 36 overs.

That first league defeat for Leinster 2 still leaves them favourites to top the division.  Pembroke's continuing woes leave Dublin University in second spot, and Balbriggan close up on Pembroke 2.  Oakhill are gone, and either Clontarf 2 or Civil Service will go with them provided Malahide 2 don't go into melt-down.

There was full set of Division 4 fixtures on Sunday, but the match at Portlaoise, where Phoenix 2 were the visitors, was abandoned because of the wetness.  A 30 minute stoppage for rain in Malahide didn't prevent a result.  Malahide 3 reached 189 all out in 39.5 overs, thanks to 88 from Adam Shehabeddin and 37 from Ernie Extras.  For Railway Union 2, Kapoor minor (the K variety) took 3/17.  Hafiz (26) and Andy O'Neill (19) gave the Shunters a good start.  Furghan Ul-Haq (41) and Patrick Collins (36) rebuilt after the loss of three wickets to Gibbons, and Kapoor major (the D variety), with 29, Ghavre (17*) and Kapoor minor (7*) got them home by two wickets in the 32nd over.  Gibbons finished with 3/57, while Hamish Manks took 5/34 to keep Railway worried.

In St Finian's College, Mullingar took all 50 overs to reach 166-9, with twenties from Ali Haider, Irfan Haider, O'Donnell and Fegan.  The YMCA 2 bowlers shared the wickets around, Simon Wilson-Moore taking 3/32 at the end.  SWM (47) and David Streek (50) put on 107 for the first wicket allowing the Young Men to cruise home for the loss of four wickets in the 26th over.

At The Maws, Kilcock, North Kildare's top three scored 23 (Neavyn), 18 (Walshe) and 56 (M Singh).  The other eight managed 13 between then, so it was just as well that Willie Wides had a good day, his 32 boosting Sammy Sundries to 40.  Saseendran took 2/49, Sanjay Saharan 4/34 and Andy O'Brien 3/31.  150 all out in 42 overs was never going to worry Merrion 2, even though Tom Satchwell nipped out openers Chris Allwright and Patrick Tice early doors.  Neil Brown (47*) and Saharan (36) continued their recent good form as Merrion won by four wickets.

Railway Union 2 and YMCA 2 are clear at the top, but Merrion 2 are on a roll, and Phoenix 2 aren't out of it.  Malahide 3 are doomed, doomed, I tell ye, and either Laois or North Kildare look likely to go with them, although Mullingar aren't completely safe.