Firsts grab a home win at last

The Saints marched into town knowing that nothing short of a win was needed in their battle against relegation but they marched out of town realising that Coleraine were just too good and they’ll need to look elsewhere for those elusive two points.

On a warm, sunny afternoon, Coleraine captain, Wilson Torrens, won the toss and elected to bat.

Coleraine’s opening pair of Ian McGregor and Steven Harper strode to the crease full of confidence having batted so well together in their last match against Fox Lodge. However, it wasn’t too long before Harper was back in the hutch when a swinging delivery from David Macbeth in the second over saw Harper’s middle stump cart-wheeling towards the pavilion.

Muhammed Salman joined McGregor and immediately stamped his authority on the game. With a combination of some exquisite cover drives to the boundary and some quick singles, the pair took Coleraine to 40 before McGregor got a thin edge to a delivery from Ian Macbeth only to see the ball deflect off the wicket keeper’s leg and lob up to first slip where Bobby Rao took the simplest of catches.

Tanuj Chopra was Salman’s next partner and they took the score past the 50 mark before Chopra was adjudged LBW for 10 giving Ian Macbeth his second wicket.

Teenager Paul Douglas was next to the middle with the Bannsiders sitting precariously on 65 for 3. The home side needed to consolidate for a few overs and he didn’t let them down. Together with Salman, they added 38 before Douglas was bowled round his legs by the young Indian leg spinner, Pal, for 12.

With Coleraine now sitting on 103 for 4, a target of 200 was in their sights. Scott Campbell, having returned from his Man of the Tournament performances in Dublin for the Ireland U17s, joined Salman and together they shared an excellent partnership of 120. Salman in particular was lethal on any over pitched or short pitched deliveries as he clubbed the ball to all parts of the boundary on his way to an impressive 122 before eventually trying one too many and skying one back to the bowler, Ian Macbeth, who caught it to give him an excellent return of 3 wickets for 29 runs in eight overs.

Stephen Dunn joined Campbell and the pair’s fine running between the wickets saw them turn several twos into threes as Saint Johnston’s tired fielders were beginning to feel the strain of three hours in the sun. When Campbell was eventually run out for a well played 38 it left Rodney Lockhart and Dunn to finish the innings and steer the home side to a daunting 246 for 7.

After the tea interval, the Saints’ skipper, Andrew Fleming, and Ramon Goud strode to the crease knowing they needed to lay the foundations if the Saints were to have any chance of pulling off an unlikely victory. However, they hadn’t counted on the fact that Ireland-A bowler Stephen Dunn was fired up ready to inflict some damage. He bowled an excellent opening spell of 4 overs for only six runs and, at the same time, claimed the prize wicket of Fleming for just 6. Meanwhile, at the other end, Salman was also in fine form as he trapped Goud LBW for 10.

The Macbeth brothers, Alan and David, were now partnering each other and at 19 for 2 they knew they had to build a solid base.

Coleraine introduced Tanuj Chopra into the attack and it wasn’t too long before he claimed the wicket of Alan Macbeth who got a thin edge to an away swinger and saw the ball lodge safely in the gloves of wicket keeper Rodney Lockhart.

Stewart Lapsley joined David Macbeth and immediately set his sights on staying at the crease no matter what the circumstances. Macbeth was steady and hit a couple of boundaries on his was to 34 but the introduction of Scott Campbell’s left arm slow bowling proved too good as Macbeth tried to loft him out of the ground only to see the ball go straight up to give the bowler an easy catch.

Meanwhile, Lapsley’s “Boycottesque” style of approach did nothing except prolong the agony for his team and even when Dunn returned for some hostile pace bowling and Coleraine surrounded the batsman with four slips, a leg slip, two gullies and a short leg, he still didn’t attempt the slightest effort at scoring into an empty field.

With his partners losing patience at the other end and throwing their wickets away, there was a faint sound of snoring emanating from the clubhouse where the spectators must have thought that Ireland had at last introduced its first five day test match. It wasn’t to be, and when Lapsley eventually tried to hit one over the infield it was with great delight that Andrew Douglas took a fine catch to dismiss him for 20 off 93 balls.

The final pair of Pal and Michael Rankin was the one shining light in an otherwise poor St Johnston display. They played sensible cricket with straight bats and some beautiful cover drives before Rankin was eventually caught by Stephen Dunn for 15 to wrap up the innings for 175 leaving the Saints 71 runs short of target. The 14 year old Rankin showed everyone that he is a chip off the old block and if he is half as good as his father, Ian, then the Saints certainly have one to be watched for the future.

Next weekend sees Coleraine in a tricky double header as they travel to Bready on Saturday and then Brigade on Sunday with both games starting at 1pm.