Kerr smashes top score for Academy

Batting first on a firm wicket opposition Cregagh managed only 162 at Gibson Park, where Ian Kerr hit the top score of the afternoon with 75.

Cregagh never fully recovered from the early breakthrough by Johnny Irons who finished with the impressive figures of 4 for 20.

He received solid support form David Greenlees with 3 for 24, Matthew Palmer 2 for 13 and Brian Boyd 1 for 29.

The Academy reply got off to a poor start when opener Andrew Magee was dismissed with the score on eight, but a second wicket partnership of forty-four between skipper Mark Shields (30) and Palmer (21) got the innings back on track.

Later Greenlees added a brisk twenty-nine, but their top scorer was James Wix with an undefeated thirty-two, and the stand of forty-two between this pair ensured that the Hydepark lads recorded their second league win.

This weekend Academy have two league fixtures to fulfil. On Saturday they host the local derby with Templepatrick, and will be in action at Newforge again on Sunday when they entertain Millpark.

This latter encounter will be regarded as a warm-up for the Junior Cup quarter-final against Millpark at Gilford on Saturday 19th June.