Drumaness win big local derby

Drumaness win big local derby

DRUMANESS Superkings welcomed top of the table Downpatrick to the superb looking village ground on Saturday in the first big local derby of the season. 

A large crowd attended the game played in great spirits by both clubs. Downpatrick won the toss and elected to bat on a beautiful looking wicket and glorious outfield which offered value for your shots. 

Both club professional Schonfeldt and his team-mate Carson were watchful early on whilst DSK’s Abid and Oldroyd beat the bat several times in the first five overs. 

With the score on 30 in the sixth over, DSK were to get their first breakthrough when Carson cut a delivery from Oldroyd in the gully region only for find the diving Cunningham taking a wonderful one handed catch for six. 

Downpatrick’s Schonfeldt played a mixture of lovely cover drives and pulls through mid wicket as his side raced to 65 in 13 overs. 

It was the introduction of Neil Walsh and Cunningham which helped DSK pulled back the scoring rate. 

Schonfeldt, who had powered through to 41, was next to fall when trying to put Walsh off his nagging line and length by moving around the crease before he was excellently caught by Gelston standing up to the stumps giving DSK the big wicket they craved. 

Downpatrick skipper Hutton joined Mullan and it was the captain who lived a charmed innings with DSK putting down two catches to dismiss him off Cunningham’s bowling.

Cunningham was get his man when he trapped Hutton LBW for 15. 

James Ferguson joined Mullan and both batsmen tried to push the strike rate up but the tight line and length of Cunningham kept Downpatrick at bat. 

Gelston was released from wicketkeeping duties and onto bowl during the middle overs, where he was to get the next breakthrough.  

Ferguson tried to clear the boundary only to find the frame of six foot seven Oldroyd spring off the boundary and take a high catch leaving Downpatrick 147-4 off 30 overs. 

Mullan passed his 50 with a pull shot to deep mid wicket. 

The introduction of Faisal was immediate when he bowled Dooley for zero. 

Faisal was to get his second when Perry was caught at long on by the safe hands of Abid for two. Gelston was to strike in the next over, also getting his second wicket, trapping Lennon LBW for zero leaving Downpatrick 169-7 with six overs left. 

Downpatrick began to find boundaries which took them past the 200 mark. Mullan was to fall in the last over for a great innings of 88 from 88 balls. 

Oldroyd was to claim his third wicket in the next ball when he had Bell caught for zero. Oldroyd’s hat-trick ball was safely navigate by ex-Drumaness player Gartland and Downpatrick finished their innings on 221-9.  

DSK Bowlers finished on figures: Abid (6-1-31-0), Oldroyd (7-0-58-3), N Walsh (6-2-18-1), Cunningham (7-0-22-1), Gelston 

(7-0-37-2), Rafic (3-0-26-0), Faisal (4-0-17-2).

DSK skipper Neil Gelston and Neil Walsh took their time to settle in as batsmen but navigated Schonfeldt’s and Gartland’s opening spell quite comfortably. 

Gelston and Walsh rotated the strike very well and never allowed the Downpatrick bowlers to bog them down. 

Gelston treated the crowd to some beautiful cover drives to the boundary, while Walsh’s timing of the ball was a joy to watch, dismissing anything short or on his legs to the boundary at a rate of speed. 

At the drinks interval DSK were 89-0. Walsh and Gelston began to step up the run rate with wonder pull shots and cover drives that had the large crowd on their feet. 

Gelston was first to his 50 off 71 balls including seven fours, Walsh didn’t have long to wait as the next over a crashing drive over extra cover brought him 50 in 61 balls including ten fours. 

Schonfeldt was brought back into the attack to try and get a much needed breakthrough but Walsh was particularly belligerent and dismissed the professional to the boundary comfortably. 

DSK were now racing towards Downpatrick’s total as bowlers found it near impossible to tie down both batsmen. 

Gelston dispatched Gartland twice onto the near football pitch as the partnership now passed 200. 

Both batsmen looked set to get a century each only for Gelston to run himself out trying to get Walsh to his 100. 

The ground stood in applause as Gelston left the pitch for 94 after they had witnessed a magnificent match winning 215 opening partnership between the two batsmen. 

Walsh didn’t have long to wait as a push into the covers for a single brought the whole ground to their feet in recognition of a fantastic century full of timing and wonderful stroke play. 

Ravi finished off the game in style dispatching Schonfeldt into the nearby river for a massive six for Drumaness Superkings to win the first local derby by nine wickets. 

Ravi finished seven not out and Neil Walsh finished on 102 not out from 97 balls including 19 fours. 

Downpatrick bowling figure: Schonfeldt (6.4-1-46-0), Gartland (8-0-55-0), Ferguson (6-0-29-0), Mullan (8-0-29-0), Bell (3-0-32-0), Wright (2-0-18-0), Dooley (1-0-12-0).