CRICKET NEWS ROUND-UP: MERRION TOOK advantage of both circumstances and the weather to put themselves in the box seat as they aim to win their first Leinster Senior League title since 2001.
On Saturday, Jeff Short’s side claimed a four-wicket victory over a Leinster outfit still basking in the glow of their fantastic victory over Donemana in the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup Final the day before.
Short won a vital toss and inserted the home side on a seamer-friendly track, with Merrion professional Matt Petrie taking five wickets for just 19 runs, while Tiktesh Patel claimed four for 33 as Leinster were bowled out for 124 in the 45th over.
Merrion made hard work of the chase, but John Anderson’s innings of 47 got them over the line with 31 balls to spare.
Merrion could have lost top spot yesterday if Clontarf had beaten North County in Balrothery, but persistent rain led to the game being abandoned, with the eight points leaving Clontarf eight points adrift of the leaders, with both sides having two games to play.
Merrion’s two games come against Railway Union, who kept their title hopes alive with a comprehensive 126-run victory over near neighbours Pembroke at Sydney Parade, a result that confirms their relegation to Section B.
Malahide earned the second promotion spot from Section B after they beat Old Belvedere by six wickets at the Village to join YMCA in the top flight next year.
Meanwhile, the Ireland Under-19 side got their World Cup qualification campaign back on track with a 73-run victory over Papua New Guinea in Toronto.
ICC UNDER-19 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER (At King City, Ontario): USA 217-6 (50 ovs) (R Corns 86no, S Vashishat 46, H Wardley 29; G McCarter 1-20, L Nelson 1-28, A Balbirnie 1-30), Ireland 175 (46.3 ovs) (A Balbirnie 45, L Nelson 33, J Shannon 28; S Saleem 5-38, R Corns 2-17). USA won by 42 runs.
Ireland 273-6 (50 ovs) (G McDonnell 62no, P Stirling 57, J Shannon 46, A Balbirnie 36, B Ackland 22; J Reva 2-41), Papua New Guinea 200 (43.5 ovs) (S Eno 35, V Oala 28, H Siaka 26; G McDonnell 3-36, B Ackland 2-21, A Balbirnie 2-32). Ireland won by 73 runs.
