John Anderson - top scorer for Merrion in their league campaign.
It was a last ball thriller between Clontarf and YMCA in Castle Avenue, but the team really celebrating Asher Abbasi’s dot ball, were Merrion, crowned Premier League Champions thanks to YM’s two-run victory on Dublin’s northside.
Clontarf, playing their third match in four days, just couldn’t find enough in the well to secure victory and set up a final day shoot-out with Merrion, in Anglesea Road on Saturday week.
YMCA made 123/8 off their 20 over allocation, mainly thanks to the brilliance of Harry Tector’s innings.
Harry Tector was the only YM player to pass 20 with his 65 (52 balls; 5x4s 2x6s), which included dominating two partnerships of over 40 with his brothers Jack (16) and Tim (16).
Both Harry Tector’s sixes were hit over the long-on boundary, while he also drove through the covers and swept at will. Unfortunately for YMCA, it was an attempted sweep that proved his downfall as a top-edge off Sameer Dutt was pouched by Bill Coghlan at short fine leg.
Dutt led the Clontarf bowling attack with 3-13 off his four overs, while both Ropu Islam and Conor Kelly picked up a brace of wickets as YMCA set Clontarf 124 for victory.
After the early loss of Kelly, Obus Pienaar set about calming the home side’s nerves with a dismissive straight 6 off his first ball faced. Pienaar continued to take the attack to YM as he reverse-swept, swept conventionally, before pulling to cow corner, for boundaries in the space of four deliveries.
In the 8thover he played a gorgeous shot, flicking Padraic Flanagan over deep square leg for 6.
Flanagan (3-23) had his revenge next ball though, removing the overseas pro, before bowling Andrew Poynter just two balls later. He then proceeded to bowl Robert Forrest too, removing three major Clontarf threats in the space of ten balls, reducing the home side to 60/4 at halfway.
Bill Coghlan remained however, and he counterattacked with a massive straight six. Coghlan and Declan Gallagher were beginning to contemplate taking Clontarf home when Asher Abbasi had Gallagher caught at mid-on. Later in the same over, Mitchell Thompson took advantage of a mix-up to affect the run-out of Coghlan (33) with a direct hit.
Abbasi bowled Islam (6) and the scenario was straightforward for Clontarf, Joe Morrissey and Dutt had to score 19 off the last two overs to set-up the winner-takes-all finale to the season.
Tight bowling from Harry Tector and Abbasi left the equation at 10 runs off 2 balls.
Incredibly, Dutt stepped away to leg and crunched a six over deep backward point off the second last ball, raising the heart-rates of all those in attendance. And of those watching the live scoring in Merrion.
In the end, Abbasi kept his nerve and bowled that vital dot ball which secured victory for YM, inflicted disappointment on Clontarf and sparked scenes of celebration for Merrion.
A fantastic match, that once again ebbed and flowed as momentum shifted back and forth. While disappointing for the neutral to be denied the final-day decider, it is a testament to the integrity of the league that every match, and every victory, must be fought for and earned.
Mason Alexander LHW Financial Planning Cricket Leinster Premier League
At Castle Avenue, 28 August 2018
YMCA 123/8 20 overs (H Tector 65; S Dutt 3-13, R Islam 2-15, C Kelly 2-18)
Clontarf 121/7 20 overs (O Pienaar 37, B Coghlan 33; P Flanagan 3-23, A Abbasi 2-20)
YMCA win by 2 runs