 TENSION AT MURKY MIDDLE ROAD
Sunday 25 July 2010 SUTHERLAND STARS AGAIN (See RESULTS Section and LEAGUE TABLE)
Gavin McKenna in action
The conditions at Middle Road this afternoon were far from perfect for a cricket match but sometimes it doesn't take the sun or a glorious wicket to make for a tremendous game. This was a tense affair in the murky ground as an average bowling and fielding performance enabled Carrick to total of 182 for 9.
21 extras didn't help, 15 of them wides but it was not a good day to bowl with the damp outfield.
Khan bowls Taiaroa
Harding got the side off to a great start trapping Stirling and Cowden lbw leaving the total on 14. Gelderbloem connected well with a Moreland delivery but guided it straight to Khan on the square leg boundary and he held on. Khan bowled Taiaroa, who looked the best bat for Carrick, for 27 and Gilmour (25), Eagleson (28) and O'Shea (21) all chipped in with useful knocks. Too many four balls were bowled and gratefully received leaving Carrick finishing on 182 for 9.
The wickets were shared with Harding , Khan and R Haire picking up two each.
Taimur Khan picked up wickets
Ryan Eagleson top scored for Carrick with 28
After a drizzle delay the overs were eventually reduced to 38 and the target to 172.
Russell was bowled by Eagleson first ball of the North Down innings and Sutherland and Ryan Haire took time to settle. They added a valuable 44 before Haire mistimed a hook shot and was caught backward of square.
Khan again took time to adjust to the conditions but was caught behind the wicket attempting to paddle the ball to fine leg.
Left arm slow bowler O'Shea bowled well for his 2 for 30 but Sutherland was proving difficult to dislodge and his 50 came up off 69 balls. Terrett batted number 5 in an order reshuffle and faced 26 balls for his 13 runs before playing back and across to O'Shea and giving the umpire an easy lbw decision when he didn't make contact.
Neil Russell at forward short leg
At 81 for 4 with 16 overs left, 172 looked a distance away. The innings needed a partnership and in successive days it got one. Shields and Terrett added 75 for the fifth wicket and when Shields hooked at a short delivery and was caught behind the wicket, North Down needed 16.
Andrew Sutherland at backward point
The Sunday Life newspaper in its Cup Final preview referred erroniously to Andrew Sutherland as the club professional. He played like a professional in the crucial final overs of this match and ended the worthy Carrick challenge with successive sixes over mid wicket, off the Carrick professional, in the penultimate over and finished 84 not out.
Ryan Haire keeps the ball dry
North Down move to the top of the Premier League this evening with the next game on Friday - the Senior Challenge Cup Final.
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