Dundalk CC Seconds triumph in Westmeath
T20 Minor Cup – Group DMullingar 3: 122 (20 ov) Rajat 23, Prashant 4-14 Dundalk 2: 123/3 (16.5 ov) Ahmadzai 46, Rajat 2-25 Dundalk won by 7 wickets
A clinical bowling performance in the first innings saw Dundalk Cricket Club Seconds cruise to a 7-wicket victory away to Mullingar Thirds.
Being the sole fixture of the weekend, stand-in Dundalk skipper Binu Sekara had the luxury of selecting a very strong side for the journey to St. Finian’s College, with first team regular Adarsh Hegde joining Prashant Nair to open the bowling in a six-strong pace attack.
Hegde got off to a flyer, knocking over Samrat Ravula’s stumps for a wicket maiden in the first over. Nair also didn’t take long to join in on the action, hitting his length well up the slope and taking three wickets (all bowled) in his opening 3-over spell.
Atiullah Khpalwak stepped in for the middle overs and had an immediate impact, his unusual flailing-arms action confusing Mullingar keeper Daragh Ryan, whose stumps went down in the eighth over with the score at just 44.
Sanval Warriach and top-scorer Rajat Nautiyal provided some resistance for the hosts, but the town bowled and fielded well at the death to leave themselves a routine 123 to win in the midlands sunshine.
Shakeel Qamar and Abdullah Ahmadzai, both in fine form, got off to a great start in the chase, combining for 77 runs inside ten overs before Ahmadzai was stumped just four shy of a half-century.
The Afghan had powered his way to 46 in only 26 deliveries, much in contrast to his colleague Qamar, who touched the ball around and traded the strike well for his 34 off 46.
After losing wicket-keeper Shibu Uthaman for 17 in the 17th over, captain Sekara had the honour of walking in to hit the winning two runs, putting a positive closer on an unsuccessful T20 Cup campaign for Team 2, who bow out as runners-up in Group D.
Next weekend’s fixtures: Dundalk 1 v Rush 3 (T20 Junior Cup semi-final, Sat 25 Jul, home), Dundalk 3 vs Swords 6 (Division 17A, Sun 26 Jul, home).
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