Newton and Max Power Merrion to Top of Table

A low-scoring match is a good match and so it proved once more at Anglesea Road on Saturday as Merrion finished top of the LHW Financial Planning Premier League following a 5-wicket win over The Hills.

Oliver Newton (2-25) and Tyrone Kane (1-14) responded to captain John Anderson’s decision to bowl with an opening spell of bowling that was threatening, accurate and difficult to score off.

When Max Sorensen came on as first change bowler for the 12^th over, he delivered 3-23 from his six overs, including two in two in the 14^th over, that ripped through The Hills’ middle order.

Daya Singh (42) was playing a defiant innings and needed a partnership to give the visitors something to defend. Ranolia (12) could have been a good foil for the professional but Newton returned to trap him LBW.

The ageless Shaukat (13) added 32 for the 8^th wicket with Singh but got himself out when setting off for a run that wasn’t there, and Anderson and Mick Lewis combined for the run out.

Youngster Peter Forkin (1-10) then bowled Singh before Rogan was the last man out with the score on 106 mid-way through the 31^st over.

Sorensen and Newton had taken three wickets each to leave Merrion in a commanding position, but Singh’s 42 had brought The Hills passed 100 and given their bowlers something to bowl at.

Having been bowled out so quickly, The Hills had 12 overs to bowl at Merrion before the Tea break.

Knowing they needed a quick start on a pitch that was difficult to get in on, they did just that. Shaukat (2-22) and Singh (2-23) removed the top three, including the crucial wicket of Anderson (16) to leave Merrion 18/3, a Tyrone Kane maximum over long-on meant the home side were 28/3 at Tea.

Joey Carroll (1-14) trapped Kane LBW just two runs later and when Shaukat had Lewis (22) LBW as well, The Hills had Merrion 50/5 and began to wonder if they could pull off another unlikely victory.

This brought Newton and Sorensen together with the bat, with the inexperienced trio of Forkin, Bisgood and Atkinson to come, this was the vital partnership in shaping the outcome of the contest.

Sorensen (33*) and Newton (26*) belied the difficult batting conditions and took Merrion home in double quick time. In the 28^th over Sorensen cleared the clubhouse with a slog sweep and in the next over, Newton smashed two straight sixes back over the bowler’s head and a four over mid-on.

Merrion won by five-wickets with more than 20 overs to spare but that doesn’t half tell the tale of an absorbing contest between bat and ball. It was an intriguing match that proved once again that teams don’t need to score 300 runs to make an entertaining match.

In Saturday’s other games, Pembroke had a massive 184-run victory over Leinster at Sydney Parade. The home side posted 281/8 off their 50 overs on the back of Lorcan Tucker’s 116 from 95 balls. (11x4, 5x6)

In reply, Leinster couldn’t get going and Shaheen Khan’s 3 wickets for 16 and a brace from Jack Balbirnie (2-33) and Paul Lawson (2-8), saw the visitors bowled out for just 97.

In the Phoenix Park the home side were bowled out for 212 off the last ball of their innings. Poonish Mehta finishing 92 not out and Peter Chase taking 4-51 for Malahide.

Opening bowlers Mehta (4-14) and Ben White (4-16), obliterated the Malahide top order, at one stage they were 10/5. In the end an unbeaten 25 from Cameron Shoebridge added some respectability to the score but they were all out for 71 and a 141-run defeat.

In the final game, YMCA piled up 334/6 off their 50 overs, thanks to a 215-run 2^nd-wicket partnership between brothers Harry (137) and Jack (88) Tector, away to Rush.

Stephen Doheny (89) played a lone hand for the home side as they made 269/8 off their allocation, ultimately a 65-run victory for YMCA.

All this means that awaiting confirmation from scorecards, reports etc, the final league positions will be as follows;

1. Merrion
2. Pembroke
3. The Hills
4. Malahide
5. YMCA
6. Phoenix
7. Leinster
8. Rush

Merrion will play Pembroke in the Grand Final qualification match next weekend, while The Hills will host Malahide in the elimination match.

The losers of Merrion/Pembroke will face the winners of The Hills/Malahide for the second spot in the Grand Final on September 7^th.

Meanwhile in the Premier League Plate, YMCA will host Rush in one semi-final and Phoenix will welcome Leinster to the Park in the other.

LHW Financial Planning Cricket Leinster Premier League

Merrion v The Hills, Saturday August 3^rd, Anglesea Road

The Hills 106 a/o 30.4 overs (D Singh 42; M Sorensen 3-23, O Newton 3-32, T Kane 1-14)

Merrion 107/5 29.1 overs (M Sorensen 33*, O Newton 26*; N Shaukat 2-22, D Singh 2-23)

Merrion win by 5 wickets