Poor Weekend for the First Eleven

Derriaghy vs Bangor

The rearranged away match at Derriaghy was played on Thursday evening under sporadic drizzle where the hosts very much deserved their victory.

Skipper Jonny Parker won the toss and wanted his side to get off to a fast start and put runs on the board. Derriaghy though are a very experienced side who know how to make the most of home conditions at the uniquely small Queensway ground. Fast bowlers Lewis and Venter kept the run scoring to a minimum with pressure building on the Bangor batsman with an urge to score runs. 

That pressure resulted in wickets with only Samunderu and McLarnon in the top order making it to double figures as Derriaghy’s spinners and medium pacers picked up wickets regularly with the Bangor batsman knowing the need to add runs to the scoreboard. Bangor were bowled out in the penultimate over for a below par 86 with Will Simpson continuing his good form with the bat left on 10 not out.

Derriaghy openers Halliday and Wade came to wicket knowing a strong start would prove fatal for Bangors slim chances of a result and so it proved. Despite having some luck with the ball just evading Bangor hands a couple of times, they knocked off the runs at the halfway stage of the innings to win by 10 Wickets. 

Bangor vs Derriaghy

Upritchard Park looked glorious under sunny sky’s on Saturday as Bangor hosted Dundrum, credit to Stephen Burns and the grounds team for their hard work coming to fruition.

Bangor batted first again looking to establish a foothold in the game and get runs on the board. They got off to a solid start before Samunderu – who was pushed up the order to open – fell to a great catch on the boundary off Shilliday and the old adage of one brings two bit Bangor, when Martin fell to the impressive bowling of South African Swanepol. Skipper Parker and Keenan occupied the crease with great patience trying to pick up runs when they could risk free.

Tragedy struck though when both batsman as well as Prince fell in quick succession to leave Bangor in a precarious position of 48-5 after 21 overs. Talented youngster Sam McMillan joined McCusker at the crease and looked at home straight away picking up runs against bowling that included the fast pace of Swanepol. McCusker at the other end counter attacked scoring a couple of boundary’s as the two of them put on a 37 run partnership. A template of positive batting, Bangor should look to replicate as much as possible going forward.

Unfortunately when Sam fell for 9 the floodgates opened literally in the wicket column as paceman Swanepol and spinner McNerlin sweeped through the Bangor tail with damaging ease to skittle Bangor out for another 86, not a good score at all to replicate again less than 48 hours after the Derriaghy match. 

Bangor came out with a chip on their shoulder knowing that so far in the match performances were nowhere near good enough. Walton and Escott ran in with extra vigour looking for some early wickets to cause alarm in the Dundrum side with attacking fields set. However, Dundrum openers were eager to play and were aggressive themselves passing 50 in the 9th over. Samunderu picked up the first wicket with his first ball, bamboozling Campbell who picked out Parker at mid on. Prince came on and he too followed Kuda picking up a wicket with his first ball finding the edge of Hazards bat to a smart catch from Samunderu at slip.

The damage though was done in the 1st innings and Dundrum strolled home to a 8 wicket victory. Bangor’s next two games are at Donacloney Mill twice in eight days, firstly in the T20 Cup on Friday 20th and in the league Saturday 28th May. Given Bangor’s only win so far has come against Donacloney Mill in the Challenge Cup, these are two massive games for Bangor to resurrect their season.