Nov

UCD Cricket Indoor Super League – Game Day 4- Paul O'Hara reports

UCD ISL Game day 4 - Giants go down twice in doubleheader, Rhinos pick up first points.

In the first game of the ISL's second doubleheader, Daniel Poppleton's Glenomena Giants took on a Merville Magic side eager to get back on course after a defeat to Belgrove on 4 November.

Magic began with an unchanged lineup from the previous week. Paul O'Hara, winning his third successive toss, yet again chose to bowl. Owen Ennis was promoted to opening the bowling with Brendan Cummings and both got off to a sluggish, if economical start.

The absence of Andrew Downey for the evening's first match forced Giants' captain Daniel Poppleton into opening the batting with Martin O'Brien, and a defiant captain's knock was ended before he could reach 20. O'Brien was dismissed by Robert Jones' first delivery, caught by the injured Gavin Robinson despite the ball deflecting off O'Hara's head.

Adam Darnell's second wicket of the night left Giants all out for 78 in 11.1 overs, with 38 runs coming from the 19 wides bowled.

In a swift and clinical reply, Cummings and Ennis repeated their opening act without loss of wicket, reaching the target in 5.2 overs with a partnership of 68, culminating in a six from Cummings.

With this eight-wicket victory, Merville stay in second on six points from three games.

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In the second game, Roebuck batted first and got off to a steady start with openers Jeremy Dunleavy and captain Robert Maweni facing the now-familiar Glenomena opening pair of Martin O'Brien and Andrew Downey.

Giants were bolstered by the return of Downey and the addition of Irish international Hannah de Burgh Whyte, making her ISL debut. She was to have an early involvement, taking a catch at mid-off to dismiss Rhinos danger-man Jeremy Dunleavy for 15, off the bowling of Downey.

Maweni, in a defiant and technically proficient captain's knock, made 35 before being caught by his opposite number Daniel Poppleton, off the bowling of cricket novice Eoghan Walsh.

Alan Elliott was caught by O'Brien off de Burgh Whyte just short of making 20, and the Rhinos' runs began to dry up. Left-armer Chris Sloane had ISL debutant Dave Ryan caught and bowled for 1, with Mike Hickey quickly following for 0 caught by Walsh off Poppleton. Rhinos innings ended with McGreal (4 c&b O'Brien) and Doyle (2*), as the improving Giants bowling gave up few opportunities for boundaries.

After an innings heavy on extras, the Giants were set a target of 148, having conceded eight penalty runs for taking 34 minutes to bowl their overs.

O'Brien and Downey began the Glenomena response, but a partnership was not to accrue as Downey was bowled for a duck by Dunleavy in a second-over wicket maiden. He would pick up a second in the fourth over, bowling de Burgh Whyte before she could score. In his two-over spell, three wides were all the South African paceman conceded.

Knowing that he would need a captain's innings far bigger than his opposite number's, Poppleton began in confident style, quickly reaching 11 off Mike Hickey, but was caught and bowled by the spinner in the final ball of the over.

With only the tail to come, O'Brien, eager to retain the strike, was run out after calling for a risky run with Chris Sloane. Sloane, Walsh and Mary McGuinness gamely attempted to bring some respectability to the scoreboard, but could not make much progress as Roebuck's bowlers began to find their length. Swapping the gloves with Dunleavy, Brian McGreal took the wickets of McGuinness and Sloane, despite bowling six wides.

Unexpectedly introducing himself into the attack in the tenth over, Maweni was hit for a six by last man Walsh, but was on hand next ball to end Giants' misery, as Mike Hickey's catch brought proceedings to a close. Glenomena's total of 75 meant that the Rhinos recorded an impressive 71-run victory.

Roebuck's first win puts them in third place on three points, while Glenomena remain without a result. All four teams have now completed a full round of three games each. The leaders, Belgrove, will play Glenomena on 18 November.

Paul O'Hara