Development team take on a new club

Led by Youth Development Officer, Jonny Gillespie, and club professional, Niranjan Godbole, the team travelled to Dundalk at the weekend to play a 35 over a side friendly game.

Dundalk are a new club - formed only in November 2009 and was formed by Paddy Kavanagh who opened the batting for Lurgan in the late 60's and early 70's.

The home were offered the toss and elected to field first. The Lurgan batting order was reversed with Niranjan Godbole coming in at number 11 for the first time in his career with the younger players promoted up the order to get some experience in the middle.

The boys batted very well on a very green track with runs difficult to come by. Matthew Bann (16) and Michael McDowell (15) proved runs were to be had if you had the confidence to play your strokes. Lurgan wickets tumbled at regular intervals and it took Joel Adams (19) and Matthew McCormick (23) to steady the ship.

However with the Lurgan score in the 90s, both Matthew and Joel were dismissed bringing numbers 10 and 11 to the crease in the form of Jonny Gillespie and Niranjan Godbole. Both Niranjan and Jonny scored vital runs at the end of the innings until Jonny was caught out at deep square leg in the final over for 24. Niranjan finished not out with a quickfire 19 and Dundalk were set a target of 146 to chase.

After lunch, Dundalk's openers quickly found their rhythm as the young Lurgan attack struggled to find the required length. Jonny Gillespie and Niranjan Godbole came on and curtailed the run rate, but all 11 players in the Lurgan team got an opportunity to bowl. Wickets were shared throughout the Dundalk innings by the Lurgan bowlers with the catch of the day being held by Niranjan Godbole who took a skier over his shoulder as he ran towards the deep mid wicket boundary.

There were also two run outs in the home side’s innings and at the end Dundalk were just out of reach of the Lurgan total finishing all out for 120, leaving Lurgan the winners by 26 runs in what turned out to be a very useful exercise.