No Cup Final Hangover for The Hills as League Campaign Begins with a Bang

Having demolished Phoenix in the Leinster Senior League Cup final on Saturday with the ball, The Hills showed their batting prowess as they defeated Rush by nearly 100 runs in the LHW Financial Planning Premier League opener on Sunday.

The change to white clothes and the red ball didn’t have any impact on The Hills 100% record in 2019 as Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin (87) and Bhavesh Lakhotia (80) put on an opening stand of 174 in 32 overs.

Jarred Barnes and Allan Eastwood bowled well up front for the visitors, however once they were seen off, The Hills’ openers set about displaying their batting talent.

Both got into double figures with boundaries and hit a massive six each. McLoughlin-Gavin hit his square to bring up his half-century off 72 balls. Lakhotia hit a straight six, having earlier brought up his own 50 off 74 balls.

A long rain break came after 33 overs and The Hills 175/1. Re-emerging for a now 39 over a side match, Joey Carroll smashed an unbeaten 35 to take the home side to 243/2. When that was readjusted for DLS, the Rush target became an even more daunting 280 in 39 overs.

Naseer Shaukat picked up where he left off on Saturday, taking the first three Rush wickets leaving them 12/3.

It was almost certainly beyond Rush now but with storm clouds gathering spin-twins Devender Ranolia (1-38) and Greg Lamb (2-23) bowled 16 overs in tandem to ensure 20 overs were bowled and a result guaranteed.

Neil Rock (35), Jarred Barnes (31) and Allan Eastwood (39) showed immense power and no mean skill with six maximums and ten boundaries in their innings’.

The target was just too large for Rush as wickets from Ranolia, Clinton and two from Rooney-Murphy including the last bowled the visitors out for 184 and gave The Hills a 95-run victory by DLS.

LHW Financial Planning Cricket Leinster Premier League

The Hills v Rush, Sunday June 9^th, The Vineyard

The Hills 243/2 39 overs (C McLoughlin-Gavin 87, B Lakhotia 80, J Carroll 35*)

Revised Target 280

Rush 184 a/o 35.1/39 overs (A Eastwood 39, N Rock 35, J Barnes 31; N Shaukat 3-28, G Lamb 2-23, T Rooney-Murphy 2-32)

The Hills won by 95 runs by DLS