Larne V Armagh

Larne V Armagh (27/06/09)

Armagh topple Larne to hit the top.

Armagh 1st XI joined Larne at the top of the Ulster Bank Division 1 Section 2 table after a convincing five wicket victory over the Sandy Bay side in a challenging league encounter. With Royal School rugby tourists Harry Doyle and Matthew Steenson unavailable, Lloyd Hamilton and Reg Stinson were their replacements from the side who defeated Drumaness on the Mall the Sunday previous. With the wicket looking slightly green on top the Armagh captain Charu Kulkarni elected to bowl upon winning the toss. Larne started very slowly with Stinson and Kulkarni keeping things tight. Something had to give and Armagh’s constant pressure told as Hamilton swooped at square leg to run out Alexander. Kulkarni then ran riot clean bowling both Hill and Murad with pace and swing too much for either player. Opener McClean was caught behind by McCarter off Mark Stinson’s first ball and when Crusaders FC goalkeeper cum cricketer Chris Keenan gave Reg Stinson a deserved wicket with another edge behind, Larne looked in deep trouble at 30-5. T. Dempsey and McKinley battled hard against the tight Armagh bowling to try and rebuild the innings. David Bullick in particular was virtually impossible to score off, bowling his ten overs for only nine runs featuring an incredible five maiden overs in a row to finish. He also claimed the wicket of Dempsey courtesy of a fine low slip catch from Stuart Lester, who had also been bowling a determined spell without much fortune. McKinley eventually was clean bowled by Lester, the talented youngster batting well for his 28. Towards the end of the innings Larne captain Gaw batted particularly well to take his team to a competitive score, assisted ably by J.King and C. Dempsey as Larne made their way to a credible total of 155-8 in their 50 over allocation, a decent effort after their earlier precarious position but a target that Armagh would hope to attain.

The chase looked on when opening pair Villiers and Russell both stroked early boundaries but the former was deceived and bowled by J.King. Wickets indeed tumbled at regular intervals for Armagh as Russell, Doyle and Hamilton all got in and looked in fine touch before gifting their wickets to poor strokes. Fortunately for Armagh their captain Charu Kulkarni also looked in good form but was in no mood to get out, scoring well and rotating the strike with David Bullick as they put on 45 for the fifth wicket. Bullick was playing another punchy innings and had struck three delightful boundaries before being bizarrely given out lbw when no-one seemed to even appeal. Seamus Crowe then joined Kulkarni in a decisive stand that took Armagh to victory with no further scares. Kulkarni finished with a fine knock of 60 not out featuring nine boundary “fours” as Armagh sealed a strong five wicket victory.

LARNE

G Alexander run out (Hamilton/Kulkarni) 7

R McClean c McCarter + b M Stinson 3

I Hill b Kulkarni * 1

SA Murad b Kulkarni * 0

C Keenan c McCarter + b R Stinson 10

T Dempsey + c Lester b Bullick 19

R McKinley b Lester 28

G Gaw * not out 30

J King run out (Kulkarni/McCarter) 18

C Dempsey not out 10

D King