A player of the match bowling performance from Usman Khalid ensured a comfortable 43-run victory for North Kildare over Terenure in the Ed Sports/Russell Court Trophy final at Park Avenue on Sunday.
Khalid’s four overs saw him bowl a wicket maiden 11th over, as he accumulated figures of 4 for 11. Bowling in tandem with Abid Ali (3-12), they ensured Terenure’s chase never got going as they lost seven wickets for 10 runs in just five overs.
None of the Terenure batsmen could get going as the tight bowling and impressive fielding suffocated the chase of 88.
Indeed, Terenure would have been encouraged at half-time having restricted North Kildare to just 87/8 off their allocation.
Justin Hannaford (1-11) and Phillip Rout (1-12) restricted North Kildare to 24/2 off the opening eight overs.
However, it was Ali (18) and Khalid (14) who made the ultimate difference as their middle order runs, which included five boundaries pushed the total up to what turned out to be a match-winning total.
David Lusby (4-34) took wickets for Terenure but unfortunately it was in vein as he was upstaged by both Abid Ali and Usman Khalid.
Ed Sports Russell Court Trophy 20-over
Final
Terenure 3 v North Kildare 3, Park Avenue, Sunday September 13th
North Kildare 87/8 20 Overs (Abid Ali 18, U Khalid 14; D Lusby 4-34, L Turner 2-10)
Terenure 44 a/o 17 Overs (D Lusby 14; U Khalid 4-11, Abid Ali 3-12)
North Kildare won by 43 runs