Four in a Row for the Seconds
3 min read
The in-form second eleven hosted CIYMS thirds at a warm and sunny Upritchard Park looking for their fifth win in Junior League 2. Once again Bangor were batting in the first innings and there was another void at the top of the order with regular opener Mark English and last weekend’s stand-in Will Simpson not in the team. Step forward Zach Kerr, who was most likely playing his final match of the season before joining up with the Newcastle Falcons for pre-season. At his best Zach can be a destructive batsman using his power to hit the ball the boundary with devastating ease. He joined Patrick McMillan at the crease and after a slow start both men began to up the ante and crossed the 50-run mark in the 9th over.
Both batsmen continued the good work scoring at a very impressive 8 an over as the CIYMS bowlers toiled in the warm & sunny conditions. The 100-run partnership came up just before drinks were taken in the 15th over and Bangor were eyeing up yet another big first innings score. At the same time Zach brought up his half century in typical style with a magnificent drive down the ground for 4.
Drink breaks usually come at a good time for the team struggling in the game to reset and go again and so it proved for CIYMS as they picked up three quick wickets in the following overs which included Zach as he departed for 56. Declan Horrox joined McMillan who was moving closer to the triple figure mark and the Bangor Rugby XV captain came and went for a very quick fire 13. Ben Escott knocked it around as he passed on the strike to McMillan who was scoring quickly as the Bangor innings was nearing the end with five overs to go and the score on 172-4.
The scoring rate was set at ten now as the ball was sent to all parts as McMillan was closing in on a very deserving hundred. He was now one hit away on 96 with three overs remaining and looking to score quickly to help the team register a big score. Being the showman that he is, he went for the big shot down the ground and was a couple of yards away from hitting a 6 and bringing up a well-deserved 100 but to the disappointment of the crowd at Upritchard Park, the fieldsman held on to take the catch and McMillan departed for 96. Bangor finished up on a mammoth 219-5 from 30 overs, a very tough score to chase down.
Pacemen Pyper and Skelly opened the bowling and bowling challenging line and length but to the CIYMS openers credit, they were scoring at a decent rate. The score was on 48 in the 7th over when Orr nicked Pyper behind to the grateful hands of McMillan. The second wicket came soon after as Prince took a sharp caught bowled chance with the score on 61-2 after 10 overs. CIYMS batsmen didn’t stop however scoring quickly as McGonigle and Farrell made use of the excellent pitch and fast outfield to rack up the runs. Ben Escott charged down the hill and broke this crucial partnership just before drinks with McMillan taking another catch behind the stumps.
Escott picked up the other wicket in this partnership as the batsmen struggled to come to terms with the young seamers pace as he registered impressive figures of 2-18. The runs started to dry up as the pressure built on the visitors as Skelly and Cox picked up their only wickets. Both wickets were equally spectacular as Skelly’s clipped the top of off stump and Pyper took an audacious one-handed catch for Cox’s wicket. Pyper came back on to pick up his 2nd wicket to finish on 2-36 from his allotment of overs. Despite some late hitting, CIYMS fell short by 35 runs and Bangor were victorious again, picking up their 5th win and were now one win away from top spot in the league.
Bangor 2XI 219-5
P McMillan 96, Z Kerr 56
R Trigg 2-16
CIYMS 3XI 185-7
A McGonigle 42, A Farrell 32, N Shine, 40
B Escott 2-18, C Pyper 2-36
Bangor Win by 34 Runs
