The match on 23rd June got off to a great start due to a rare sight in Belfast……….it was sunny and scorching hot!!
PSNI won the toss and decided to bat. The match was reduced to 35 overs by agreement between the two captains as the match had to be completed by 6.30pm due to other sports at the ground. McGregor and Marsh opened and took the score to 18 before in the 4th over Lawson had Marsh caught of his bowling. This brought Irwin to the crease and the score moved slowly to 66 of 19 overs. It was in this over that Hamilton had the dangerous McGregor caught from a miscued pull shot bringing PJ Whyte in at No4. The experienced Whyte supported Irwin well in a partnership of 130 with some huge maximums hit by Irwin accelerating the score to 196 off 33 overs before the ageless Whyte was run out pushing for a quick single. This provided a brief moment of laughter as Irwin was on 99 at this stage and thought he had completed his ton only to look round and see that Whyte had been run out keeping him on 99! Adair was next out to the middle but despite hitting a huge 6 was back in the pavilion not long after with Irwin still on 99 and Chambers in at no6. With 4 balls to spare Irwin finally hit a single and breathed a sigh of relief and acknowledged the applause for reaching 100. PSNI finished on 208 for 4 off their 35 overs.
Gough and McWalter opened the batting for West Mids/Mercia. They raced to 55 of the first 10 overs before Gough was bowled by Adair. The score was rapidly slowed by impressive and accurate bowling from Adair and Holmes and Adair struck again removing McWalter with Chambers taking a high catch in the deep. The score moved to 66 and Holmes got his first wicket of the day removing the new batsman A Lawson trapping him LBW. Hamilton and the new batsman Tandy took the score to 86 from 20 overs before Hamilton was caught off Holmes and a great diving catch by Lynch. This brought Parker to the wicket and along with Tandy took the score to 103 before Tandy was LBW off the bowling of Black. The next few overs saw Parker and Ali both caught off the bowling of Black reducing the away team to 126 for 7 off 25. The remaining batsmen could only manage to make it to 159 with Harrison and Hamilton bowled by Todd.
A good game of cricket played in the right spirit and special mention must go to Craig Irwin for his 101 not out and the bowling of Mark Adair with figures of 4-2-5-2
PSNI win by 49 runs.
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