Sunday saw the visit of Dundrum 3rds to Upritchard Park on a cool, cloudy afternoon. The visitors won the toss and batted against the fearsome pace of Morgan Paulin and Josh Walker. It didn’t Paulin long to test out the middle of the wicket, sending one whizzing over the Dundrum openers shoulder, but it was Walker who struck first sending Hammond’s bails whistling three quarters of the way to the boundary. Then it was the change bowlers of Jack Irwin and Andy Hare into the attack with Irwin getting the well deserved scalp of McNeill caught by Owen Aicken at point for 12. Williamson (22) briefly showed some threat, striking some powerful fours whilst riding his luck as two edges from Hare in quick succession, one slipping through Tom Irwin’s webbing and another dropping agonisingly short of the keeper. At the other end Tweedie prodded away against Hare before an ever enthusiastic LBW appeal from the captain was given out. It was the combination of the Irwin brothers that saw the end of Williamson giving Jack a well earned second wicket in a tight spell (5 Overs, 2 for 18). Enter the chief destroyer James Nuttall was his venomous in swingers, backed up by the miserly Max Escott fizzing off spin. First James had Crudgington (11) caught at mid on by Hare (his second attempt of the day). Then after toiling through his spell McGuigan (20) launched one high over mid wicket only to have Carter McCormack reel in an excellent catch over his shoulder running back deep. Not to be outdone Muhammad Moazzam took up challenge with a super catch at deep square leg to give James the superb figures of 5 overs, 1 maiden, 3 for 15. Some chaotic running saw McNeilly and Wright fall quickly to Tom Irwin and Nuttall, leaving Dundrum 91 all out.
The Bangor reply was set up by the rare sight of two left handers opening the batting as Aicken and Walker set about the task in hurry with lightning fast running between the wickets and some splendid stroke play. Both batsmen showed the leg side strength with Aicken’s patented hook shot in full flow and Walker flaying the Williams in particular to the mid wicket boundary, the best of the bunch a crunching six into the trees from Walker’s bat. The wounded ball returned with some persuasion and got a little retribution in the hands of Williamson as Walker departed for an exhilarating 36 caught at deep mid on looking despatch the ball to the rope once more. The end of the highest partnership (71) of the season for the fourth eleven. Jack Irwin arrived for the final push with more busy running between the wickets. The target in sight, a last bowling change from the visitors, Aicken (33) looked to finish it with one final glorious hook…only for square leg to spoil the fun. Another fine contribution from Bangor’s newest opening batsmen – they always say left handers have that classy look about their strokes! Paulin and Irwin finished the job for an outstanding all round result, winning by 8 wickets with some 10 plus overs to spare.
