Greystones Win Middle 2 Cup with Excellent Team Performance

There were heroes throughout the eleven as Greystones beat Bagenalstown by 5-wickets to secure the Middle 2 Cup at Ringcommons on Sunday afternoon, but as it was, it fell to Ramu Akula (38*) to smash back to back boundaries and spark the celebrations in the Wicklow side’s dressing room.

Chasing 168 for victory, Mirwais Nawabzai (44) and David Drane (40) added 73 for the second wicket in double quick time to have Greystones sitting comfortably at 103/1 in the 16^th over.

However, a wobble around drinks where four wickets fall for just 16 runs, saw Bagenalstown reduce Greystones to 119/5 and claw their way right back into the game.

That was to be as good as it got for the Carlow side though, as Akula and, man of the match, Michael Kirk (16*) shared an unbeaten 62-run partnership to ease ‘stones home with over eight overs to spare.

Earlier, it was Kirk’s bowling that led the way for Greystones. His 2-13 off six overs, in tandem with his captain Manpreet Singh’s 2-11 off six overs meant Bagenalstown were 22/4 before they had caught their breath in the final.

Opposition captain Zeeshan Mumtaz (58) and Yasir Shah (36) added 82 for the fifth wicket and looked likely to take Bagenalstown to a large total, however Martin Potts came into the attack and took 3-41 to reign in the onslaught.

Khurran Mumtaz might have added a valuable 27 before becoming Singh’s third scalp and the final wicket to fall, but 167 never seemed a high enough total to challenge Greystones.

And so it proved, despite their mid-innings wobble.

Middle 2 Cup Final

Greystones v Bagenalstown, Sunday August 4^th, Ringcommons CC, 40 overs

Bagenalstown 167 a/o 36.5 overs (Z Mumtaz 58, Y Shah 36; M Singh 3-22, M Potts 3-41, M Kirk 2-13)

Greystones 171/5 31^st over (M Nawabzai 44, D Drane 40, R Akula 38*; Y Shah 3-29)

Greystones won by 5 wickets