New professional impresses in win

New professional impresses in win

1 May 2013

DOWNPATRICK’s senior side began the Senior League Section 1 campaign with a hard-fought four wicket win over Cliftonville at the Strangford Road on Saturday.

The hosts handed a debut to South African professional Jancan Adams, and it was his contribution with bat and ball that paved the way for the first victory of the season.

Upon winning the toss, and faced with a damp outfield and soft wicket, Downpatrick captain James Magowan opted for his side to take to the field for the opening innings.

This decision was justified when, in just his second over, Adams claimed the wickets of Cliftonville duo Neil Cahill and Philip Mulholland. It was the South African who struck again in the seventh over, trapping David Munn LBW to leave the visitors struggling on 15-3.

An impressive bowling display from Adams, who finished with figures of 3-25 from his 8 overs.

With pressure building, Dale Mullan claimed his first wicket of the season in the 15th over, dismissing Rory Thompson by LBW with the score on 36.

Cliftonville duo Michael Turkington and Iain Latham shared a brief partnership in the middle and advanced the visitors total to 53 before Latham was run out in the 21st over, courtesy of a direct hit from Dale Mullan.

Turkington (20) followed soon after, becoming James Magowan’s first victim of the campaign, to leave the score on 60-6.

The slow outfield made runs hard to come by, and Cliftonville’s cause was further hampered by Downpatrick’s spinning duo of Dan Carson and Thomas Magowan, who shared 20 low-scoring overs between them.

The visitors lower order resisted until the 43rd over, when both John Wheeler and Dale Mullan picked up two wickets apiece in consecutive overs to dismiss the visitors for 110.

The Downpatrick reply could not have got off to a worse start, with both Ricky Gill (inset) and James Magowan dismissed by Colum Davidson in the first over of the innings.

Justin Rea followed soon after to leave the hosts struggling on 13-3 after seven overs.

Rea’s dismissal brought Jancan Adams to the crease, and it was his batting performance that proved to be match-winning for Downpatrick.

Paul Tate began to attack the Cliftonville bowling effort and added 35 valuable runs to the total before he was caught off the bowling of Cliftonville’s captain, Brian Anderson with the score on 51-4 from 18 overs.

Almost alarmingly for Downpatrick, the wickets of Ryan Smyth and Dale Mullan fell soon after to leave the hosts on 60-6 at drinks, but crucially Jancan Adams remained in the middle.

Jancan, along with Gavin Ringland (19 n/o), forged a match-winning 56-run partnership which saw Downpatrick over the line in the 34th over with four wickets to spare.

Man of the match Adams completed an impressive debut for Downpatrick by scoring an unbeaten 55 runs, to add to his earlier three wickets.

Despite some evidence of early season rustiness, Downpatrick will be pleased with their overall display and will no doubt be delighted to have begun their campaign with a victory. James Magowan’s side now travel to Carrickfergus this Saturday, in what will no doubt be one of the toughest matches of the 2013 campaign.

Downpatrick Cricket Club would like to thank Cecil Maxwell for sponsoring the match ball.

Downpatrick 1st XI: J. Magowan (c), P. Tate, R. Gill, J. Rea, J. Adams, R. Smyth (wk), D. Mullan, G. Ringland, J. Wheeler, D. Carson, T. Magowan.

UPS Man of the Match: Jancan Adams