Bangor welcomed Lurgan to Upritchard Park last Saturday for their most recent Section One fixture, with Bangor bowling first and doing so in unseasonable cold and windy conditions it was set to be a challenge for both sides.
With David Kennedy opening the bowling down the hill once again and bowling very well, with many chances going past the edge of the opening batsmen it was only so long until Kennedy struck sending Johnston back for just 11. This brought Lurgan’s number three Hutchinson to the crease having to face Kennedy and the other opening bowler Josh Bates testing the batsmen both technically and mentally with challenging line & length bowling.
Tragedy struck for Lurgan’s number two batsmen Harrison when he suffered a pulled hamstring which seen him retire hurt. With Bates, who was very unlucky on the day to not pick up some wickets and with Kennedy just getting the one wicket from his opening spell it was time for a change from both ends. Ben Escott fresh from his inter-provincial recognition earlier in the week, took over duties to bowl down the hill and apply pressure and he did so taking two quick wickets in back to back overs which seen Lurgan’s Hutchinson out for 7 and Maxwell gone for a duck.
This brought Gibson and Wilson to the crease both new batsmen facing a well-disciplined Bangor bowling attack and fielding side to try and score some runs and relieve the mounting pressure on Lurgan, but Bangor’s Kuda Samunderu who was the standout bowler on the day with figures of 3/19 from his 10 overs sent both batsmen back to the pavilion very quickly. Lurgan’s Wilson who came away with the highest score for the away side of 34, stuck about till near the end of Lurgan’s innings with the bottom order picking up some runs but Mark Nixon took 2 very quick wickets at the end and another for Samanderu & Kennedy late on ended the visitor’s innings on 116, all out inside 37 overs of play.
After a very well disciplined and focused performance in the field, the tone was set to chase down the total to pick up another win at home for Bangor. Jonathan Keenan and Jonny Parker opened the batting for Bangor and both batsmen went about their run scoring in a chanceless and diligent way. Run scoring was set at a serene pace of around 3-4 runs per over as Bangor inched their way to the target. Skipper Parker made a welcome return to the runs when he departed in unfortunate fashion for a well-constructed 43. Parker manoeuvred the ball nicely round the field in the afternoon sunshine when he went to glance one round the corner where the injured Hutchinson stood on one leg and ironically didn’t have to move to take the catch. The hard work of the chase was done by then with a very entertaining partnership of 82 runs to watch on an ever growing balcony taking in the early evening sunshine cheering on the Bangor side home. Promising young gun Sam McMillan was promoted up the order and joined Kennan at the crease to see Bangor home to win by 9 wickets with 15 overs to spare, Kennan finishing on 40 and McMillan on 24.
This Saturday, Bangor are on the road to face a difficult match-up against top of the table Templepatrick but will be looking to build on their good form to pick up another win.
Lurgan 116ao 36.4 Overs
S Wilson 34, Z Ali 25
D Kennedy 2-27, K Samunderu 3-19, B Escott 2-36, M Nixon 2-2
Bangor 118-1 35 Overs
J Keenan 40*, J Parker 43, S McMillan 24*
