CRICKET/WEEKEND PREVIEW:A GLORIOUS Indian summer has arrived right on cue as the battle for Section A honours in the Leinster Senior League reaches a climax over the next two weekends. With just five games to be played there are still four clubs vying for top spot, with just 19 points separating them in one of the most exciting finales in recent years.
Railway Union gave themselves a chance of a first Senior League title since the early 1960s with their 19-run victory over top-of-the-table Merrion on Thursday.
A key to their success has been the opening partnership of Ireland international Kenny Carroll and Tom Fisher, who have well over 1,000 runs between them this season.
Fisher’s 91 at Anglesea Road on Thursday backboned their innings of 240 for six against Merrion and the two sides meet again at Park Avenue today in their final game of the campaign.
Merrion still hold a five-point advantage at the top, with the winners of the clash setting the benchmark for Clontarf and The Hills, the two other title-chasing sides.
Both have two games to play, with defending champions The Hills hosting Clontarf in another six-pointer at Milverton today. Clontarf then complete their season when they travel to Rathmines tomorrow to play Leinster.
Depending on results this weekend, the outcome of Section A could come down to an intriguing final game, when The Hills travel to great rivals North County next Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Ireland Under-19 side kept up their bid to win the ICC Under-19 World Cup Qualifier with a 67-run victory over Uganda in Toronto on Thursday.
Stuart Thompson took advantage of his move up the order to top-score with 67, while Merrion’s Ben Ackland posted his second half-century of the tournament as Ireland made 252 for eight in their 50 overs. Seamer Craig Young was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets for 26, while spinners George Dockrell and Lee Nelson continued their fine performances in Canada with two wickets apiece.
Having qualified for next January’s World Cup with two games to spare, Matt Dwyer’s side can win the tournament with a win over bottom-of the-table Vanuatu tomorrow.
FIXTURES
SATURDAY: Leinster Senior League (11am): Section A: Pembroke v North County, Sydney Parade; Railway Union v Merrion, Anglesea Road; The Hills v Clontarf, Milverton. Section B: Rush v Old Belvedere, Kenure.
SUNDAY: Leinster Senior League: Section A: Leinster v Clontarf, Rathmines, 11.0.
ICC UNDER-19 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
At King City, Toronto: Ireland 252-8 (50 ovs) (S Thompson 67, B Ackland 50, G McDonnell 32, J Shannon 30; A Sangau 5-44) Uganda 185 (47.2 ovs) (H Bagenda 42, D Batuwa 37, A Sangau 31; C Young 3-26, G Dockrell 2-30, L Nelson 2-33, S Getkate 2-39). Ireland won by 67 runs.
