Bready skipper Scanlon hits six to take title
BREADY are Long’s SuperValu Premiership champions for the first time in their history.
They lost their fourth match of the season at Beechgrove yesterday to Brigade but once they had reached 134, to bring the margin of defeat down to less than 40 runs, they were confirmed champions.
In the end, they fell just seven runs short of their revised target of 173 in 25 overs and, fittingly, it was captain David Scanlon who hit a six to reach their title-winning target. Although he was dismissed next ball, it was job done and Craig Young, the other lower-order batting success this season, continued the charge for victory before he was bowled immediately after reaching his 50.
Bready were actually within two runs of winning the title in front of their own support on Saturday, when needing to restrict Coleraine to 218, the Bannsiders finished on 220-9.
But 24 hours later, the celebrations could begin. It was Brigade’s failure to pick up maximum points on Saturday that left Bready needing only one point yesterday.
Chasing Ardmore’s 177, they lost their second wicket with the total on 56 and a sixth, skipper Andy Britton (34) when six runs from victory. It was Kyle Magee’s 43 not out, to add to his 3-22, who saw them to a 22 points victory at the end of the 42nd over. Ardmore captain Gary Neely’s was his side’s top scorer with 61 not out. Strabane were also in title contention on Saturday morning but they lost by eight runs in an exciting finish at Eglinton. Mike Erlank was run out for 101 in the home side’s 265-5 but despite losing four wickets for 55 in reply, Strabane took the game to the last over thanks to Peter Gillespie’s 119. But Gillespie was eighth out in the 48th over with still 18 needed for victory and two wickets for just two runs in the last over bowled by Lenny Ritchie left the Red Caps comfortably short and their title race was run.
In Saturday’s other game, Donemana beat Fox Lodge by three wickets but the three points in defeat means Ardmore will be relegated if they lose to the Foxes on Saturday. Beechgrove: Brigade 210-8 (35 overs, K Magee 46, R Macbeth 40, A Britton 31, C Dixon 20; C Olphert 4-41, D Rankin 2-32) Bready 164-8 (25 overs, C Young 50, D Scanlon 38, A Austin 30; J Robinson 3-22, M Simpson 2-12). Brigade won by 7 runs (DLS). Champion: Irosh Samarasooriya celebrates Bready’s triumph
Gary Kidd led the way with three wickets as the visitors were bowled out for 208 with Instonians skipper Andrew White (58) holding the innings together after Jordan McClurkin (39) and James Metcalfe (38) had put on 66 for the first wicket.
Rain reduced the Waringstown innings to 35 overs and they used up all but seven balls in reaching their revised target of 173, Lee Nelson seeing them home with 28 not out.
The defending champions however could not close the gap on leaders CIYMS who hammered Muckamore by 174 runs at Belmont in the other game to beat the weather on Saturday.
The top seven CI batsmen all reached 25 with half centuries for Jason van der Merwe (82 not out) and John Matchett (58) in a total of 314-6.
SCORES: Middle Road: Carrickfergus 171-9 (40 overs, A Haggan 47, M McCord 39; S Getkate 3-30, S Bunting 2-23, B Rose 2-33) Instonians 167 (39.3 overs, S Getkate 79, J McClurkin 36, S Bunting, R Hood 3-37, A Haggan 3-38, P Botha 2-20). Carrickfergus won by 4 runs Stormont: North Down 239-3 (38 overs, R Pretorius 124 not out, A Shields 39 not out, R Haire 34 not out) Civil Service North 280-4 (37.2 overs, M Ellison 131, M Topping 56, A Wright 46). Civil Service North (set 277 in 38 overs) won by 6 wickets.