DOMINANT BALBRIGGAN SECURE PREMIER LEAGUE STATUS

An excellent all-round performance from Balbriggan today saw them crowned Championship winners for 2021, in also securing them their place in the BUAKIT Premier League for the 2022 season.

Having won the toss and elected to bat first, Balbriggan got off to an excellent start before opener Ghanim Dara, and number three Farooq Nasr fell in quick succession to leave them 64/2.

That brought Greg Ford and eventual Man of the Match Connor Fletcher together, and the pair set about adding runs with great flow before Ford was dismissed for an excellent 61. This brought Chris De Freitas to the crease before Fletcher was out for what was ultimately a match-winning 81 to James Smith.

De Freitas shared good partnerships with Rooney (21) and Lues (30) as he carried his bat to the end of the innings for a fine 53*, seeing the ‘Brigg to 276/7 in their 50 overs.

Much like the Premier League final, some excellent early bowling meant the run chase never really got off the ground. Wickets for Andrew Darroch and Dylan Lues reducing the Kilcock side to 23/3.

A partnership followed between Imran ul-Haq and Manny Singh, before the former was dismissed for 31. Muzamil Sherzad also offered resistance with Singh, but when he fell to De Freitas with the score on 103, a collapse ensued.

Lues was destroyer-in-chief, claiming 4/30 from his 10 overs, with De Freitas’ 3/11, and Darroch’s 2/19 being the other bowling performances of note.

BUAKIT CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

AT SYDNEY PARADE
BALBRIGGAN - 276/7, 50 overs (Fletcher 81, Ford 61, De Freitas 53*; Bansali 2/73)
beat
NORTH KILDARE - 115 all out, 38 overs (Singh 34, Ul-Haq 31; Lues 4/30, De Freitas 3/11, Darroch 2/19)
by 161 runs