A win and a defeat after a mixed weekend for Lurgan

In a re-arranged Ulster Bank Section 1 league fixture with Templepatrick at Pollock Park that was reduced to a Twenty/20 game, the Town side recorded an easy 7 wicket win while away to Academy on Saturday they lost by four wickets.

Against Templepatrick, the visitors batted first and were restricted to 105 for 6 wickets in their 20 overs thanks to some tight bowling and fielding by the Lurgan side.

Nathaniel Ferris recorded the best bowling figures for the town side taking 3 wickets for 24 in his 4 overs. Peter Maxwell took 2 for 11 while Niranjan Godbole and Oliver McCollum took a wicket each.

Despite losing the early wickets of Stephen Johnston (5) and Derek Wilson (8) Lurgan reached the target for the loss of just 3 wickets and with two overs to spare.

Niranjan Godbole made 33 as did Stephen Chambers who was undefeated at the end along with Peter Maxwell (12no).

On Saturday, enforced changes to personnel meant that Lurgan travelled to Academy with some of their younger players drafted into the side and they didn’t disappoint.

Jack Harrison was promoted in the batting order to open and after the departure of Stephen Johnston, he and young Callum Gibson put on 60 for the second wicket on what was a slow pitch. Harrison top scored with 44 for the Town side while Gibson hit 20.

The reliable Stephen Chambers scored 30 and professional Niranjan Godbole, batting at number 7 with an injured hamstring, was 37 not out at the finish. At the end of 50 overs, Lurgan had set Academy a challenging 184 to win.

In reply, it was Academy’s Andrew Magee who was to prove to be the thorn in the visitor’s side. Having survived a dropped catch, it was Magee who provided the backbone to home side’s innings, hitting an excellent 61.

Lurgan were always in the contest and had catches been held the outcome could have been different.

In the end they just didn’t quite have enough runs on the board, Academy passing the Lurgan total in the 48th over. Niranjan Godbole took 3 wickets for 29 runs while Peter Maxwell took 2 for 26. There was a wicket for Andrew Bingham and there were also good performances from Callum Gibson who bowled five overs for just 18 runs, Jack Maxwell who bowled three overs for 13 runs and young spinner Qasim Mohammed whose first two overs in senior cricket cost just five runs.