Dear reader, I, your humble match reporter, have returned and once more have the pleasure of being your obedient servant. Last Saturday, the Bangor First XI welcomed Downpatrick to the Home of Cricket for a crucial clash in NCU Section One. Downpatrick won the toss and elected to bat first on what was a typically true and pristine UP wicket. However, with the balcony filled by punters and esteemed guests for the club’s annual corporate lunch, the atmosphere had reached a fever pitch with anticipation.
Skelly and Brown were the opening pair for Bangor, and the two wasted no time in getting into the batting line-up. Despite an aggressive start from Downpatrick, Michael Skelly claimed the first wicket of the day when his pace proved too much for the Downpatrick opener, breaking through the defences of his helpless opponent. Pressure continued to build, and patience was to be the measure of the opening pair. The dangerous overseas Wyngard was removed by Skelly in the eighth over, as he rocked back to pull a short ball to the boundary but found the welcoming grasp of the returning Chris Pyper instead, who snared the catch with ease. Downpatrick were now 28-2 and, with their star man removed, they were struggling.
Brown felt left out of the action at this point and felt that he ought to join in. He did so by way of LBW, bowling a slightly fuller in-swinging delivery to trap the opposing batsman stone dead in front. The umpire immediately gave the batsman out, who stood around the crease for a prolonged period of time.
It was exactly an over later when Skelly had his third. A short ball, careering towards the ribs of the Downpatrick opener Reddy, was too much for him to handle. He did well to get his body out of the way, but in the process gloved it through to Kirkpatrick behind the stumps, who seldom makes a mistake when such an opportunity presents itself. Downpatrick were now reeling at 44-4.
Batsmen were under pressure, and the pressure told once more. Woodruff, who was struggling to deal with the pace and seam movement of the two Bangor openers, played a loose cover drive in the direction of extra cover. Stood waiting was Adam McCusker, and you could bet the house on him taking it. A beautifully snared low catch resulted in Downpatrick falling to 57-5.
Pyper and Farrell entered the attack at this stage, and Pyper received a brutal welcome back after a few weeks away, getting hit to all parts and picking a fight with the perpetrators in an effort to gain the upper hand. His resilience would pay off with the first ball of his second over, as he bowled an off-cutter that just held in the ground and was spooned up in the air by Sebastian, who had just brought up a breezy fifty, and Will Simpson took the catch whilst backpedalling, obviously not requiring the advice of his teammates regarding what to do. Shortly after, panic was beginning to set in for Downpatrick as they took a risky single to Connor Brown. Browny was licking his lips as the ball came towards him and, like a tiger stalking his prey, he pounced upon the ball and thundered it through the middle of the three stumps he had to aim at. Mathew was sent packing and Bangor were now well and truly into the tail, leaving the visitors 122-7.
Farrell was next to join the wickets, his consistency being rewarded by a wicket off a loose shot from Rekhi that went down Mark Hutchinson’s throat, and Hutchinson did not flinch, taking the catch with ease. Pyper claimed a second with an in-dipping yorker and then, after a few overs of struggle, Farrell claimed the final wicket, bowling Sodhi. Downpatrick were all out for 143, and Bangor went into the break confident that they could get the job done with the bat.
Butler and McMillan opened the batting for Bangor and knew that time was on their side. The opening pair suffocated the Downpatrick bowlers in the early stages: blocking the good ball, sending the loose deliveries to the boundary, and never looking troubled by what the visitors had to offer. They brought their 50 partnership up off 44 balls, displaying a complete lack of fear and confidence in their own game.
As the game progressed, Butler became increasingly irreverent towards the offerings of the Downpatrick bowlers, going downtown with sixes sent over the boundary at will. The partnership was at 97 by the 13th over when McMillan, searching for a lusty blow of his own, lobbed the ball to mid-off on the edge of the ring as he departed for a score of 38 that included five boundaries. Mark Hutchinson made a brief cameo at the crease, but departed for just two after being bowled by the spin bowling of Reddy.
Brown then arrived to support Butler, who in this time brought up his fifty off just 44 balls with a customary maximum once more. Butler lost patience with running between the wickets and decided to up the ante after bringing up his fifty. He and Brown brought the score to 137 until disaster struck, and Butler was caught on the boundary trying for his seventh maximum. He would have to settle for a score of 71 off 55 balls with six fours and six sixes. Brown was also robbed of a red inker with the scores level, slicing one to Woodruff at point for 15. But Kirkpatrick and McCusker had the facile task of claiming victory in the 20th over as Bangor romped home with a crucial victory for their season.
This felt like vintage Bangor. The team never took their foot off the gas, never seemed out of control, and even when the Downpatrick aggression could have had them panicking, they stayed focused on the task at hand. An even spread of wickets amongst the bowlers and a drama-free chase hints at the fact Bangor suffocated their opponents — a slow, drawn-out victory that is indicative of the growing poise and control from a team that, whilst possessing great experience, also possesses a young core of players. Promising times are ahead with crucial clashes against top-of-the-table teams, but one thing is for sure: on their day, you wouldn’t want to bet against this Bangor team, as, increasingly, they get the job done.
