Bready ease to comfortable win at Newbuildings

Action drew to a close on Sunday evening but despite plenty of rain around on Saturday, all games were played to a conclusion, one way or another.

Group A remains the tightest of the four and Coleraine went to the top there after a low-scoring 10-over game at Eglinton.

Batting first, an opening stand of 44 between Matthew Hutchinson (21) and Scott Campbell (20) saw the Bannsiders post a total of 74-5 with Scott Adair (2-8) faring best of the home bowlers.

The hosts reply started really well with Craig Averill smashing 3 sixes and 3 fours in his 14-ball 34.

After three overs Eglinton were 39-1 before three wickets each for Rory Knox and Varun Chopra and a couple apiece for Campbell and Gareth Burns turned the match on its head.

The Villagers lost nine wickets for the addition of just 21 runs from there, to be all out for 60, giving Coleraine the advantage at the top.

Bonds Glen gave themselves a chance of qualifying for a semi-final as well as they beat Fox Lodge in a last-ball thriller of a match reduced to just 5 overs. Batting first the Foxies made 54-3- Brian Allen top scoring with 15.

The home side’s new overseas player - Rehan Afridi - has just completed 10 days in quarantine and he made 23 not out and Matty Barr 19 to keep the Bee Gees in it.

Needing 14 from the last over, Rehan hit the first three balls for 4 and the next one for a single leaving Simon Killen to get one; however the former Glendermott man missed the fourth and was trapped lbw from the next to set up the grandstand finish. Skipper Johnny Haslett managed to scramble a leg bye off the last to ensure a vital win for his side.

Irosh Samarasooriya was in sparkling form as Bready put Newbuildings to the sword in a nine over contest at Foyleview.

Johnny Thompson hit 4 sixes and 2 fours in his 40 for Newbuildings, the former Warriors man sharing in a stand of 59 with Ben Mills who made 30. The home side finished on 102-3 which on another day would have been a huge ask, but not with Bready’s Sri Lankan in the mood he was in.

Irosh faced 26 balls in all, but crashed 10 sixes - 5 of them in consecutive balls off Trent McKeegan - as well as 5 fours, as he made 87 not out in the reply. That allowed Bready to rattle off their target with more than 3 overs to spare.

Glendermott kept the pressure on the other two with a seven wicket win at Burndennett. Andy Barr hit 2 fours and 2 sixes on his way to 36 while Mark Doherty made 18 not out in a home total of 103-6.

Nathan McGuire again top scored for the Rectory men with 4 sixes and a four in his 40, sharing in a 55-run first wicket stand with Scott Laird (20). Steve Moore made a quick 22 not out and skipper Alan Johnson an unbeaten 17 as Glendermott reached their target in the final over.

Donemana made sure of their top spot with a comfortable 39-run DLS win at Ballyspallen. William McClintock was at his belligerent best thumping 8 sixes and 7 fours in a 41-batt 86 not out. Twin brother Gary added 29 as the visitors reached 134-3 after 14 overs before the rain returned.

'Spallen’s reply started poorly and had reached 40-6 in the sixth over when the players left the field for the final time. Dean Mehaffey (2-16) was best with the ball but the home side were well off their target score of 79 when the stumps were pulled.

Ardmore’s South African connection sealed their eight wicket win over St Johnston at Foyle College. Skipper Jared Wilson made an unbeaten 47 (5 fours, 2 sixes) and Tyron Koen 34 not out as that pair shared an unbroken partnership of 81.

Michael Rankin had earlier hit 5 fours and 2 sixes in his 56 not out while Scott Macbeth added 22 as the Saints posted a competitive 106-1 in 12 overs. It wasn’t to be enough however as the visitors had 9 deliveries to spare at the winning line.

Finally, Strabane secured second place in Group D with a 59-run home win over Killyclooney.

The hosts posted 167-3 in their reduced 19 overs with Kevin Gallagher hitting 8 fours and 3 sixes in his entertaining 89. Gallagher shared an opening stand of 136 with Tom Harpur who made 51 (5 fours, 2 sixes) while Richard McMorris was best with the ball for ‘Clooney with 3-25.

The visitors never really got to grips in their reply although Giles Moan made 28 and Derek Lynch 26 in a total of 108-7. Chris Havern helped himself to 4 wickets and Tanvir Hassan 2 in a comfortable win for the Red Caps.