Malahide's U13B Boys traveled out to an immaculately prepared North Kildare Cricket Club on a gloriously sunny Sunday morning. We won the toss and put the home team in to bat first.
The fast outfield and brisk breeze saw the home team speed to 50 without loss after just 6 overs, but once their openers had retired in the early 20's, the runs slowed down with only one other NKCC player reaching double figures. Special mention to Noah Lawless for bowling one over at the death, taking two wickets for just one run, and to Captain Daniel Crampton for impressive figures of 4 overs, 2 wickets for just 5 runs.
But a total of 98 in their innings would need some equally aggressive batting from our openers to keep the target in sight.
Our top order performed maturely and solidly from the start and also took advantage of a fast outfield with boundaries in all the early overs. Oliver and Mathew reached retirement quickly bringing Daniel Crampton to the crease looking focused. Dancing down the wicket to launch his first delivery over long on for four, his innings sparkled before being out well caught whilst again trying to speed up the run chase.
The scoreboard began to slow and it started looking like 98 might be out of reach as some of our middle order departed cheaply, but with Oscar McCormack remaining resolute as the wickets fell at the other end, he again made his case as a true all-rounder with his batting as sturdy as his economical bowling performance had been earlier.
Constant bowler changes from North Kildare made it hard to settle, and with Oscar and last man James McGivern in together with four needed off the last over, it was a very nervy time for the sizeable crowd of onlookers. Three balls to go and still three needed to win, in stepped Oscar "Mr Dependable" McCormack to again crack a boundary to backward square leg to secure a deserved victory for Malahide.
A tense but good humoured game. Our boys showed great team spirit and aggressive determination and deserved the win. Many thanks to NKCC for a lovely playing surface that allowed a good game of cricket in lovely surroundings and also for their warm hospitality.