MUNSTER CRICKET UNION
Lismore V UCC Senior Shield Semi Final
Lismore will meet WIT in the final of the Munster Senior Shield after a very good 77 win over UCC last weekend. It was great to be playing cricket again as UCC won the toss and put Lismore in on a pitch that looked like it could do something. UCC got off to a very good start as David Ind was caught off the bowling of Bharat. Jamie Mills came in and was out in similar fashion for a quick 16, being caught at square leg. Raz steadied the early part of the innings with a very good, and careful 34, before he too was caught a square leg off….Bharat. The run rate slowed considerably as wickets fell on a very regular basis with Himanshu bowling a brilliant spell of spin. He ended up with 3 for 32 off his 10 overs, spoiled a little by John Russell hitting his last ball for 6, it always happens to spoil good figures!!!! John made 14 but was soon out and Paddy Byrne was joined by Brian Power at 106 for 7. The important part of the innings was now and both players rose to the occasion. Paddy played second fiddle to Brian as he got a quick 27 as they put on 48 for the 8th wicket. Paddy then put on another 30 with Ian Magee and finished up with 25 before he was bowled by Bharat, claiming his 5th wicket with figures of 5 for 43 off his 10 overs. Well Bowled Bharat! So the tail did their bit as Lismore finished on 184 off 48.1 overs, putting on 78 for the last 3 wickets and giving Lismore an edge on the score.
UCC’s batsmen then started their reply. Mubbin bowled well but David Ind bowled a great spell with figures of 3 for 22. The first wicket fell early but the second wicket put on 53 as classy batting punished the bad ball. Raz was expensive as UCC were well up with the run rate. Both players Wilson and Sohail Akhtar (I think) ended up with 22 each. Wilson was out and the dangerous Tariq was now in. In an over that turned the game, Sean Willoughby took a very sharp edge off mdaves bowling as Tariq went for 0. The next ball saw John Russell brilliantly run out the batsmen who called a run but was out before he could turn back. A brilliant piece of skill by John, who at this stage, was bowling a great spell himself. He got 3 for 9 off 7 as Paddy took a brilliant left handed catch, at full stretch. At this stage UCC were beaten and only Zulfiqar offered resistance with 12. So UCC were all out for 107 in the 34th over.
A good all round display by Lismore who have a chance to get some silverware from a season that promised much but has been spoiled by the very bad weather we all have been experiencing.