Armagh V Donacloney (12/09/09)

Armagh stay on track with win over Donacloney

Armagh kept their successful run going in the Ulster Bank Division 1 Section 2 title race with a comfortable if not slightly farcical win in a re-arranged match with the visitors from Donacloney at the Mall.

The away side won the toss and chose to bat, getting off to the worst possible start with Kulkarni bowling Lyttle with the second ball of the match. After this Hanna and St Clair batted patiently to try and steady proceedings against the tricky medium pace from Andrew Bratten, with the former trying to be the aggressor and riding his luck in surviving a few tough catching opportunities. His fortune ran out though when Colin Russell held a superb low catch at cover to give Bratten a deserved wicket. David Bullick had replaced Kulkarni from the Pavilion End and immediately had an impact when he took a fine return catch to remove the obdurate St Clair and then taking a successful leg before verdict against Marshall. Kulkarni returned from the opposite end after Bratten’s spell and dismissed Topping with a superb slower ball with Russell holding his second catch. Bullick bowled Warren and then in a sign of things to come; won a dubious leg before verdict against Lyttle. There could be little doubt about the next two dismissals as Kulkarni comprehensively bowled McClure and Stevenson with deadly leg stump ‘yorkers’. The final dismissal saw Bullick pick up a well earned five wicket haul when he clean bowled the aggressive Fisher, leaving Donacloney 57 all out.

Armagh naturally set about their target confidently with Russell and Michael Villiers opening the innings and scoring freely, but umpire Patterson gave Donacloney an unexpected boost when he adjudged Russell out leg before when he had clearly hit the ball. Philip Doyle was also leg before to a ball that may have pitched outside leg stump but Villiers and Gareth Robinson were able to push along and take Armagh close to the victory mark. Unfortunately Villiers would fall leg before when striding forward to the spin bowler and Robinson was bowled by Lyttle as Armagh were scrappy in closing out their victory. A final wicket fell with Armagh within a boundary of success when Kulkarni was ludicrously given out lbw to an outrageously leg side shaping delivery. The Donacloney players barely appealed and it was a massive shock to players on both sides when umpire Patterson raised his finger. Either way, Bullick brought the game to its close with a boundary hit to give Armagh a five wicket win and seal Armagh’s 12th win in succession.

12 September 2009

The Mall

NCU Section 3

Result: Armagh win by 5 wickets

Points:  Armagh 4 Donacloney 0

Toss:    Donacloney

Umpires: R McNally, D Patterson

DONACLONEY

S Hanna +            c Russell b Bratten   15  

P Lyttle                    b Kulkarni *    0  

G St Clair                   c&b Bullick   16  

L Topping         c Russell b Kulkarni *    7                                         

D Marshall                   lbw Bullick    0                                         

M Lyttle                     lbw Bullick    3                                         

J Warren                       b Bullick    0                                         

T McClure                   b Kulkarni *    0                                         

J Stevenson                 b Kulkarni *    0                                         

R Matthews                       not out    0                                         

W Fisher                       b Bullick    6                                         

  Extras      (b 1, lb 2, nb 1, w 6, p )   10

  Total            (all out, 26.4 overs)   57

FOW: 1-1 (P Lyttle) 2-26 (S Hanna +) 3-39 (G St Clair) 4-42 (D Marshall) 5-49 (L Topping) 6-50 (J Warren) 7-51 (M Lyttle) 8-51 (T McClure) 9-51 (J Stevenson) 10-57 (W Fisher)

CP Kulkarni *         8    3     7    4

A Bratten            10    1    30    1

D Bullick           8.4    2    17    5

ARMAGH

C Russell                     lbw Fisher    6  

M Villiers                  lbw Matthews   22  

P Doyle                       lbw Fisher    3  

G Robinson                    b M Lyttle    8  

CP Kulkarni *               lbw M Lyttle    1                                         

D Bullick                        not out    5                                         

A Bratten                        not out    0                                         

G McCarter +                         dnb                                              

M Hoey                               dnb                                              

R McCarter                           dnb                                              

A Hoey                               dnb                                              

  Extras      (b 5, lb 1, nb 0, w 7, p )   13

  Total             (5 wkts, 12.4 overs)   58

FOW: 1-12 (C Russell) 2-23 (P Doyle) 3-50 (M Villiers) 4-53 (G Robinson) 5-54 (CP Kulkarni *)

J Stevenson           5    0    26    0

W Fisher              4    1    12    2

M Lyttle              2    0     8    2

R Matthews          1.4    0     8    1

Armagh’s victory over Donacloney means that the city based side head into a potentially pivotal weekend at the top of Division One Section Two with a challenging three match run spanning Friday-Saturday and Sunday as they hope to seal promotion and perhaps even the league title if results go our way. Friday’s match would perhaps be the toughest of the three as promotion contenders Larne come to the Mall to play out a 25 over match. The start time for that game is scheduled for 4pm and even though the duration is reduced, the importance of the game isn’t as the sides could go into the game with a level number of wins. Saturday’s fixture is against Portadown and although it is an away game it will be played on the Mall as Chambers Park is unavailable due to rugby at this stage of the season. Portadown are deep in relegation trouble and should be fighting for their lives so success here isn’t a foregone conclusion for Armagh in a game that begins at 11:30am. The final game in the marathon weekend is a re-arranged away fixture at Cregagh who also find themselves at the wrong end of the table and in need of a win to aid their survival chances.

Also at the weekend, Saturday night in the Pavilion holds an end of season benefit night for Armagh captain and professional Charu Kulkarni. The format will be a karaoke night and the stage is open for players, members and guests to show whether or not they have the X-Factor. Simon Cowell is unlikely to be in attendance, but a good evening’s entertainment is virtually guaranteed. The entrance fee is £5 and all members are encouraged to attend with guests more than welcome.