 GRAHAM CUP WIN (Match Report)
Sunday 15 August 2010 EAKIN AND DAVIDSON STAR IN GREAT TEAM PERFORMANCE
Check SCORECARD at Team Stats/under 15s
Chasing any noteworthy score in a cup final is difficult enough, but to chase 212 in 35 overs was always going to require something special from Templepatrick.
North Down won the toss and batted on a slow wicket, mirrored by the outfield, where 150 looked a very useful score.
Ryan Burgess and Patrick Carser opened and faced the pace of McFadden and Carlisle. Carser was out with the total on 17, caught behind the wicket off a rising ball, and the total had moved on to 50 before Burgess was also caught behind, this time off first change bowler Bryans but not before he had contributed 22 very useful runs in a 33 run partnership with his captain, Peter Eakin.
It was a following partnership of 51 that laid the foundation for a big score with Eakin building from a steady start and Peter Davidson punishing the poor delivery. Davidson's 16 included 3 boundaries before he departed.
Gareth Wright also supported Eakin with 15 runs including a terrific straight six.
Meanwhile Eakin showed real class all around the wicket. His driving, cutting and 'clipping' to leg were a delight to watch and combined with excellent timing and a formidable concentration, he played an innings of immense character and was cruelly denied a century with a lapse and tired shot off the last ball of the 34th over. His innings contained 12 'fours' and 2 'sixes'
Eakin had added 75 with Gavin Anderson who played a big part in securing the total with a fine unbeaten 36 that included 6 'fours' and a great 'six'
The burgers at tea time must have gone down well with the North Down squad who had thoroughly entertained the substantial number of supporters they had around the boundary.
The Templepatrick openers, Hunter and Rainey had a formidable task ahead of them. They had to build a secure base, but had to do so at a run rate that didn't make a difficult task well nigh impossible.
They secured the base, but slowly, and when Peter Davidson struck the total was 36 in the 13 overs.
New batsman McFadden showed his intent with a beautiful straight drive to the boundary but when he tried to pull a shorter delivery to the leg side he found Patrick Carser who held on to a terrific low down catch at deep square leg.
It was a key moment in the Templepatrick chase and thereafter the run rate became the real enemy. Gibson and the immovable Hunter added 48 for the third wicket but it was an uphill struggle and the inevitable happened - three run outs. The last of these was Hunter who had showed fighting qualities and a lot of ability.
Peter Davidson claimed a marvellous 'five for' when North Down's quick handed wicket keeper, Gareth Wright, stumped Kirk to give North Down a well deserved victory from an excellent team performance.
Check the SCORECARD at Team Stats/under 15s
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