ON his home track at Castle Avenue, Clontarf's Brian McNeice saved a depleted Leinster side from acute embarrassment after they seemed destined for a drubbing by the Northern Cricket Union in yesterday's senior inter-provincial championship match.
The day was dark and overcast but the weather hardly compared to the gloom in the home camp as Leinster tottered to 96 for seven, in reply to North's 201 for six, off the amended 46 overs.
Warren McCunny, with an undefeated 62 off 78 balls, including three sixes, had been the chief architect of North's total. He got encouraging assistance from Allan Rutherford, skipper (or the day in the absence of the injured Neil Doak. With Matt Dwyer also injured, Leinster's attack was dulled and only Eddie Joyce made much of an impression.
A very early-end was in sight as Leinster wickets tumbled the first four batsmen virtually giving up the ghost with poor shots. The lively William Adams did most of the damage for North and ended with the excellent figures of four for 25 off 10 overs.
Angus Dunlop manfully stemmed the flow but soon McNeice was running out of partners. At 96 for seven, when Joyce departed, they thought it was all over but McNeice and Greg Molins had other ideas in a stand of 48 for the ninth wicket.
But when McNeice eventually skied a catch to Rutherford, who did a very creditable impression of a full back running under a high ball, North were on their way to their second success of the weekend.
McNeice scored his 58 off 67 balls, his fine innings included two sixes and four boundaries. This should put him in the right frame of mind for Clontarf's Irish Senior Cup match against Sion Mills at the same venue on Wednesday.
Graeme Hick, ignored by England but still adored at Worcester, hit the day's top score as Australia were humbled by five wickets yesterday.
On a day when he was overlooked for England's team to face Australia in the forthcoming one-day series, the Zimbabwe-born Hick made a crucial 35 as his side beat the tourists by five wickets.
The Australians were dismissed for just 121 and Worcestershire knocked off the runs with more than 11 overs to spare.
