Mixed fortunes for Carrick cricketers

The hosts, who were without Mikey Taiaroa and Danny O’Shea due to the strict residency rules for this competition, and Ally McCalmont due to injury, won the toss and batted first. Former Irish international Nasir Shoukat struck two early blows for the north Dublin side, bowling Andrew Cowden and then Michael Turkington with only eight runs on the board.

Paul Stirling, just returned from T20 duties with Ireland in the Caribbean, announced his arrival with a six off the first ball he faced and followed this up with two boundaries before edging one to the ‘keeper to end his brief stay at the crease. Brother Richard was still there and he and Ross Gelderbloem spent the next 10 overs together at the wicket, taking the score to 63 before Richard Stirling was bowled for 27. Gelderbloem followed with the total on 81 for five off 21 overs.

The remainder of the Carrick innings belonged to captain Ryan Eagleson whose virtually single-handed effort took the Carrick score to respectability. However, he lacked any sustained support from the lower order who came and went leaving their skipper unbeaten on 61 when the final wicket fell in the 42nd over. His fine innings was scored off 72 balls and contained eight fours and two sixes.

With The Hills possessing a very strong batting line-up, 168 was never going to be enough for Carrick, and so it proved. Jeremy Bray and Albert van der Merwe took 85 off the first 20 overs before Carrick got what was their only wicket when ex-Irish international Bray skied one to Eagleson of Matthew Kernohan’s bowling.

Skipper Baumgart and van der Merwe got their side home in the 38th over with the South African unbeaten on 81 as his side completed the most comfortable of victories.

Carrick 168 ( R Eagleson 61n.o., R Gelderbloem 28, R Stirling 27, N Shoukat 3-47, M Byrne 3-35, A van der Merwe 2-15) The Hills 169 for one (A van der Merwe 81n.o.), M Baumgart 40 n.o., J Bray 30).

This Saturday Carrick travel to Stormont for a Premier League game against Civil Service North (1pm)

Carrick Seconds progressed to the next round of the Junior Cup with a very comfortable 134 run win over Victoria at Lurgan Park.

The home side put Carrick in to bat and were soon to regret it as John Kane and Greg Weir took 50 runs off the first 10 overs.

Carrick lost three quick wickets before Trevor Kane was joined at the wicket by skipper Rory Thompson. This pair added a further 66 runs in just nine overs before Thompson was dismissed for 29. Kane received good support from Ivan Walker and Joe Campbell in turn and although the visitors only managed to bat for 44 of their alloted 50 overs they had posted a very useful total of 227.

Trevor Kane was the mainstay of the Carrick innings scoring a superb 75 which included seven fours and four sixes.

It was the 20th over before Victoria lost a wicket but they were way behind the required run rate with only 40 runs on the board. They strugged to 85 for five after 35 overs and Waqas Muhammad and Rory Thompson finished them off in double quick time as their last five wickets could only muster a further eight runs and they were all out in the 40th over for only 93.

Joe Campbell had picked up the first four wickets for Carrick while skipper Thompson also helped himself to four and Muhammad took the remaining two wickets.

Carrick 227 ( T Kane 75, G Weir 33, R Thompson 29) Victoria 93 ( A McClelland 21, J Campbell 4-25, R Thompson 4-18, W Muhammad 2-11).

Carrick seconds will now entertain Donacloney in the second round on 22 May.