Holmes helps Carrick book spot in last four

Carrick batted first at Dundrum and openers Michael Gilmour and Iain Parkhill battled through on a pitch that was showing some variable bounce to share in an opening partnership of 60 in 17 overs before Gilmour was bowled for 37.

Indrajeet Kamtekar helped keep the scoreboard ticking over and after 40 overs they had reached 160 for four, when Alex Haggan joined him at the wicket. The fifth wicket pair then moved it up a gear, smashing a further 94 runs off the last 10 overs to take Carrick to a formidable 254 for 4 at the end of their 50 overs. Kamtekar’s brilliant innings of 83 was scored off 84 balls and contained 10 fours and a six, while Haggan hit an unbeaten 43 off only 25 deliveries with five boundaries and two maximums.

Dundrum never really looked like threatening the Carrick total, and only Kakade and Maguire got past the 20-mark as they were bowled out for 143 in 37.4 overs.

After a bright start spinners Kamtekar and Jamie Holmes bowled their 20 overs in the middle of the innings, picking up five wickets between them for a combined 40 runs. It effectively ended the game as a contest. Ryan Eagleson then finished the job with three wickets, while Richard Hood and Stephen Grant picking up a wicket each.

Carrickfergus 254/4 (I Kamtekar 83*, A Haggan 43*, M Gilmour 37, R Eagleson 20, R Hassard 2-47, G McNerlin 2-56)

Dundrum 143 (R Kakade 26, J Maguire 23, J Holmes 3-21, R Eagleson 2-25, I Kamtekar 2-19)

Carrick won by 111 runs

On Sunday, Carrick entertained Co. Galway in the quarter-final of the RSA National Cup and had another comfortable win.

The visitors won the toss and batted first, and a 50 from opener Shariq Nasim and a last-wicket partnership of 35 helped them to a respectable total of 175 in 49.2 overs.

Haggan and Kamtekar each took two wickets for Carrick, while Jamie Holmes collected two wickets and Eagleson one.

In reply Carrick lost two early wickets to leave them on 38 for two after seven overs, but this was to be the extent of the visitors’ success.

Skipper Parkhill was joined by Homes and the pair produced a match-winning display. They took the score along to 64 off 11 overs when opening bowler Bisla came back into the attack bowling leg spin.

Holmes’s eyes lit up and the result was 6-4-6-6-6-4, 32 runs off the over! From then on he and Parkhill scored freely and saw their side safely into the semi-finals in just the 25th over.

Holmes hit a superb unbeaten 89 runs which included seven fours and the same number of sixes, while Parkhill finished just two short of 50, his fine innings containing eight boundaries.

Co. Galway 175 (S Nasim 50, U Chaudary 27, I Kamtekar 3-20, A Haggan 3-49, J Holmes 2-44)

Carrickfergus 179 for 2 (J Holmes 89*, I Parkhill 48*)

Carrick won by 8 wickets