Leinster CC v The Hills, 30 August 2021

Third Man

The flurry of re-fixed games continued unabated as The Hills visited Leinster CC for a 20 overs per side game. Due to pressures of work, The Hills had three changes from the team which had beaten Pembroke on Saturday. Lorcan Woodhouse came into the team, Andrew Kavanagh took the wicket-keeping slot, and there was a first-team debut for Sam Smyth. Saturday’s victory had lifted the relegation pressures on The Hills, but this was not the situation for a Leinster team which up to that point had failed to win any game in the BUAKIT Premier League.

Leinster won the toss and opted to bat first. It was evident that the fear of relegation had produced a highly motivated team, and by the end of the 6^th over, Leinster had accumulated 56 runs for the loss of a single wicket. The introduction of Jonathan Tall, the left arm spinner, induced a slowing of the run-rate initially, and then he took the prized wicket of Joey Carroll, last Saturday’s centurion, and former Hills’ player. At the other end, the first ball which Sam Smyth bowled in Premier League cricket dismantled the stumps of Bilal Azhar (38) who had been batting brilliantly. According to one of The Hills’ statisticians, this is the first occasion that a debutant has taken a wicket with the first ball that he bowled in Senior cricket. A variety of Leinster cricketers got starts, but none of them went on to make a significant contribution to the score, and Leinster’s final total was 156 runs 8 wickets.

Regarding the bowling performance, it was wonderful to see Sam Smyth take a wicket with his first ball and to witness the celebrations which ensued. Jonathan Tall’s 4 overs for 22 runs and 1 wicket were pivotal in slowing down the Leinster scoring rate, but at an overall level, The Hills’ bowling lacked the accuracy of recent performances, and 17 wides were conceded. Although Andrew Kavanagh did not concede a single bye, the general standard of The Hills’ fielding was several notches below the normal standards of this team.

A target of 157 runs to win was very challenging, and there was the ever-present fear of deteriorating light. The Hills’ opening pair, Cormac McLoughlin (21) and Bhavesh Lakhotia, had accumulated 36 runs when Bhavesh had to retire injured due to a hamstring strain. It was unfortunate that some of the Leinster fielders were less than sympathetic to his plight as he left the field and made some uncalled for comments. Bhavesh’s injury brought the in-form Murray Commins to the crease, and he proceeded to bat brilliantly. With Dylan Blignaut as his partner, this pair added 42 runs to the score until Dylan was run-out due to confusion in the first instance regarding an LBW appeal. 20 more runs were added when Andrew Kavanagh became the second run-out victim of the evening. With the pressure mounting and the light deteriorating, Murray Commins (51*) and Cian Nulty (18) displayed superb game management skills by ensuring that The Hills remained ahead on the DLS score. The 16^th over was the pivotal one which effectively decided the result as 23 runs were scored (3 sixes, 2 singles, and 3 no balls) off Saqib Bahadur. Cian Nulty’s wicket fell when the score was 138 runs. This left Tomás Rooney-Murphy and Murray Commins to negotiate whatever overs were going to be allowed. After the third ball of the 18^th over, the umpires decided that it was no longer possible to continue, and this decision produced lengthy and heated discussions while the light deteriorated even further.

Some of the Leinster supporters were under the mistaken impression that when a 50 overs game is reduced to 20 overs, there cannot be a further reduction and that the game should be declared null and void with the teams sharing the points. The umpires and a Cricket Leinster official were able to inform all and sundry that the regulations had been changed, and results were possible using the DLS system once a minimum of 10 overs had been bowled in the second innings.

In the end, this was a magnificent batting performance by The Hills CC. Murray Commins batted superbly; there were valuable innings from Dylan Blignaut (24), Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin (21), Cian Nulty (18), and Bhavesh Lakhotia (16*), and a challenging target was achieved under adverse conditions. The games continue to come fast and furious. The Hills will entertain YMCA at The Vineyard on Tuesday and the last game of the league will be played against Clontarf at The Vineyard on Saturday. Until then, it is onwards and upwards.

The Hills v Pembroke, 28 August 2021                   Third Man

The Hills First X1 had an immediate opportunity to make amends for the indifferent performance against Merrion last Thursday when they travelled to Sydney Parade to play Pembroke in a vital league game with another defeat making the prospect of relegation from the Premier League a live possibility. Pembroke won the toss and opted to bat first, but the Hills’ opening bowlers, Dylan Blignaut and Tomás Rooney-Murphy bowled with great accuracy and fire to maintain constant pressure on the Pembroke batsmen. By the end of the seventh over, Blignaut had taken two wickets, the first wicket falling to a smart catch by Murray Commins at first slip, the second wicket to a catch behind the wicket by Mark Dwyer. Pembroke wickets fell at regular intervals, but the Lawson brothers, Theo (73*) and Paul (26) stood firm and ensured that Pembroke ended on the competitive total of 192 runs. The Hills’ spinners, Sameer Dutt (1 wicket for 19 runs in 10 overs) and Jonathan Tall (2 wickets for 39 runs in 10 overs), bowled very well, and their bowling was complemented by a superb performance in the field, with eight catches being taken.

The consensus during the innings break was that the target would be difficult to attain because the pitch was conducive to spin, and spin bowling has consistently been the bane of Fingal cricketers’ lives. The Hills’ opening batsmen, Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin and Bhavesh Lakotia, batted circumspectly and sensibly, and the first wicket did not fall until the eleventh over, with Bhavesh being clean-bowled by Paul Lawson. Cormac was joined at the wicket by Murray Commins, and a magnificent partnership of 116 runs unfolded. Cormac scored a well-deserved half-century (53 runs), and Murray showed the form which had remained latent up to this juncture for The Hills CC. He batted until the 44^th over and scored a brilliant 79 runs to bring the target within manageable proportions. Twists and turns of fate are one of the constants in the lives of supporters, and with three successive LBW decisions, the brows of the six Hills’ supporters became progressively more furrowed. There was then a stumping, and it appeared that The Hills were going to be on the wrong side of another close game with Pembroke. Cometh the hour, cometh the men. The cousins, Tomás Rooney-Murphy and Cian Nulty maintained their composure in this highly pressurised situation, and Cian’s three fours ensured that the required runs were obtained without any further alarms.

This was a fine performance by the Hills’ players, with bowling, fielding, and batting being a vast improvement on the efforts in the previous game. This was a genuine team effort, and it would be invidious to single out any player for further mention, but to compliment all of them for the manner in which they rose to the challenge. The league season is scheduled to end on Saturday, 4^th September, and consequently, The Hills must play three games during the coming week. There are re-fixed games at Rathmines (Monday), the Vineyard (Tuesday) and the final league game is against Clontarf at Vineyard on Saturday. Until Monday, it is onwards and upwards.

PS Henry Tighe, the former President of Cricket Ireland and Cricket Leinster, presided over a moving ceremony during the innings break when the ashes of Cyril Irwin, the former Pembroke player, were scattered at the edge of the pitch. It was a great tribute to Cyril’s memory that so many Pembroke members and former members were present on this poignant occasion.

There are some games that stay with players for the rest of their lives, and this will surely be one of those for this team of youngsters. With perfect weather conditions, a large enthusiastic crowd and The Vineyard in immaculate condition, the scene was perfectly set for the Cubs league semi-final play-off against a visiting Adamstown side. Captain for the day Leo Russell lost the toss and Adamstown put The Hills in to bat. With the game played on a net score basis, it was as important not to lose wickets (minus 5) as to get runs.

Tom Jackson (5) and Daniel Adderley (10) got The Hills off to a solid start during their 4 overs with no wickets lost. Next in, Callum Walsh batted beautifully to top score for the day with 13 in a partnership with Caleb Keane (4). The remaining pairs – Ed Lynch (3) and James Davies (5), Ryan Clinton (6) and Gary Costello (4), Sam Clinton (3) and Leo Russell (7), all contributed and kept the scoreboard ticking over. Crucially, only 2 wickets were lost in the innings against a very strong bowling attack who were able to get the ball to swing. Adamstown bowled extremely well giving away only 15 extras which at this level is an extremely good performance.

Set a target of 66 net to win, the Adamstown opening pair came under immediate pressure from a focussed Hills team who produced a superb bowling and fielding display, remaining calm throughout which cannot be said for the parents on the sidelines whose nerves were being tested to the limits! Wickets fell at a regular pace. Pick of the bowlers was Sam Clinton, a chip off the old block, with a miserly 3 for 11 off 3 overs. Ed Lynch took 2 wickets in his first over and Leo Russell took a superb catch off his own bowling to end up with 1 for 4 off his 2 overs of leg spin. Daniel Adderley took two on the bounce to end up with 2 for 9 which included another spectacular catch, this time from James Davies in the covers. With 11 wickets down Adamstown ended the evening with 83 on the board, 28 net.

The Hills coaches Luke Clinton and Andrew Russell were delighted with the performance, and they would like to thank the visiting Adamstown players, coaches and supporters for the spirit in which the game was played. Special thanks also to those that helped prepare the team during the week – Stephen Jackson, Tracy Clinton and Simon Adderley. Thanks also to Laura Walsh for scoring the book and of course to the team of volunteers who had The Vineyard looking incredible again.

The numbers drawn in The Lotto last evening were:

1, 7, 14 & 32

There was no winner of The Jackpot.

Lucky Dip winners were George Kitteringham and Martha Clinton Maguire, €25.00 each.

The Jackpot next week will be €2,000.00.

Our First X1 will face Merrion this Thursday the 26th in a 20 over refix.

The game will start at 4.30 in The Vineyard.

Good luck to our Cubs team who play in the semi-final of their League on this Tuesday 24th of August at 6pm in The Vineyard. This great group of youngsters would really welcome your support.

Andrew Russell and his young son Joseph made it onto the same team on Sunday last when they lined out for the Fourth X1 Vs Athlone. Andrew helped The Hills post an amazing 329 runs and ended coming out winners by 195 runs. Joseph contributed with some great fielding and taking a brilliant diving catch at midwicket.