Two wins from three in Dundalk cricket season opener
Division 11 - Dundalk 1: 206 (39.3 ov) Subtain 69, Nitin 5-36; Tyrrelstown 3: 126 (35.3 ov) Jibu 38, Adarsh 3-27; Dundalk won by 80 runs.
Division 16A - North County 5: 180 (39.2 ov) Harsh 45, Sanju Baby 3-23; Dundalk 2: 159 (32.4 ov) Shakeel 31, Manoj 4-29; North County won by 21 runs.
Division 17A - Dundalk 3: 185/4 (40 ov) Sourav 43, Dipesh 1-17; Tullamore 2: 183 (28.5 ov) Tijo 61, Bukhari 2-2; Dundalk won by 2 runs.
Dundalk Cricket Club got their 2026 campaign off to a positive start with two victories in the opening weekend of 40-over league action.
The town’s Seconds took to the field first, travelling to Balrothery to take on North County Fifths in Govind Patil’s first match as captain.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, the hosts started well with an opening partnership of 62. Dundalk wrestled back some control mid-innings, taking four wickets for just 30 runs.
Left-armer Sanju Baby and Afghan pacer Atiullah Khpalwak cleaned up the tailenders to set the visitors a target of 181 to win.
Dundalk put up a good fight in the chase but struggled to put together partnerships and ultimately came up 21 runs short.
A busy Sunday saw the Firsts comprehensively defeat Tyrrelstown 3 in Tyrrelstown Park, opening their account well after relegation from Division 10 last season.
Falling to 22-4 inside 8 overs, captain Syed Ibnan and debutant Liam Giggins steadied the ship for the town with a 5th-wicket stand of 49, before the talismanic Subtain Gondal hit nine boundaries despite a head injury on the way to a fine knock of 69 runs off 71 balls, his fourth fifty in yellow and green.
The ever-dangerous Adarsh Hegde claimed a three-wicket haul in a comfortable defence of 206.
Meanwhile, in the match of the weekend on the Carrick Road, the Thirds stole a win in fairytale fashion at home to Tullamore in what was Tullamore Seconds’ first-ever league game.
Responding well after being put in to bat, Sourav Kunal and Dundalk skipper Sumit Kumar both notched up 40+ knocks in a competitive first innings total of 185/4.
Despite a quick three wickets in the second innings, Tullamore looked destined to win after drinks, needing just 6 runs with 4 wickets in hand.
Turning to slow bowling, leg-spin pair Pauric McCrum and Mohammed Bukhari combined for a couple of quick wickets to set up a nail-biting finish.
In his first Dundalk game, Luv Bajaj became a hero in the most unlikely of victories, taking the two winning catches at the death and subsequently getting mobbed by his teammates in jubilant celebrations at Hiney Park.
Next weekend’s league fixtures: Dundalk 1 v Naas 1 (Junior T20 Cup, Mon 4 May, home), Dundalk 2 v Wexford Wanderers 3 (Minor T20 Cup, Sat 2 May, home), Dundalk 2 v Finglas 3 (Minor T20 Cup, Sun 3 May, home), Swords 6 v Dundalk 3 (Division 17A, Sat 2 May, away), Rush 4 v Dundalk 3 (Adamstown T20 Cup, Sun 3 May, neutral venue).
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