Larne Cricket Club

Just two days later though, the Fourths suffered defeat as they travelled to Eaton Park to play Ballymena. There were four enforced changes to the team, and it was a case of bringing on the youth as all four new players were taken from the under-13's. With a total of seven under-15's on the team Larne were always going to find it difficult against a Ballymena team filled with experienced senior players. When the top order of Burke, Smith and Andrew King were dismissed by Mann, Larne were in all sorts of bother at 10 for 3. Just as in the first math though, Larne were saved by a youthful middle-order partnership.

Simon King was again involved, this time with Jonathon Graham. The two diminutive juniors counter-attacked with a degree of confidence and skill that was simply inspiring. All the Larne players enjoyed watching the pair put on a partnership of 55 in just 13 overs. King, who had played a defensive innings on Saturday, now showed his attacking flair as he placed the ball all around the ground as he compiled a fine innings of 24. At the other end Jonathon Graham was at his attacking best, smashing three fours through the mid-wicket area in a quick fire innings of 37. The pair ran between the wickets with great speed and skill, and they threatened to turn the match totally on its head.

However, the partnership was ended in controversial fashion when Simon King was drawn down the wicket and for once was beaten by the spin. The wicket-keeper broke the wicket, but it appeared to the crowd that Simon had grounded his foot in good time. The umpire though saw things differently, and gave him out stumped. It was a cruel blow, for soon afterward, as so often happens after a good partnership, Graham was also dismissed. Only three batsmen were to reach double figures in the entire innings, so the value of the Graham-King partnership cannot be overstated. Jonathon Graham's 37 was the highest score for the fourths over the weekend, and he will surely reach his first 50 at some point during this season.

The Larne innings ended in a fairly absurd fashion though. With just three overs left, Michael Lyle embarked on a policy of running everything in a bid to boost the total. The lower order, who were struggling to deal with the pace of the returning opening bowlers, found themselves being called through to run for singles even when the all was lying at their feet. In an unprecedented and hopefully unrepeatable period of play Lyle managed to run out four of his team-mates, and Larne finished all out for 121 in the last over of their allotted 40. The last three batsmen Morton, McDonagh and Ruys were all very unlucky and will surely all get another chance in the team, especially since they all fielded so well.

That left Ballymena needing just three an over to win the match, and they made a fine start with openers Carmichael and Harshaw putting on 52 for the first wicket, before Lyle made the breakthrough. Larne had been extremely unlucky not have to have broken the partnership earlier, with several half-chances popping off the edge of the bat and narrowly falling between fielders. Larne's earlier umpiring generosity, when they broke their own best partnership, went totally unrewarded as a series of close lbw decision were cruelly turned down. Another youngster, Dean McDonagh, grabbed a wicket with his impressive off-spin and then Andrew Semple, the ex-Ballymena player, dismissed the top-scorer Carmichael for 46 to leave Larne in with an outside chance for victory. And when Jonathon Graham produced a direct hit from cover to run out the Ballymena captain, Larne needed just four wickets to win whilst Ballymena needed 18 more runs.

Sadly, Larne were missing a 5th strike bowler, and were unable to press home their opportunity. In a final desperate effort, Larne captain Lyle asked his multi-talented wicket-keeper Craig Smith to take the pads off and have a bowl. Smith, who had done wickets for three days in a row and had no luck with the bat, bravely threw up some off-spinners in a bid the un-settle the batsmen, whilst Esler Burke took over behind the stumps for the first time in his long career. However, Ballymena reached their target with five overs and four wickets to spare.

The match was kindly sponsored by The Kiln.