Dundrum’s U-17 cricketers edge out Saintfield

Dundrum’s U-17 cricketers earned a thrilling win over Saintfield. Daniel Murray and Niamh Lowry made some telling contributions. Read the report now.

Dundrum's U-17 cricketers

Saintfield U-17 XI 117-6

Dundrum U-17 XI 119-8

Dundrum U-17 XI win by 2 wickets

DUNDRUM Cricket Club’s U-17 XI travelled to Saintfield last Thursday evening for a local derby between two teams that know each other well. On a bright evening, Saintfield won the toss and opted to bat, with Scott and Caves opening against the bowling of Caleb Armstrong and Joscelyn Wright. 

Scott showed intent from the start, hitting a couple of boundaries before Wright had him well caught at the gully by Niamh Lowry in the second over. 

McNeilly and Caves then combined well, scoring at a run a ball to take the score to 39 in the sixth over before Wright, 2 for 22 off four overs, bowled McNeilly. 

Dundrum captain, Daniel Murray, brought himself into the attack for the middle overs, bowling tight lines to restrict the run rate, and taking a couple of wickets including top scorer Caves (22) to finish with excellent figures of 2 for 11 of his four overs. This left Saintfield teetering on 61 for 6 off 11 but the tail wagged with Quinn and Connolly combining to add 40 off the last six overs. 

This left Dundrum requiring 117 from their 20 overs.

Briggs opened the bowling for Saintfield, and removed James Macauley who was well caught by Gillespie in the first over. 

Murray and Luke Stafford batted sensibly, rotating the strike and hitting the occasional boundary to take the visitors to 23 for 1 from six overs. Scott was brought into the attack and, with the required run rate at seven, an over Murray realised that he had to accelerate. However, Scott’s excellent first over resulted in Dundrum losing two wickets, both caught at deep point by McNeilly. 

Lowry joined Stafford and rotated the strike well to give the set Stafford the chance to attack. 

A flurry of boundaries in the next few overs took the score to 59 when Stafford, having scored an excellent 38, was bowled by Connolly off the last ball of the tenth over. 

Wright joined Lowry with Dundrum needing 58 from the final ten overs, but after a short partnership McNeilly took his revenge on Wright (who had bowled him in the first innings), having her caught behind off a good rising ball. 

Dundrum needed eight an over. Joined at the crease by John Leneghan, Lowry took the lead, placing the ball excellently, running hard and hitting the odd boundary, with the pair taking the score to 97 at the end of the 17th over.

Read the full report in the current issue.