Derby delight as Academy’s campaign makes promising start

In a low scoring game Matthew Palmer’s lads emerged winners by 28 runs against Cliftonville at Castle Grounds, where Mitchell Atkins and David Greenlees excelled with bat and ball.

Atkins scored top with 45 when Academy took first knock and posted 122 for 9, then claimed 2 for 20 as Cliftonville were bundled out for only 94 in 37.1 overs, while Greenlees’ contribution was 20 not out and 3 for 26.

Overnight rain produced a damp wicket that made run-scoring rather tedious, but Academy managed to get beyond the three figures.

Cliftonville also found scoring difficult, especially against the spin of Andre Halbert who was tops in the bowling department with 4 for 8, with fine support from Greenlees 3 for 26 , Atkins 2 for 20 and Dickeson 1 for 19.

Greenlees also took an excellent one-handed catch in the slips to dismiss the visitors top scorer Johnny Terrett on 31.

Club secretary Jack Quinn said: “Our bowlers did well, but they were backed up by some excellent fielding, on a day when run scoring was not easy.”

Academy’s next league fixture is against Donaghcloney in Belfast on Monday 4th May, but before that they are away to Derriaghy in the preliminary round of the Challenge Cup on Saturday.

Adam Wilson’s 4th XI defeated Saintfield III by six wickets in a Junior League Section 7 fixture at Roughfort.