Victories for Phoenix and Merrion see Leinster get another two teams through to the RSA Irish Senior Cup Second Round.
In the first of two refixed RISC first round matches played in Leinster, Phoenix beat Eglington by three wickets. It was a tight match with Eglington batting first and losing half their wickets for less than 100. A 70 run partnership between top score Olphert [52] and O’Doherty recovered the position but the damage had been done and a final score of 206 always looked a little light. The Phoenix bowling was dominated by spells from Ahmed [4/41] and Kelly [4/32]
Phoenix also lost a couple of early wickets but recovered quickly and all the middle order made contributions. Still they kept Eglington interested and at 169/7 [having just lost three quick wickets] any result looked possible. In the end schoolboy Rory Anders [27] and Jonathan Wardell [13] saw Phoenix home without any more scares.
Meanwhile down in Anglesea Road Merrion and Coleraine were playing a 25 over match. Coleraine were missing a few players who did not make the trip, still their ‘top of the table’ position in the North West suggested that this might be a close contest. In the end Merrion won the toss, batted and simply blew the Coleraine attack apart.
Merrion got off to a solid if unspectacular start and were 57 when the second wicket fell in the 10th over. Taking that wicket may have been a mistake as it brought John Anderson to the crease. Anderson [106*] preceded to dismantle the bowling, hitting it to all parts of the ground, and reached a memorable century in 48 balls. This innings completely overshadowed two other notable contributions from Ben Ackland 58 [49 balls] and Dom Joyce 40* [23 balls]. The final total was 239/3 and the game was effectively over as a contest.
Coleraine took 10 off the first over but then lost a wicket, MacDonald bowled a couple of maidens, and from there wickets fell steadily as the Merrion spinners [O’Brien, Poder and Watkins] got in some useful overs.
Anglesea Road is beginning to look like a bowlers graveyard this season. It still plays a little slow and low but once you get used to the pace big scores are possible. There have already been four centuries this season.
Merrion now take on North Down at home and Phoenix travel up the road to Clontarf.