DRUMMOND TAKE ADVANTAGE AS RAIN CURTAILS PROGRAMME

There were three games scheduled in Division 2 of the Billy Henderson Properties league on Saturday and something of an achievement that one of those was played to a finish. Only two overs were possible at the Bleachgreen as Ardmore and Killyclooney will have to try again whilst not a ball was bowled in the much anticipated game between Creevedonnell and St Johnston. That left Drummond and Sion having the stage to themselves and Gordon Cooke�s side took full advantage to build on their impressive start to the season.

The Tyrone side took first use but were soon in trouble as Graeme Anderson snapped up four wickets and Gordon Cooke and Damien Carlin claimed two apiece. Andy Lucas did best with the bat, his 20 by far the best in a disappointing total of 76 all out that was 32 overs in the making. Drummond wasted little time in putting that to bed, Stevie Moore making an unbeaten 40 and Cooke an unbeaten 20 in a 7-wicket stroll that sees Drummond set the pace at the top of the division.

Weather permitting there will be action on both league and cup fronts this coming weekend with the second round of the Northern Bank senior cup on Saturday and a couple of fixtures in the Billy Henderson Properties League on Sunday. Ballyspallen�s withdrawal gives Strabane a free run into the last eight of course but one or two of the remaining Division 2 sides will feel they have a chance of causing an upset. Ardmore travel to Eglinton for a game that had it been played this time last season, would have been pretty difficult to call. The Bleachgreen side have won their two games to date this season and in Adrian Murphy boast a player that is very capable of taking the contest away from the hosts. The West Indian already has a century to his name this season, co-incidentally coming in the first round of this competition at home to Creevedonnell and Eglinton will want to keep him as quiet as possible. Youngsters Ciaran McDermott and Conor Brolly have both started the season in excellent form and with the old guard of Paul Brolly, Ger McAuley and George Brolly pulling the strings, Ardmore remain a dangerous opponent. The hosts have had new life breathed in with the addition of professional Ryan Butterworth and the returning Richard Wylie; both combining to sow the seeds of last week�s win at the Holm. Zimbabwean Butterworth looks a real find for the Villagers and with skipper Andy Christie, the in-form Christopher Pierce and Ricky Stewart and Johnny Gardiner back to something like their best they will prove a tough nut to crack

Gordon Cooke has had a similar influence at Drummond; the former Irish International also posting a century in the first round of this competition as they saw off a fancied St Johnston team. Cooke has added some decent recruits during the close season including former Ballyspallen pair Graeme Anderson and Clive Rodgers and when you add in the experience of Stevie Moore and Craig Hartin, Drummond won�t be overawed at the prospect of a trip over the Coleraine Mountain. Tim Chopra�s men have been involved in two nerve jangling finishes already this season domestically and will again be without Mohammad Salman who continues to keep his place in the Pakistan side. They have registered Charlie McCrum as a precautionary measure but with Ian McGregor, Stephen Dunn, David Cooke, Scott Campbell and the impressive Rishi Chopra available to the skipper, Coleraine should have way too many guns for their neighbours.

The other two cup games look much less likely to throw up an upset, Donemana sure to have far too much power for Sion Mills and Fox Lodge entertaining a Killyclooney side that has lost almost a full first team in the past three seasons. Two of those players, Graeme and Dean McCarter may well feature in that game against their boyhood club but whatever side Brian Allen puts out it would be a huge surprise if the visitors progressed.

Sunday�s league games see a crunch clash at the business end when two sides fancied to contest the automatic promotion spot, St Johnston and Ardmore, lock horns at the Boathole. The hosts have had the better of things in the head-to-heads in recent seasons but will need to be on their mettle against an Ardmore side capable of beating anybody in this league. The other match sees depleted Burndennett try to secure their first points of the season when they entertain another side to have started slowly, Sion Mills. Ironically the visitors pulled off one of the upsets of the season in this fixture last year when they defeated a much stronger home team and John Brown will have his sights set on a similar outcome this time although Sion will have to show plenty of improvement if they are to open their account.

At Drummond, Drummond beat Sion Mills by 7 wickets

Sion Mills 76 all out in 32 overs (A Lucas 19, G Anderson 4-14, G Cooke 2-11, D Carlin 2-21)

Drummond 78 for 3 in 14.2 overs (S Moore 40*, G Cooke 20*)