Academy open season with emphatic win

This match will long be remembered for the three and a half hours' delay because of rain, resulting in an 8.15 pm finish in the gathering gloom.

Because of the delay the match was reduced to thirty overs a side at the Factory Ground, and after being put in Mark Shields' lads posted a creditable 160 for the loss of eight wickets.

Brian Kelso 33, and Shields 34 laid the foundation for victory with an opening stand of 58 runs, with useful contributions coming from Andrew Magee 27, Michael Harte 18 and David Greenlees 14, but the home batsmen were unable to match this being all out for 110 in twenty-five overs, with Stevie Hanna taking the Man of the Match honours after top scoring with 41 in addition to his 6 for 27 earlier haul.

Opening bowlers Lee Thompson, 0 for 38 off six, and Johnny Irons, 0 for 19 off 6, failed to break the Donacloney opening partnership that had reached 71 before recent Indian recruit Sinathamby made the breakthrough.

Thereafter it was a procession with David Greenlees and David Moore each taking four wickets.

This weekend Academy will be hoping to clear the first hurdle in their attempt to complete a hat-trick of Junior Cup triumphs, when they travel to Sandy Bay to take on Larne in the first round.