Barry Chambers, 1 September 2001

Donemana ensured themselves of a play off spot at the very least when they completed their scheduled league campaign with a facile 8 wicket win over Bready. Bready batted first and lost their professional Wian Smitt early on for 3 with the total on 13, lbw to Gary Neely. Fellow opener Mark Olphert was in ominous form striking 7 fours and 1 six in a fluent 45 before he became one of James McBrine's three victims all clean bowled, the others being Colin Spence and Robert Rankin. Boyd Rankin made 14 before he was bowled by Irish international Jordan McGonigle and Davy Lecky held the innings together making 26 before being caught behind by Richard Dougherty off Johnny Thompson. Junior McBrine then brought the proceedings to a swift end capturing the last four wickets for only 12 runs. He is now by far the leading wicket taker in the North west and looks likely to be top of the bowling averages. In the end Bready made 123 all out.

With the game taking place on the mat such a total was never going to be a problem and so it proved with Azhar Shaffique blasting his way to 92 not out which consisted mainly of boundaries - 11 fours and 4 sixes. He lost fellow opener William Porterfield for 5 bowled by Richard Hepburn and Richard Kee went lbw to Mark Olphert for 14 but these were the only wickets to fall. Donemana can now only wait to see if they have been successful in gaining their first title since 1993.