Verma on form for Dundalk Cricket Club in Leinster Intermediate Cup

Dundalk I captain Syed Ibnan hit 41 runs and took 2 wickets against County Cavan I in the 40-over Intermediate Cup. | Photo by Raheel Qamar

placeholder image — Dundalk I captain Syed Ibnan hit 41 runs and took 2 wickets against County Cavan I in the 40-over Intermediate Cup. | Photo by Raheel Qamar

Yash Verma hit a half-century to send Dundalk Firsts through to the first round proper

Intermediate Cup - Preliminary Round

Dundalk 1: 278 (39 ov) Yash 82, Pramod 5-51; County Cavan 1: 229 (34.2 ov) Jithin 87, Umer 3-62 - Dundalk won by 49 runs

Yash Verma hit his second half-century in six days to send Dundalk Firsts through to the first round proper of the new 40-over Cricket Leinster Intermediate Cup.

Up against County Cavan Firsts, a club one division above them, Dundalk were put in to bat after losing the toss at Hiney Park.

Yash Verma opened the batting and had a largely quiet start to his innings after losing fellow opener Sakhi Jan and veteran all-rounder Sanju Thomas in the first 12 overs.

Captain Syed Ibnan joined Verma at the crease, and the pair steered Dundalk through drinks, contributing 87 for the third wicket.

After the interval, Verma opened up and hit 9 boundaries, eventually falling in the 28th over for a measured 82 off 76 deliveries.

Middle-order hitman Umer Khan came in at 7 and hit his 12th half-century for the town, reaching the milestone in just 23 balls, and Dundalk posted a duckless first innings total of 278.

Knowing an early breakthrough would be key to halting a strong Cavan batting lineup, the hosts got the start they were after just eight balls in, Amal Soman taking an impressive lunging catch at short mid-on to remove opener Ajesh Oommen for a duck.

The visitors would later climb to 118-2 before Sanju Thomas and Syed Ibnan combined for two quick wickets to put Dundalk in the driving seat, Cavan needing 163 after drinks with 6 wickets in hand.

Skipper Ibnan led by example with the ball, his economical 2-25 seeing 34 dot balls, which set up Umer Khan and Muhammad Tayyab to cut through the lower middle order with three quick dismissals and all but secure the win for Dundalk with 10 overs to spare.

An eventual 49-run win in the 35th over sees Dundalk meet Division 4’s Kilkenny Firsts in a David-Goliath encounter in June’s round of 16.

Next weekend’s league fixtures: North County 4 v Dundalk 1 (Division 11, Sun 24 May, away), Swords 4 v Dundalk 2 (Division 16A, Sun 24 May, away), Dundalk 3 v County Cavan 3 (Division 17A, Sat 23 May, home).

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