CRICKET/Leinster Senior Conqueror Cup: CYM, defeated last year in their first-ever final, kept their current Leinster Senior Conqueror Cup hopes alive with a facile seven-wicket victory over Rush at Kenure on Saturday. Certainly, here was an encouraging start for the Terenure club in this summer's campaign, but the events on the field of play were hardly riveting, and onlookers with ticker trouble were in no danger of suffering a heart seizure from excitement.
By Karl Johnston
Still, a win is a win, mar a déirtear. CYM's skipper Michael Lax won the toss and put Rush into bat and though Gavin Morgan and Robert McGuinness got the home side off to a reasonable start with 25 for the first wicket, they were rapidly reeling on 53 for 4. Nazeem Shaukat top-scored with 26, and the only other batsmen to reach double figures were Walmer Cross, Morgan and Anthony Caldwell, all with modest contributions, be it said, while 25 extras provided a generous bonus.
Which is not to detract from CYM's bowling and fielding, which was enthusiastic and effective. Lax, the new South African leg-spinner Warwick Hinkel and Conor Kelly each took three wickets cheaply, and the other bowlers gave little away as Rush were all out for 127, which, barring some calamity befalling the visitors, never looked remotely like a winning score.
But when CYM went in to bat, Stephen Moore, Lax and Hinkel were all quickly back in the pavilion, courtesy of good bowling by Shaukat, with a meagre 45 runs on the board. But then enter Oliver Young and Conor Kelly, who patiently and effectively staged the rescue operation which would carry the day.
Young ended with an undefeated 38, while Kelly was the game's top-scorer, with 41 not out,including four boundaries and one six off 85 deliveries. Kelly's fine innings, combined with his earlier three-wicket haul, deservedly won him the man of the match award.
The draw for the Conqueror Cup second round will be made in Clontarf CC at Castle Avenue next Wednesday and no doubt Michael Lax and his team will be awaiting that outcome with considerable interest. The draw will be broadcast live on NEAR FM 101.6, starting at 7 p.m.
CYM WON TOSS
RUSH
R McGuinness b Flanagan 5
G Morgan b Lax 16
S Gull b Lax 5
A Butterley lbw b Hinkel 4
N Shaukat b Hinkel 26
W Cross c & b Hinkel ... 20
N Mullen c Hinkel b Kelly 9
A Caldwell b Kelly 14
I Worrell c Lax b Kelly 0
L Metcalfe b Lax 3
J Carthy not out 0
Extras (B5, LB5, W13, NB 2) 25
Total all out, 42.2 overs 127
Fall of wickets: 1/25; 2/32; 3/36; 4/53; 5/91; 6/96; 7/111; 8/111; 9/127; 10/127.
BOWLING: M Lax 10-1-23-3; R Flanagan 8-1-23-1; W Hinkel 12-3-27-3; T O'Neill 3-1-16-0; C Kelly 9.2-1-29-3.
CYM
S Moore lbw b Shaukat 10
W Hinkel c Worrell b Shaukat 14
M Lax lbw b Shaukat 16
O Young not out 38
C Kelly not out 41
Extras (LB2, W6, NB1) 9
Total for 3 wickets, 34.4 overs 128
Did not bat: R Flanagan, T O'Neill, C Morgan, W Dwyer, A Kelleher, M Launders.
Fall of wickets: 1/22; 2/42; 3/45.
BOWLING: S Gull 11-0-34-0; N Shaukat 11-0-44-3; J Carthy 4-1-8-0; G Morgan 3-0-16-0; L Metcalfe 3-0-15-0; W Cross 2.4-0-9-0.
CYM WON BY 7 WICKETS.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Conor Kelly (CYM).
UMPIRES: J Andrews, B Goodwin.
