Trio fly the flag for North West

Sunday's games in the Shield saw the NCU clubs edge out a 5-3 advantage despite some excellent performances from the local sides. Top of the heap would be The Nedd who hosted a really strong Holywood side and pulled off the most remarkable of wins.

The visitors batted first and Australian Seamus Sharkey and professional Charl Daubney gave the hosts' bowling little peace as they racked up 265 for 2 in their 40 overs. Daubney, a South African blasted 10 fours and 10 sixes in his unbeaten 117 whilst Sharkey made 85 not out and at the halfway stage the home team looked up against it.

After the first over of their own innings The Nedd were 0 for 2 and the game looked up before Kyle Morrow and Ryan Magee took it upon themselves to drag their team back into it. Morrow hit 8 fours and 5 sixes in making 82 whilst Magee hit 5 fours and 4 sixes in his 57.

Vinny O'Hara then got in on the act and the former skipper hit an amazing 8 sixes and 2 fours in a very quick 65 not out with Gareth Burns and Johnny Murray staying with him at the death to steer The Nedd to a magnificent win.

Bonds Glen also pulled off a good win as they saw off Dundrum in another high scoring game. John Tormey posted a superb century for the visitors but there wasn't an awful lot of assistance elsewhere as they made a moderate enough 203 all out.

Keith Hamilton with 4 for 17 and David Robinson 3 for 31 were the men who did the damage for the Bee Gees.

In their reply the home team all chipped in; Roy Robinson top scored with 49 , Richard Hepburn made 39, Colin Hall 32 not out David Robinson 31, Gary Hamilton 26 and Willie Jackson 22 not out as Bonds Glen kept their nerve to win by 4 wickets.

The Bee Gees have hit the ground running this season again and although their form has always seemed to tail off after a good start in the past number of seasons you get the impression that one of these years they will make it count.

Muckamore gave up home advantage for their tie with Ballyspallen, but it didn't hamper them too badly as they crushed Ballyspallen by a whopping 184 runs.

Batting first they racked up an impressive 255 for 3 in their 40 overs, with professional Indrajeet Kamtekar scoring his second hundred of the weekend - his 127 came from 124 balls and contained 15 boundaries. He was given good support by Neil Gill, whose 55 included 4 fours and 3 sixes. Kyle Martin (3-45) emerged relatively unscathed from the carnage inflicted upon his team mates.

Ballyspallen fared little better when they batted, as they could only muster 69, in the face of some really superb bowling. Pride of place went to Jason van der Merwe (4-10), while skipper Andy McCullough (3-23) and Gary Nicholl (3-21) were the other wicket takers.

Ardmore put their recent woes behind them to inflict a 69 run defeat upon Ulster Shield holders Cliftonville. The Bleachgreen men racked up 251 for 8 with skipper Paul Brolly top scoring with 55 (6 fours).

Brolly shared stands of 68 with Damien Gallagher (42) and Mark Chambers (29), while George Brolly (37*) gave the innings impetus in the closing stages. Ross Spence (3-67) was the most successful, but Cliftonville's cause wasn't helped by the concession of 51 extras, including 34 wides. Those extras meant that it took nearly three hours to bowl their overs -leading to a five over penalty.

It looked initially as if that wouldn't matter as Neil Cahill (45) and Danny Sczygiol (50) added 70 in just 11 overs. Sczygiol struck nine fours and a six in his 31 ball half century, but his dismissal by Gerard McAuley restored the balance of power to the home side.

Cliftonville were eventually bowled out for 182, with Paul Brolly (3-7), Conor Brolly (2-23), and Gerard McAuley (2-31) among the wickets as Ardmore ran out 69 run winners.

Killyclooney travelled to Bangor, and lost by seven wickets in a rain affected game reduced to 34 overs per side. Ken Colhoun (37), Dee Dunn (25), James Colhoun (22), and Mark Gordon (20) all getting starts as they reached 175.

The early dismissal of Zac Rushe proved a false dawn for the visitors, as 17 year old Jacob Kwelu batted with great skill and purpose, to make an unbeaten 69 (7 fours). Mark Nixon (48) and Johnny Hewitt (39) were the other contributors in the seven wicket win.

Creevedonnell lost heavily on their travels at Derriaghy. The Queensway side overcame the loss of two early wickets to rack up 275 for 9. Craig Lewis (90), Richard Hewitt (48*), Andy Kenny (46), and Colin Crookshanks (43) all getting among the runs. Brian Dougherty (2-24), Chris McDonald (2-36), and Andrew Clarke (2-38) were the best of the 'Donnell attack.

Wayne Hughes (6-50) then ripped the heart of the visitors batting, as they closed exactly 100 runs short of their target. Gareth Faulkner (25), Andrew Clarke (23), and Richard Philson (20), all got starts, but weren't able to construct the innings of real substance that Creevedonnell required.

Sion Mills blew a decent opportunity to join the list of victorious North West sides as they were narrowly beaten by Laurelvale. Despite an indifferent start the Tyrone side's Andy Lucas and Ryan O'Neill set them on their way towards a big total, with Lucas in particular looking in good touch.

He remained unbeaten on 74 at the end of their innings with O'Neill contributing 39 but it was a pretty sorry story around them. Sion will know that they were worth more than 174 for 8 in their 40 overs and an extra 20 runs could well have made the difference as the visitors struggled at the start of their reply.

Lee Finlay bowled an excellent 8 overs returning figures of 2 for 16 and whilst Lucas claimed 3 wickets to add to his runs, those proved very costly as he conceded 63 in the process. Sion were well in the game mind you until an unbeaten 49 from Michael Simpson turned the game the visitors' way and despite a decent showing from John Brown's side it is Laurelvale who came through with 3 wickets to spare.

Whilst those games all went the distance there was no such consolation for Burndennett who having been the only unbeaten side in the North West have now lost twice in 24 hours.

To be fair to Jimmy Boyle's men they came up against a really strong Saintfield side and class certainly told in the end.

The game was delayed by a shower at the start and reduced to 35 overs per side and when Burndennett batted first Dean Mehaffey was again in form as he posted another half century. Mehaffey hit 8 fours in a knock of 53 while support came from Mark Roulston who made 36 but other than 23 from Martin Mehaffey down the order there was little else of note. Alistair Graham with 4 for 11 and John Wheeler 3 for 20 were the architects of Burndennett's downfall.

If batting seemed difficult for the visitors there were no such problems for the hosts as openers Mark Ellison and Craig Boltwood rattled off the required runs with almost 13 overs to spare and all ten wickets intact. Ellison hit 13 fours in his 83 not out and Boltwood 9 fours in an unbeaten 60 as Saintfield look like a side that will take some stopping in this competition.