FIFTHS BEATEN BY LAURELVALE

Larne Cricket Club, sponsored by the Curran Court Hotel, travelled to Laurelvale last Saturday to take on the local club’s Third eleven in an NCU Division 3 Section 5 league match.

Despite a morning of very heavy rain that led to all the other Larne matches being postponed, the Larne tam was greeted by warm sunshine within half an hour of their arrival. Fifths captain, John Hood, was won the toss and decided to bat. The Larne team was confident of putting together a good, competitive target but it was not to be. An abject batting performance left the local side all out for 73 after just 22.3 of their allotted 40 overs. It wasn’t to be Larne’s day with opening pair, Esler Burke and Michael Waterman, out for 2 and 5 respectively.

Ryan Glenholmes was bowled without troubling the scorers and it was left to Larne number 4, Christopher Dempsey, to hold the innings together. He ended up as the not out batsman easily top scoring with 28. Captain, Hood, was caught at slip for 2 with a determined Timmy Evans scoring a quick-fire 10. Some very poor running between the wickets led to run outs for David Hayes and Kristian Humphrys with Jonathan Irwin, Richard Hood and Luke Brownlee all giving away their wickets very cheaply. This was a bad day for the Larne team and, although they knew they had let themselves down with the bat, to their credit they kept trying all day.

After a very welcome tea interval, Larne opening bowlers Ryan Glenholmes and Timmy Evans tried to get a vital breakthrough. Christopher Dempsey did, however, get a breakthrough when one of the Laurelvale openers cut the ball onto his foot then onto the stumps to be bowled for 3. Alas this was to be the only wicket that the Larne team was able to take. Richard Hood managed to limit their scoring but, with only 73 runs to defend, it was never going to be enough. David Hayes and Luke Brownlee all tried hard but it was not be Larne’s day. Sunday’s match against Templepatrick was postponed and will be re-arranged later in the summer. Next Saturday the Fifths entertain Lisburn Fourths hoping to avenge their narrow defeat of earlier in the season.

RESULT – Larne V’s lost to Laurelvale III’s by 9 wickets.