Swift revenge as Waringstownbounce back with league win

Kyle McCallan on his way to taking three for 14 during Waringstowns six-wicket victory over CIYMS at Belmont.

A week after the villagers lost on the final ball to the same opponents in the Challenge Cup semi-final, they bowled the hosts out for 148 after captain Lee Nelson won the toss and batted first.

The key to the success was the form of their fast bowlers. Phil Eaglestone (2-24), the left-arm seamer, induced an early edge from Chris Dougherty to slip and later bowled Aaron Johnston for just a single.

James Mitchell, the 18-year-old, recorded his most impressive senior figures of three for 32, dismissing John Matchett, Nigel Jones and Nathan Burns as CI slumped to 56 for five.

Rassie van der Dussen was CI’s only’s hope and he struck four fours and two sixes before he was eighth man out for 61. He was one of three victims for the miserly Kyle McCallan (3-14) and despite 22 from Stephen Dunn, CI were dismissed for just 148.

With left-arm spinner James Cameron-Dow absent with an ankle injury and Jones unable to bowl with a continuing hand problem, there was little for Waringstown to fear in the CI attack.

Adam Dennison and McCallan fell early but a 62-run partnership between Lee Nelson and James McCollum effectively decided the outcome.

Nelson eventually fell, caught down the leg side off van der Dussen for 35, but McCollum continued his purple patch with a fourth half-century of the season.

The young opener finished unbeaten on 74 from 101 balls, including seven boundaries.

Waringstown continue their Premier League campaign with a rearranged home fixture against North Down on Saturday.

Adam Dennison and James Mitchell will both miss the game because they are away with Ireland under-19s in their World Cup qualifying campaign.

However, Nelson hopes that James Hall will be fit to play after his extended period out with a serious hamstring injury.

He will undergo another fitness test on Thursday night before a final decision is made.

The clubs have met once so far this season, in the Twenty20 Cup semi-final at Pollock Park which Waringstown won in the final over.

North Down’s South African professional Pieter Malan smashed a century that day and his wicket will be crucial to Waringstown’s prospects on Saturday.

The Premier League is finely poised, with Waringstown, Instonians, CIYMS and North Down all only having lost once so far.

The ball sponsor for the game on Saturday is William McCabe.