Two cup victories for Carrick
Carrickfergus Cricket Club 1st XI gave themselves a chance of progressing beyond the group stage of the Lagan Valley Steels T20 Cup with an impressive win over Instonians at Middle Road on Friday night, and followed this up with a victory over St Johnston in Co Donegal on Saturday which saw them through to the quarter finals of the O’Neill’s Ulster Cup.
Michael Gilmour’s fine fifty off 38 balls, which included two 4’s and four 6’s was the highlight of Carrick’s innings as they posted a relatively modest 112 for 8 in their T20 match played in front of a good Middle Road crowd on Friday night. Instonians in reply were reduced to 3 for 3, after losing skipper Neil Russell, former Irish international Andrew White, and West Indian pro Ryan Nurse, all without troubling the scorers. A run out followed and they were in all sorts of trouble at 15 for 4 off 6 overs, with Indrajeet Kamtekar who picked up two of the wickets, having bowled three maidens. Another international player, James Shannon and Stephen Bunting steadied things for their side and saw the score along to 60 without further loss in the 13th over. Stephen Grant then got the vital breakthrough when he had Bunting caught in the deep for 25, and in his next over he followed this up with the vital wicket of Shannon, stumped by Gordon Browne for 28. The remaining batsmen put up little resistance as the visitors were bowled out in the 18th over for 72, with left arm spinner Grant celebrating his 22nd birthday in style by picking up four wickets. This win gives Carrick a great chance of reaching the semi finals if they can win their final group match at Lisburn on 5th June.
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Carrick made the long journey to Co Donegal on Saturday for a first ever visit to St Johnston for a 1st Round Ulster Cup tie, and in a match curtailed by rain won by 21 runs using the Duckworth Lewis formula. With a number of regular bowlers either unavailable or unable to bowl due to injury, Jon Ring was used as a makeshift opener after Carrick put the home team in to bat, with rain forecast by med afternoon. This proved an inspired choice as he picked up two early wickets, and finished with 4 wickets as St Johnston managed to score a modest 137 from their 40 overs. Indrajeet Kamtekar was his usual economical self, taking three wickets while conceding only 9 runs in his 8 overs, while Jamie Holmes took two wickets, and Matthew Kernohan the remaining one.
Skipper Iain Parkhill and Jon Ring got the Carrick innings off to an excellent start with an opening partnership of 70 runs in 18 overs, before both followed in quick succession as the bad weather began to close in. Parkhill made 23, while man of the match Ring continued his good form with a fine innings of 41.With the rain now steady and the light fading, Carrick lost a further wicket before the umpires took the players off the field in what was by that time steady rain, with Carrick on 96 for 3 off 25.5 overs. A resumption proved impossible, and with a Duckworth Lewis par score of 75, Carrick won by 21 runs.
Seconds win by 10 wickets
A brilliant unbeaten 91 by 16 year old Jack Burton saw Carrick’s 2nd home to a convincing 10 wicket victory over Downpatrick II at Middle Road on Saturday.
The visitors, assisted by 43 extras, most of them wides, were bowled out for 135 in 24 overs, having been 88 for 1 in the 13th over. Craig Hamilton took five wickets in the space of three overs, with Jack Burton picking up three wickets, to induce a dramatic collapse.
Youngsters Jack Burton and Adam Fittis opened for Carrick, and in only 19 overs the pair had done the job for their side. Burton hit a superb unbeaten 91 off only 64 balls, with eight fours and five 6’s, while Fittis gave him good support with a steady 32.
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In the NCU Minor Cup Millpark II’s were unable to field a team meaning Carrick III’s go through to the next round.