U11s win Quoile Cup

They defeated Armagh in the final at Derriaghy last Wednesday.

The Tigers batted first and openers Jonny Hunter and Callum Gibson started cautiously. The first boundary didn’t come until the fourth over when Hunter dispatched a leg stump full toss to the square leg boundary.

As the bowling changes came in, the extras started to pile up with wides and several no balls. Hunter continued to punish the bad ball and after 10 overs Lurgan were 48 without loss.

At this stage Gibson started increase the run rate, cracking a superb straight boundary. With the score on 68 the partnership was broken when Hunter was caught in the covers for 25.

Jack Maxwell came in at number three and worked the ball behind square on both sides of the wicket in an effort to get Gibson on strike and the young opener brought up his half century in style with another straight drive down the ground.

With the 20 overs completed, Lurgan had reached 118 for the loss of one wicket with Callum Gibson not out on 56 and Jack Maxwell not out on 16.

The Armagh chase began steadily and after seven overs they were 21 without loss. Jack Maxwell came into the attack and bowled accurately, conceding only three runs in his first two overs.

Neill Allen also kept the bowling tight as the pressure began to tell on the Armagh who only made it to 33 from their first half of the innings.

Jack Maxwell then took the first wicket, clean bowling Marshall for 20. This proved to be an important breakthrough for the Tigers and the required run rate was now beginning to climb to nearly eight an over.

Ethan Currie and Mark Hutchinson took turns bowling up the hill and Mark struck in the 16th over – bowling the dangerous Armstrong for 15. Jonny Hunter came back into the attack and got one to hit the off stump of Anderson for a duck and the game was all but over.

Jennings, who had played patiently for his 20 ,was run out by Qasam Mohammed off the final ball of the day and Lurgan had won by 38 runs.