STRABANE GIVEN OPENING DAY SHOCK AS DONEMANA SPOIL PARTY

Glorious sunshine greeted the start of the 2011 North West cricket season and all nine games in the Billy Henderson Senior Leagues went ahead uninterrupted with high scores very much the order of the day. Champions Strabane began the defence of their title against neighbours Donemana at the Park and despite a very compact performance with the bat the home side were stunned when the visitors fought back to claim the points.

It had all started so well for Jonathan Beukes team as Niall McDonnell posted a typically aggressive half century at the top of the order as he and Barry Scott laid the platform for a big total. Scott was replacing the injured Kevin Martin and was content to anchor the innings allowing McDonnell to strut his stuff and those two had taken the score to 75 before the latter was out having just made his half century. The opener’s effort had taken just 35 balls and his innings contained 9 fours and a six, however once again it was a great opportunity for a century spurned.

Scott and then Peter Gillespie were soon back in the hut as well as Donemana fought back before a 120-run partnership between skipper Beukes and Mark Gillespie put the hosts back in the driving seat. The former looked in really good nick clubbing ten fours and a six in his 87 whilst Mark Gillespie hit 9 fours on his way to 57.

That formed the basis of Strabane’s formidable final count of 264 for 8 and the points looked safe especially after Martin Deans and Phil Eaglestone had combined to reduce the visitors to 104 for 5 in reply. The Holm side had welcomed back Dwayne McGarrigle after his year’s sabbatical however they were still without new professional Kamran Sajid who continues to struggle to acquire the necessary paperwork to travel and they looked vulnerable at that stage.

Never say never however, especially with the McBrine twins still around and Junior began the fightback, sharing a defiant 104-run partnership with Ricky-Lee Dougherty. The elder statesman made 60 while his youthful partner in crime added a half century as Donemana asked the question of the champions.

At 208 for 5 it was game on and although both Junior and Ricky-Lee then fell in quick succession that only served to bring James McBrine to the crease and he wasted no time in settling the issue. The former Ireland International blasted 6 sixes in a cameo of 38 not out as the big crowd took cover and the Strabane attack simply had no answer to the onslaught.

Make no mistake this was a big win for Richard Kee’s team and Strabane will now need to re-group ahead of next weekend’s difficult trip to Coleraine. Many felt that one of Strabane’s biggest threats this season would be Fox Lodge but the Ballymagorry side also came out the wrong side of a narrow verdict albeit theirs was the very difficult job of trying to beat rejuvenated Brigade at Beechgrove.

The hosts batted first and found young Gareth Heywood very hot to handle early on. Despite posting a century opening stand, Chris Dougherty and David Barr were forced to be patient as the Foxies’ youngster finished with figures of 9 overs, 6 maidens and just 12 runs conceded. Dougherty top scored with 68 that contained 11 fours and a six whilst Brigade’s new signing Ata-Ur-Rehman blasted 46 from just 26 balls to help them to 220 for 7 in their allotted overs.

The former Pakistan Test player then removed both Brian Allen and Andy Britton in his second over to leave the visitors reeling on 12 for 2 before Jason Milligan and professional Darryl Brown set about repairing the damage. With the Ballymagorry men seeming to have the upper hand however disaster struck when the South African misread one from Trevor Britton and was clean bowled for 25.

Shortly after that Mark Mooney was hit on the thumb by an accidental beamer from Rehman although Milligan continued to play really well before falling to Graeme Moore for 74 when trying to force the pace himself. That was to signal the end of Fox Lodge’s resistance and another winning opportunity at Beechgrove went begging as Brigade had 22 runs to spare in the final reckoning.

Up at Magheramason Glendermott posted a daunting looking 280 for 6 in their 45 overs but found that Bready don’t fear a run chase these days. The visitors fielded without skipper Gordon Montgomery who was sitting out the last match of a ban carried over from 2010 but Simon Killen and new professional Roy Silva gave them a good platform from which to launch their innings. After that though it was all about Stephen Smyth; the left hander belting 9 fours and 6 sixes in a superb knock of 107.

Whilst the batting looks solid there is little doubt that Glendermott’s bowling is their Achilles heel. Losing Gary Neely was a massive blow to the attack and with Montgomery out temporarily, Bready took full advantage. David Rankin made 32 in an opening stand of 42 before Mark Olphert and Steven Clarke took that to 159. Clarke was run out for 43, the Bready youngster making something of a habit of that in recent seasons but Olphert went on to hit 13 fours and a six in his 83 and with no cutting edge to the visitors’ bowling new professional Agha Sabir Ali was able to steer Bready home at their ease.

The former Limavady professional made 62 not out and Jack Glenn was there with him at the end on an unbeaten 29 as Bready collected early points.

Coleraine edged out Eglinton by just 3 runs in the closest finish of the day whilst Bonds Glen marked their first ever appearance in the top flight of North West cricket with a narrow defeat at home to Limavady.

Roy Robinson with 49 and Johnny Haslett with 43 got the Bee Gees off to a good start before cameos from Willie Jackson (39 not out) and Leslie Curry (29 not out) helped Gary Hamilton’s side post 211 for 7 in their 45 overs. Limavady struggled early on and at one stage were reduced to 101 for 4 with Des Curry among those dismissed before skipper Andrew Riddles and Ricky McDaid came to the visitors’ rescue. Riddles was unbeaten on 57 and McDaid on 61 when the winning runs were scored but this was a very good effort from the newly promoted side.

In Division 2 promotion favourites St Johnston proved too strong for Sion Mills at the Boathole as they began to put their miserable 2010 season behind them. Andrew Fleming’s men batted first and Sachin Dixit top scored with 86 while new recruit Naveed Chaudrey added 75 and Alan MacBeth 48 in a huge total of 288 for 5.

Undaunted though Sion gave it a go with a half century from Andy Lucas and 31 from Lee Finlay helping them to a respectable 179 all out. James Robinson marked his return to senior cricket with figures of 3 for 15 whilst David and Stuart Lapsley each picked up a couple of wickets in a convincing win for the Saints.

It looks like being a long season for Burndennett who lost the spine of their first team over the winter and promotion candidates Creevedonnell took full advantage to inflict a crushing defeat on Saturday. Former Irish International bowler Gary Neely returned the stunning figures of 8 for 16 as the visitors were shot out for 48 runs and Creevedonnell took just 7 overs to record a 9-wicket win.

Things were much more respectable for Stephen McCay’s team when losing only narrowly to Bonds Glen in the Derry Midweek Charity final at Bready on Sunday but they remain very vulnerable in the league.