CRICKET REVIEW: Carrick's unbeaten run ends at Merrion

Michael Gilmour batting for Carrickfergus Cricket Club in their Ulster Bank Premier League game against CIYMS. INCT 22-010-PSB

Thanks to a superb innings of 143 from 131 balls, with 22 fours and two sixes from the prolific Irish international batsman John Anderson, the home side posted a formidable 300 for seven. Carrick sat at 51 for 2 (11 overs), before Anderson took two wickets in his first over.

A further wicket reduced Carrick to 52 for 5 and the game was effectively over as a contest. Botha scored his first century for Carrick, his fine innings of 107 containing 12 fours and 3 sixes enabling Carrick to reach a more respectable 196 in 47.1 overs.

Carrick had extended their unbeaten run to five matches with Saturday’s excellent 29-runs victory over a strong CIYMS side in a match sponsored by MG2 cricket.

Jamie Holmes in action for Carrickfergus Cricket Club in their game with CIYMS. INCT 22-011-PSB

Carrick skipper Iain Parkhill won the toss and batted first at Middle Road and his side struggled against CI’s formidable four-man pace attack, and had only managed to reach 55 for 3 after 20 overs.

Pat Botha and Alex Haggan revived their fortunes with an 81-run partnership in 13 overs, before Botha, having just hit two big sixes, was bowled for 45 off 44 balls. Haggan contributed a very useful 44 before he was caught with the score on 172, and seven overs still remaining.

Ryan Eagleson and Michael Armstrong then took it past the 200-mark in the penultimate over, their partnership of 46 enabled Carrick to post 219-7 after 50 overs.

Carrick reduced CI to 89 for 3 after 20 overs with Ashwin Shetty taking 2-28. Eagleson chipped in with the vital wicket of former South African Test player Justin Kemp, and after 30 overs the score had moved on to 115-4 with the game very much in the balance.

Skipper Nigel Jones, who had been there since the fall of the first wicket, and the aggressive Johnny Thompson then appeared to be taking it away from Carrick as 61 runs were added in a dozen overs. Alex Haggan claimed the wicket of Thompson, caught behind for 31.

Botha trapped Chambers lbw first ball, and then struck the vital blow when he bowled Jones for 54. The remaining batsmen put up little resistance as the visitors’ last wicket fell in over 48th with the total on 190.