Templepatrick get off the mark with win against Donaghcloney

Templepatrick posted a daunting 246 for 9, but the hosts, chasing a revised Duckworth-Lewis target of 173, finished on 143 for 6, leaving Robert Smith’s lads winners by 30 runs.

Smith opted to bat first and his team-mates responded in style, led by Jordan Carlisle with 53, and supported by Ricky Greer 38, Ross Bryans 34 and Phil Kernaghan 32.

Bryans and Kernaghan also had a good day with the ball, taking a combined total of four wickets. Bryans was tops with 3 for 13, while Kernaghan had one for 35. The other wickets were taken by Michael Stewart (1 for 30) and Smith (1 for 34).

All-rounder Chris Busby said: “Our middle order weighed in with a lot of runs, with Ross Bryans and Ricky Greer having the most productive partnership with 72 for the fifth wicket. We had good weather for our innings, but Donaghcloney’s was spoiled by rain, which saw the Duckworth-Lewis method used, but we still registered our first league win of the season.”

Meanwhile, 14-year-old Adam Clarke starred in three matches for Templepatrick teams during the past week.

Playing for the 2nd XI and Under-15s, he hit a combined total of 154 runs, that underpinned two cup wins.

Adam scored the bulk of his runs for the Under-15s in the Graham Cup, where his 81 not out was the cornerstone of the win by 60 runs in the first round against Ards.

He continued to use the willow effectively in round 2 in Dundrum where he top scored with 51, but the County Down lads scraped home by hitting the winning run off the penultimate ball.

In the 2nd XI’s Intermediate Cup match against Cregagh II on Saturday, Clarke managed 22 not out. Star of the show was Niall Kelly, but he was disappointed at missing out on a century when he finished on 94 not out. Mark Thompson hit 58 runs.

Posting 197 for 3 in their 40 overs proved to be too much for Cregagh II, who were restricted to 149 for 9 at The Cloughan.

Spinner, Charlie Monro, 14, starred with the ball, with 3 for 21, assisted by Rhys Wallace, 15, (2 for 21) and Peter Shepherd (2 for 25). The win, by 48 runs, sets up a trip to Downpatrick on June 20.

Templepatrick coach Andy McCrea said: “Several young lads are showing great promise with both bat and ball, and the Under-15s were very unfortunate not to reach the quarter-final of the Graham Cup.”

Meanwhile, Alex Darrah and Harry Warke have been selected for the NCU U11 and U15 squads respectively.

Fixtures: Woodvale v TCC; 2nd XI v CIYMS III; Instonians V v 3rd XI Minor Qualifying Cup.

This Sunday, June 7, TCC will host over 250 boys and girls aged 4 to 11 as part of their Cricket Blitz and family fun day from 12.30pm to 4pm. All welcome.