Seven wicket defeat

With captain Keith Martin indisposed, and Steve Hanna and Phil Darby on holiday, Bruce Topping captained a team with several young players on board.

Topping won the toss and decided to bat on a fast, hard wicket.

Unfortunately for Donaghcloney, Woodvale’s opening bowlers Bunting and McKeown delivered a hostile, sustained spell of pace bowling which resulted in Mansing Nigade, Colin Hylands and Bruce Topping all dismissed with only 18 runs on the board.

Shane Warren batted sensibly for an hour and a half, making 34 valuable runs. He had some support from David Marshall (13) before he was sixth out, with the score at 84. There were some enterprising strokes from Matthew Little (20) and Lewis McNamara (22), but the innings closed on 127, well short of a competitive total.

And so it proved as Woodvale knocked off the runs in 20 overs, Bunting making 57 not out and the professional Kalhbor 50.

Donaghcloney are now heading for the relegation zone and with three tough matches coming up against Muckamore, Derriaghy and Downpatrick a huge improvement is required.

Scores: Donaghcloney 127 (S.Warren 34, L McNamara 22, M. Lyttle 20)

Woodvale 129 for 3 wickets (S Bunting 57 not out, S.Khalbor 50)

Woodvale won by seven wickets.