Laois Cricket Club

Saturday 2 May

On Saturday, Laois first II travelled to The Hills Cricket Club, near Skerries, for their second match in the Leinster Senior II League. The Hills won the toss and chose to bat. Laois bowled and fielded well, and despite missing out on some good catching opportunities, managed to fight hard as a team, before eventually dismissing the Hills for 195 runs in the 48 over. Best of the bowling came from skipper Jonny Yasin (3 for 26 off 9 overs) and Armand Smit (1 for 15 off 9 overs) and, with good support form Clint Wilkie (2 for 43 off 9.3 overs). Of particular note was the standard of the ground fielding by the Laois team, inspired by brothers Clint and Matthew Auret, who are continuing to inject their youthful enthusiasm and skill into the fielding performances.

Playing on a consistent wicket, with a dry and fast outfield, this looked like an achievable target, and Laois turned around in a strong position to win the game. However, Laois failed to take the game to the Hills bowlers, and lost wicket after wicket by batting foolishly. Clint Wilkie (23) was the only batsman who showed any steady form. Laois were eventually dismissed for 97 after just 29.2 overs. After two away defeats in Dublin, Laois will be glad to get back to Togher next week for their home game against Merrion on Sunday; a game which they badly need to win if they are to have any chance of making an impression in the League this year.

Laois third II were also in action on Saturday away to Merrion. Fielding first, they held Merrion to 166 for 8 wickets after the allotted 40 overs. The pick of the bowling came from Adrian Tudor (3 for 15) and D Walker (2 for 39). Laois chased the target with 5 wickets to spare, with Shiva (41), J Armour (36) and Ben Hur (32 not out) all batting well.

Sunday 3 May

On Sunday, the second team travelled to Malahide and were convincing winners by nearly 120 runs. Batting first, Laois got off to a rocky start and at one stage had only 70 runs on the board with 6 wickets lost. However, they rallied well and finished the innings on 191. Malahide scored only 73 runs in reply, with Inam playing a starring role taking 6 wickets for 10 runs off 8 overs.

Laois won the toss and decided to bat in their game against Malahide.The return of last year’s leading run scorer, Mudasir, lifting expectations of a high score.

After a brisk start and the loss of Masood (6), Laois were soon 40 for 1 from 6 overs.However, Mudasir’s wicket was the first of three to fall in quick succession and it was a very different situation at 45 for 4.Shazad (25) and Inam (17) steadied the ship with the former looking well set before he chased a wide one that was picked up at the second attempt by the keeper.

As the score moved closer to 100 and the wickets kept tumbling, the calls were for a total to bowl at.As Jaz went to join Inam hopes were fading but a very competent and hard hitting 44 were the back bone of the innings.And as Malahide’s skipper Ronan McGeehan finished his spell of 5 for 45 off 10, Andrew King took full advantage hitting 3 fours and 2 sixes in his 32 not out.When Chase trapped Adnan to return 4 for 28, Laois had amassed 191 from 32.1 overs.

With a total to bowl at and a strong bowling line up, Laois were confident that if they could get in amongst the wickets, the game could be won, despite Malahide having 57 overs to knock off the runs.

The pitch would dictate the rest of the game; opening bowlers King and Usman, bowled tidily but still conceded 27 runs off the first six overs.Their plight was epitomised by the edge King forced from Richardson, which did not carry to slip.A change of pace was required, Adnan and Inam, bowling leg-spin and off-spin respectively, tightened the game up and forcing the Malahide batsmen to become very watchful.Herbert managed to compile a careful 31 but the others had little to answer.Adnan was the unfortunate one. His 5 overs returning 1 for 23 but this does not tell the picture at all.The flight of the ball in particular, possibly more so than the turn he extracted, completely bamboozled the batsmen for the most part, and the runs conceded were more often a frustrated slog than anything to admire.

This pressure was added to by Inam who was 2 for 5 from his first five overs and put Malahide 60 for 5 off 16 overs.But the pressure was too much for Malahide and it was all over in the 23 over as Jaz took the last two wickets to return 2 for 3 off 1.4 overs.

The man of the match award must go to Inam; his patient 17 runs allowed Laois a base to compile a respectable total and his final bowling analysis of 6 wickets for 10 runs from 8 overs proved how well he bowled.Malahide were out for 73, Laois winning by 119 runs.