Belligerent Ringland is Downpatrick hero

Belligerent Ringland is Downpatrick hero

28 May 2014

DOWNPATRICK progressed to the second round of the Ulster Bank Challenge Cup after an 86-run victory over a resurgent Woodvale at the Strangford Road on Saturday afternoon.

Faced with overcast conditions and an ageing pitch, it was somewhat surprising when home skipper Paul Tate chose to put his side in to bat on winning the toss. Early signs were positive for Downpatrick, however, as Tate and fellow opener Dean Lester guided the home side to 33-0 from just six overs.

The breakthrough for Woodvale arrived in the 7th over when Ricky McBride bowled Tate for 24. McBride then went on to claim the wickets of Lester and Ricky Gill in quick succession, before Jonathan Burnside accounted for the wicket of Amit Patil to leave a now shell-shocked Downpatrick struggling on 46-4 from 15 overs.

A crucial fifth wicket stand between Aaron Cairns and Gavin Ringland ensured Downpatrick regained a foothold in the contest. The middle-order batsmen shared a 55-run partnership, which was eventually broken in the 37th over when Cairns was dismissed by Marty McKeown, departing for an important score of 20.

Despite losing Ryan Smyth cheaply, it was the evergreen duo of Ringland and Dale Mullan that carved out a 56-run partnership which pushed the hosts past the 175-run mark in the 49th over. Mullan added 18 runs to the Downpatrick total, but it was Ringland who excelled with the bat for the hosts, adding 85 runs from 95 balls in what proved to be a match-winning knock.

Both Ringland and Mullan lost their wickets in the dying embers of the opening innings, with Downpatrick eventually posting a highly respectable score of 184-8 from 50 overs.

Despite the best efforts of opening bowlers Mark Yeates and Ryan Smyth, Woodvale’s response began strongly with Sam Fleming (27) and Aaron Robinson (13) sharing an opening wicket stand of 42. 

The partnership was eventually broken in the 12th over by Downpatrick’s Amit Patil, who dismissed Robinson courtesy of a stumping by Aaron Cairns. The introduction of Patil and Mullan to the Downpatrick bowling attack would prove to be decisive.

It was the deceiving medium-pace of Mullan that accounted for the wicket of Fleming in the 13th over, leaving Woodvale on 52-2. Overseas professional Amit Patil then went about single-handedly dismantling the Woodvale middle-order, claiming three wickets in the space of five overs to leave the previously coasting visitors now struggling on 70-5 from 20 overs, the momentum had now firmly switched in Downpatrick’s favour.

A sixth wicket followed in the 21st over when Mullan removed Mark Irwin via a smart catch by Mark Yeates. An impressive bowling display by Dale Mullan was completed with three consecutive maidens, as the experienced Downpatrick all-rounder finished with figures of 2-19 from 10 overs.

Woodvale’s resistance was all but broken when Patil claimed his 5th wicket of the afternoon in the 28th over, leaving the scoreboard reading 77-7. The Indian off-spinner finished with excellent figures of 5-21 from 10 overs.

Despite the best efforts of visiting skipper Michael Irwin (15), Woodvale were eventually dismissed for 98 runs in the 34th over - Dan Carson (2) and Justin Rea adding the final wickets as Downpatrick cantered to a comfortable 86-run win to book their place in the next round.

Downpatrick: P. Tate (c), D. Lester, R. Gill, A. Patil, A. Cairns (wk), G. Ringland, R. Smyth, D. Mullan, J. Rea, D. Carson, M. Yeates.

Man of the Match: Gavin Ringland.