NW CRICKET: Brigade up to second in Long's SuperValu Premiership despite Irish Cup exit

Brigade were the only NW top-flight team still left in the Irish Senior Cup but Andy Britton's men were knocked out by holders, Leinster, after a disastrous start to their innings eventually caught up with them.

A normally very assured top order got themselves into a real tangle as the visitors batted first in Rathmines with the home side's opening bowlers reducing the North West team to 41-6 in the fifteenth over. Spells of 4-21 from Mark Tonge and 4-24 from Jai Moondra left Brigade's innings in tatters before some excellent late resistance from Ryan Barr and Marcello Piedt helped them at least set a competitive target.

That pair shared an 81-run stand before Piedt was out for 45 while Barr and Jamie Millar (21) added 55 more for the eighth wicket, helping the visitors to 179 all out. Barr was unbeaten on 69 at the end- a valiant effort in the circumstances and for a while, it looked like the match could go either way.

Piedt swapped bat for ball and a quick burst from him (3-37) saw last year's winners slump to 33-3 in reply before order was restored. Monil Patel (41) and Amit Waghmare (27) steadied the ship, and an unbroken sixth wicket stand between Tonge (37*) and Tom Johnson (28*) secured a five-wicket win for the Dublin side.

Things were marginally better in the National Cup as both Strabane and Ballyspallen progressed to Round 3. In a match reduced to 30-overs a side, the Red Caps restricted Derriaghy to 138-8 with skipper Craig Lewis hitting 4 sixes and a four in his entertaining 45. Ivan Sinovich kept his captain company before he was completely undone by a slower ball from Aaron Gillespie for 28.

Usman Azhar was the pick of the home bowlers with 3-18 while Nasir Nawar always looked a danger in his spell of 2-19. The Red Caps had little difficulty in knocking off the required runs; Gillespie with a classy 63* (7 fours, 2 sixes) while overseas man Nawar added 44 as Strabane won by 7 wickets.

'Spallen bowled Laurelvale out for 72 with only David Sinton (29) and Mark Thornbury (22) getting to double-figures for the Belfast outfit. Graham Kennedy (5-8 from 7 overs) was again on song while the Roe Valley side didn't hang about in their reply, Kyle Morrow with an unbeaten half century (5 fours, 3 sixes) as they won by 9 wickets.

St Johnston racked up 252-7 at Terenure courtesy of an unbeaten century from Graeme McCarter (102- 10 fours, 6 sixes) with Jack Macbeth hitting 66. Donal Lynch made a very breezy 92 for the hosts in reply (9 sixes, 7 fours) as they chased it down with just eight deliveries left in the game.

Fox Lodge also came out on the wrong side of a thriller in a game reduced to 33 overs a side. The Ballymagorry men posted 147-7, Charlie Simpson with 38 and Jamie McIntyre 23* and while they left it late, runs from Samuel O'Mahony (36), Robert Smith (25), Ross Bryans (24) were enough for the Ballyclare side to win.

Donacloney Mill had a less stressful afternoon as they dismissed the Nedd for 75 in a 7-wicket win for them.

On Saturday, Donemana continued on their merry way at the top of the Long's SuperValu Premiership and Gary McClintock's team are now the only unbeaten team in the senior ranks after they won at Coleraine and Fox Lodge slipped at home to Bond’s Glen in Section 2.

Overseas man Cephas Zhuwao found his range a bit at Sandel Lodge, hitting 4 sixes and 3 fours in his 47 before falling to a smart, diving catch from Andy McBrine. Scott Campbell had earlier made 33 and if 'Scra's' catch was something, the one William McClintock snaffled to dismiss the Bannsiders' opener was another level again.

Craig Averill made 29 to complete the main run scorers list in the home side's total of 186-9, while Raymond Curry (3-41) and David O'Sullivan (2-28) were on the mark for the league leaders with the ball. Curry was at it with the bat too. He made 59 and Rumesh Buddhika 32 to get the reply up and running, but it was a masterful unbeaten 83 from Irish International McBrine (5 fours, 5 sixes) than ensured the visitors stayed top with a 6-wicket win.

Scott Macbeth continued in his red-hot vein of form as the Emerging Ireland player blasted 12 fours and 12 sixes in a crushing 69-ball 156 at home to Killyclooney, 35 of those coming in one over from the unfortunate Jordan Connor. Granted there was a 'no-ball' six in there, but it was still relentless pressure from a man currently at the top of his game.

Outside of Scotty's knock, the next highest contributor in total of 282-7 was David Barr with 24, although there were cameos from Adam McDaid, Marcello Piedt and Ryan Barr along the way. That one over aside, Jordan Connor was, by some way, the best of the 'Clooney bowlers. He picked up 3-20 from his other three, a very decent effort in the circumstances.

The visitors certainly didn't roll over in reply either, skipper Timmy Dougherty hit 5 sixes and 3 fours in his 62 after Jamal Anwar (55) and Kenzie Hall (43- 5 sixes, 2 fours) had shared a 76-run opening stand. It all unraveled a bit after that; Macbeth, who else, with 3-33 and two wickets apiece for Iftikhar Hussain and David Barr ensuring the bottom side were bowled out for 204.

In the other top-flight game, Eglinton lowered Newbuidings' colours in a closely-fought affair down the Cottage Row. The visitors batted first and overseas man Samarth Seth got the ball rolling, hitting 5 fours and 4 sixes in his 68. Ryan Hunter chipped in with 44, Jordan McIvor 30 not out and Jason Dunn 25 in a combined 197-7.

Andy Millar was the pick of the home attack with 3-21 and Eglinton's reply was dominated by a hard hitting century from overseas man, Lahiru Dilshan. With his side in trouble, the Sri Lankan and Mark Averill took the score from 107-7 to the winning line; Dilshan hitting 7 fours and 6 sixes in his 103*. Averill has been in superb form for the villagers in recent weeks, most notably with the ball, but he is far from a Number 8 or 9 as he proved here in a valuable win.

In Section 2, St. Johnston stay top after a bloodless victory away at Burndennett. Graeme McCarter made 75*, Jack Macbeth 69 and David Anthony 52 (5 sixes and 3 fours reducing the need for any galloping about) as the Saints posted 246-6 from their 40. There were two wickets apiece for Ross McCay, Mark Doherty and all-rounder Niall McDonnell for 'Dennett.

The reply was never fully on course truth be told, Doherty's 40 and 34 from Ben Logue the best of it as the home side closed on 157-8. McCarter (3-14) and David Barnard (2-28) were best with the ball as the Saints won cosily.

Strabane moved into second as Nasir Nawar starred in an emphatic 9-wicket win at The Nedd. The Pakistani all-rounder ripped through the home side's order to return figures of 6-22 as The Nedd were bowled out for just 45; John Mooney and Usman Azhar sharing the other four, before 'Nas' made a quick 30* to wrap up a wide-margin verdict.

Fox Lodge lost for the first time in the league this season (although they’ve had two wash outs) when they were beaten at home by Bond’s Glen. In a match reduced to 22 overs a side, the Foxes posted 132-4 batting first. Brian Allen and Jonny Robinson were both back in the side for this one but it was Jason Milligan (40) and Gayan Maneeshan (30) who fared best with the bat, although 'Bap' did chip in with 26*.

Undeterred, the Bee Gees set about the reply with Stephen McGowan hitting 4 sixes and 3 fours as he made 48. Simon Killen added 32 at the top of the order and despite Milligan (3-13) being on target with the ball, the Kildoag side chased down the win with an over to spare.

Ballyspallen went into the Rectory in the final game with very few giving them a chance, however the Roe Valley outfit stunned their hosts with an excellent display. Trevor Britton made an unbeaten 61 for the Bond’s Street team, sharing in an unbroken stand of 88 with Ryan Nolan who made 37* in a total of 199-6. Ben Mills added 27 and Alan Johnson 25 with Graham Kennedy (2-7) and Stuart Kennedy (2-37) best with the ball.

'GK' then showed bundles of quality as he and Tevyn Walcott dominated 'Spallen's reply. Graham hit 6 fours and 5 sixes in an unbeaten 71 with Walcott adding 66, but it was the Kennedy boys who sealed the win in an unbroken 84-run stand, Stuart making 35 not out to keep his brother company to the winning line.