DONEMANA ROCK STRABANE AGAIN WHILE BRIGADE LEAD RUN FEAST

It was league action all the way for North West Division 1 sides on Saturday and some thoroughly entertaining cricket at both ends of the table as the domestic season entered its second half. The big clash of the day was at The Holm where bang in-form Donemana hosted neighbours and defending champions Strabane having already dented the holders' title ambitions in the Park back in April.

Richard Kee's side had moved into a challenging position at the top of the heap with a magnificent win away at Fox Lodge in midweek, and while that was a huge performance from the cup finalists, this one took it to new levels. Simply put Donemana have won two massive games in the space of three days neither of which they had any business winning but their never-say-die attitude is what has set them apart in domestic cricket for as long as anyone can remember.

It had all started so differently as Niall McDonnell and Kevin Martin gave the visitors a solid start with a 67-run partnership before, not for the first time this season, a run-out ended their stand. Martin was first to go having made 34 and when McDonnell went soon after Donemana would have felt they had a chance. The new Irish International recruit had hit 7 fours an 2 sixes in his 38-ball 47 and when skipper Jonathan Beukes fell for 21 Strabane were suddenly relying on the Gillespie boys once more. Peter has been really out of form this season and Mark was just returning from a nasty hand injury but the pair put all of that behind them to muster a 111-run stand that moved the champions back into the driving seat.

Mark was dismissed just 2 runs short of his half century but Peter was much more like his old self as he went on to make 82 in even time with 7 fours and 4 sixes along the way. That helped Strabane towards a very competitive total of 283 for 7 in their 50 overs as Donemana professional Kamran Sajid proved to be easily the pick of the home side's bowling with 4 for 41.

Donemana's reply didn't start well as Graeme Boyd and Sajid both fell early. Andy McBrine then joined Ryan Hunter as the hosts rallied but Hunter's dismissal prompted a mini collapse as Donemana slumped to 90 for 5. Young McBrine was still there however and striking the ball sweetly and he and Richard Kee then revived their team once more. The contest swung yet again when Strabane skipper Beukes effected a superb run out on his opposite number Kee and from the very next ball Dwayne McGarrigle was caught behind and the Red Caps were back in front.

They couldn't shake McBrine though until Martin Deans pulled off an excellent caught and bowled but even then the youngster's 62 looked to be in vain. Jordan McGonagle was last man in and he joined James McBrine in the middle, the final pair needing 90 runs if they were to snatch the most unlikely of victories. What happened next will live long in the folklore at The Holm as McGonagle defended his wicket with his life while McBrine cut loose on the Strabane bowling. The latter took just 22 balls to reach his 50 and then landed some savage blows to drag his side over the line and bang into the title race. In all McBrine hit 9 sixes and 6 fours in a 50-ball unbeaten 97 as the big crowd celebrated a famous 1-wicket win. This was a shattering defeat for the champions who have now seen Donemana exploit their bowling frailties home and away and they will now have to defend their title the hard way if it is to be three-in-a-row.

Elsewhere Bonds Glen were unable to build on their win at home to Bready last Saturday when they lost heavily at Limavady. The visitors could only manage 101 all out as Stuart Thompson with 3 for 22 and Simon Dunn (2-18) led the Roesiders' attack very impressively. Only Willie Jackson with a defiant 22 late on offered much resistance as the Bee Gees found the going an awful lot tougher against Andrew Riddles' title chasers. The skipper hit an unbeaten 40 and Adam McDaid added 33 not out as Limavady coasted home with any amount to spare. That win keeps Limavady up among the leaders as the title race really begins in earnest.

Brigade are bang in the hunt as well and the Beechgrove men posted the biggest total of the season so far on Saturday in recording a facile win at Fox Lodge. Iftikhar Hussain and Christopher Dougherty were in sparkling form and those two contributed a magnificent 331-run partnership that simply batted the Foxies into submission.

Hussain hit 17 fours and 7 sixes in his 175 from just 132 balls before being caught by Johnny Robinson in the very last over while his partner smashed 16 fours and 4 sixes to finish on 145 not out. The carnage ended with the visitors 357 for 2 and gave a glimpse of Brigade at their very best, the type of form that they will be hoping will stand them in good stead ahead of their upcoming All-Ireland semi final at home to Waringstown.

Chasing that huge total Fox Lodge were rarely at the races and wickets tumbled early. Skipper Brian Allen made an attacking half century to put some semblance of respectability on the reply but never at any stage did the hosts look like getting close. Middle order cameos from Johnny Robinson and Andy Britton did little to disguise the gulf between the sides on the day as Brigade had the small matter of 188 runs to spare in the end. Ryan Brace finished with figure of 4 for 60 as the visitors bared their teeth in the championship race.

Bready got back to winning ways when they were too strong for a Glendermott side that remains badly out of sorts. The Magheramason men included Sussex's Craig Young in the side albeit his injury was always going to prevent the seamer being thrown the ball.

The hosts were put in to bat by Trevor Hamilton but were soon in trouble at 40 for 4 before professional Roy Silva got them back on track. The Sri Lankan hasn't exactly been prolific since arriving on Bonds Street but was in good form here as he thumped 13 fours and 6 sixes on his way to a superb 129. Charlie Elder offered good support as well as he contributed 44 before being run out but typical of the Rectory men's woes this summer no-one else managed to get into double figures. In the end Glendermott made 223 all out whilst for the senior cup finalists David Scanlon claimed 3 for 42 and Ian Young and Mark Olphert picked up 2 wickets apiece at a cost of 19 and 46 respectively.

Bready's reply started reasonably well before a couple of quick wickets saw then reduced to 68 for 3 before Steven Clarke announced his return to form. The right hander has been preserving his best for the senior cup this season but he blasted 12 sixes and 10 fours on his way to a superb unbeaten 126 here. Clarke and Dean Curry (36 not out) ensured there was no further damage with an unbroken 158-run stand in which the former was at the top of his game as Bready found their form in the run up to their date with Donemana at the end of the month.

The final game of the day saw Coleraine have just too much in the locker for another side beginning to struggle a little, Eglinton. Father and son Ian and Calum McGregor opened the batting again for the Bannsiders and the pair posted a very impressive 96-run partnership at the top of the order. Vischal Chopra then added an unbeaten half century as he and David Cooke shared an unbroken 98-run stand that allowed the hosts to make 214 for 3 in their 50 overs.

The villagers found scoring tough when their turn came and a steady fall of early wickets did little to lift their mood. Professional Ryan Butterworth and Richard Wylie steadied the ship a little with 34 and 31 respectively but the villagers were rarely up with the pace. Their reply of 174 took 47 overs to assemble and Andy Christie's side will be delighted that Bonds Glen haven't been able to build on their solitary win with just 2 points separating the bottom pair.