Under 13s through to cup final

On Friday evening the Tigers hosted a very strong Cregagh side in the last eight.

Bowling first the Tigers started well with both Jonny Hunter and Callum Gibson taking a wicket. A change of bowling yielded a third wicket with Jack Maxwell catching A. Nelson off his own bowling. That left Cregagh in trouble at 19 for three .

Captain Neil Allen made the crucial breakthrough when he trapped Hume leg before for 24. A few balls later, quick work from Scott Wilson led to Fleetham being run out without scoring. Allen took another wicket with his last ball to finish with excellent figures of two for 11 in his four overs.

The Belfast side finished on a competitive 77 for eight in their 20 overs.

In reply the Tigers got off to the worst possible start with Callum Gibson and Jack Maxwell being bowled by Cunningham is successive overs.

Jonny Hunter and Scott Wilson set about repairing the damage but at the halfway stage 50 runs were still required. Hunter and Wilson’s partnership of 59 took the Tigers to within touching distance of victory and it was unfortunate for Hunter that he was bowled with just 10 runs needed. His score of 38 was a match winning one.

Lurgan lost one more wicket but Scott Wilson saw the Tigers home to a six wicket win. He finished on a very well played 29 not out.

On Monday evening the Tigers welcomed Instonians to Pollock Park for the semi-final.

Bowling first the Tigers found the wet conditions difficult as Instonians posted a challenging score of 84 for the loss of five wickets.

Lurgan openers Jonny Hunter and Callum Gibson got the Tigers off to a good start with a 34 run partnership but when Gibson was bowled by Rose in the 10th over that sparked a mini collapse.

However Jonny Hunter was continuing where he left off on Friday night, making 21. With five down they needed 36 off six overs with two new batsmen at the crease.

It looked a tall order but Neil Allen and Nathaniel Ferris kept the scoreboard moving with some well taken singles and they went into the last over needing just one to win.

That wasn’t the end of the drama though as Ferris was bowled by Rose for 10 off the first ball. Ben Hunter came to the crease and his single off the next ball took the Tigers through to the final. Neil Allen finished not out on 16 at the non-striker’s end. The Tigers will now face either Waringstown or CIYMS in the final.