50 Run Defeat at Home to Ballymena for the First Eleven

Bangor hosted Ballymena at Upritchard Park under leaden skies with the risk of rain never far away. Despite warm ups and a toss completed on time – with Bangor bowling first – a delayed start to play ensued due to very light rain falling, a frustrating start for both teams.

After a 80 minute delay, the match started as a 40 over aside game and it was the Ballymena opening batsmen who made best use of the conditions as they got off to a good start. South African Peters was very happy to play his shots and was hitting his stride before the next band of rain moved in and play was halted once again. 

After another lengthy delay, the game was now a 25 over match and the dynamics of it changed with attacking stroke play the order of the day now. Peters proceeded to do just that as he found the boundary regularly as Bangor struggled to wrestle back control of the game. He had moved to 60 before fellow South African, Kuda Samunderu bowled him and Bangor had a way back into the game. 

The score was 85-1 after 12 overs with Kennedy next to come in and he took a fancy to Kuda’s off spin sweeping him twice to the boundary but it was third time lucky for Bangor when he swept again and found the grateful hands of his namesake, David Kennedy on the boundary. George Prince entered the fray and picked up three very quick wickets to reduce the visitors to 137-5 with 6 overs to go. Two more wickets fell to David Kennedy including one of them to a great catch by Samunderu at point and Ballymena finished up on 186-7.

A DLS adjusted score of 194 was the required target for Bangor as the second innings got underway but tragedy struck early doors when English was bowled. Kuda joined Keenan at the crease and both men began to pick up their singles and two’s before starting to find the boundary as Bangor kept the required run rate within check.

Kuda especially was on the front foot finding the boundary often as the Ballymena bowlers were put under pressure. At the end of the 9th over however, Kuda fell for a quick fire 31 and Keenan quickly followed him with the game swinging back into the visitors favour.

With wickets continuing to fall in the top order, the pressure as well as the run rate crept up with attacking shots and quick run-scoring needed to gain control of the game. Sadly for Bangor more wickets fell with only Ricky McLarnon making a significant contribution with the bat with a well made 33 as Bangor fell short by 50 runs.

A gloomy day on and off the field for Bangor but there were positives to take from the game as they enter the final third of the season, with some huge fixtures coming up against teams just above them in the table. The first eleven are next in action down in Dundrum this Saturday and all support is more than welcome.

Bal 186-7 25 Overs
L Peters 60, O Dick 24, M Caithness 22
G Prince 3-21, D Kennedy 2-25, K Samunderu 2-39

BCC 143ao 24.1 Overs
R McLarnon 33, K Samunderu 31
S Glass 2-22, M Glass Jr 2-12

Ballymena won by 50 runs with a DLS target after 25 Overs of 194.