Kerry thirds finish cricket season on a high note

MUNSTER PREMIER DIVISION

SNATCHING defeat from the jaws of victory - cliché or not - Kerry seniors closed their season by doing precisely that thing. Across all three Munster divisions, Cork Harlequins and Kerry have had some memorable close encounters this season and on Saturday, again, the drama was plentiful.

With the help of windy conditions at the Oyster Oval on Saturday, suiting the bowlers more than the batsmen, the visitors were restricted to 99. Qassim Butt returned a personal season’s best figures of 9-4-17-5, supported by another excellent bowling contribution from Awais Saghir 7-1-21-2.

In spite of their experience, the Jones brothers Sennan and Ruadhán (Roo), batting 2 and 3 didn’t stay long at the crease; only the consistent Zuhair Shah (20) made a respectable contribution to the Quins total. In reply,

Kerry made a brisk start. At 63 for 3, although the home squad had only 10 men for this match, it looked pretty match like a routine rubber stamp was all that was required.

But Quins had other ideas, the two Jones brothers turned up the heat with their own bowling prowess, taking the remaining 6 Kerry wickets for only 35 runs - 1 run too few for Kerry.

Sennan, who bowled superbly, finished with 10-0-43-5 while his older brother Rhuidhan returned 10-2-36-3; Quins secure equal second place with Limerick in the final Munster Premier Division standings table for 2018.

Kerry have to settle for fourth place leaving Galway with the wooden spoon; a mixed year for Kerry seniors, where the highlight was undoubtedly beating Cork Harlequins in the final of the Munster Senior Cup.

MUNSTER CRICKET DIVISION 2

IT fell to Kerry 3rd squad on Sunday to draw down the curtain on the 2018 season for Kerry County Cricket Club; and they finished on a high note with a convincing victory against Limerick 3rds, completing the double against this opposition in just 8 days.

At their home ground in Adare, Limerick were restricted to 122 off 39 overs, Dominic Broadhurst top-scored with a determined 19, but the Kerry bowlers never let the Limerick batters settle.

Kerry captain Prince Thomas picked up 4 for15; Imran Pathan 3 for 19; Richard Rutland took 2 for 15 and Dave Ramsay added another wicket with the fourth ball of his first over. Sean Rutland also added crucial pressure with an eight over spell, conceding just 19 runs and finishing with four consecutive maidens.

In the run chase, Kerry’s top order got off to a shaky start and at 3 for 26 Limerick must have thought they were well on top. But when Adi Dar was dismissed for 13, Mourad (29) and Imran (24) took control, and with a little help from some tired and wayward bowling, they took Kerry’s score past the target for a well-earned 6 wicket victory with 19 overs to spare.

So in the final table for Munster Division 2, Tipperary 2nds took the honours for the 2018 season, Cork Harlequins 3rd squad finished as runners-up with Kerry 3rds claiming third place.