1 st X1
The first four matches of the summer provided a microcosm of the 1 st X1’s season, as the team started with 2 comfortable victories against Friends and Grosvenor (Andrew Dickson 59*, Mark Thompson 47*) but also suffered two heavy defeats against BRA (Mark Thompson 51) and RBAI.
In the 1 st round of the Ulster Schools’ Cup Ballyclare travelled to Portadown College and set a new school batting record as they accumulated 242 for 6 from their 32 overs with Chris Jennings top scoring with 52. They then bowled out Portadown for 48, including a hat trick for Andrew Dickson. In the second round Ballyclare dismissed BRA for only 58, thanks mainly to a superb spell by Robert Smith of 4 for 4 from 8 overs. Ballyclare reached the total comfortably with Josh Dailly playing well and top scoring with 24.
The draw for the quarter final appeared to have been favourable as the Ballyclare team was matched with RBAI 2nds. Disappointingly this match proved to be the lowest point of the team’s season despite a good bowling display, the highlight of which was Robert Smith claiming 5 for 21. Not for the first time in recent Ulster Schools’ Cup campaigns the Ballyclare batting proved fragile and a middle order collapse cost the team a chance of progressing to the semi final.
In the McCullough Cup 1 st round match against Regent House, Josh Dailly was on top form with 6 wickets and top scoring with 37 not out. Batting first in the quarter final against Campbell College, Ballyclare scored 155 including an awesome 83* from Rob Smith (5 sixes, 7 fours). The pick of the bowlers was Andrew Dickson with 5 wickets as Ballyclare emerged the winners by 16 runs. The final match of the season was the McCullough Cup semi final against the Schools’ Cup winners RBAI. The match went as expected with RBAI winning comfortably.
The season finished with the annual OBA match in which the pupils were defeated thanks to a strong batting performance from the Old Boys. 1 st X1 coaches Mr Thompson and Mr Martin were assisted by former pupil Andrew Cowden whose enthusiasm and expertise offered a welcome addition to the coaching team.
1 st XI squad:
M Thompson (Capt), R Smith, J Dailly, A Blain, J Jackson, P Dickson, A Best, H Glover, N Whitten, J McCrea, I Holmes, G Boyd, Chris Jennings.
Staff: Mr Thompson and Mr Martin
2 nd X1
The 2 nd XI had another good season contesting some close finishes and again reaching the semi-final of the Duke of Abercorn Cup, defeating Friends but losing out to Bangor Grammar.
Squad: C Martin (capt), W Stevenson, M Armstrong, S Baxter, J Bell, N Gray, L Totten, M Hopper, Craig Jennings, C McGrath, S Hawthorne, J McClurg, A Pyper, S Reid.
Staff: Mr Thompson and Mr Martin
Under 15 X1
The U15 XI cricket team’s season was entirely unpredictable, with some unexpected wins and some avoidable defeats. In the first game against RBAI the U15s played well but lost by 25 runs chasing 126. An excellent bowling performance saw Regent House being bowled out for 76 runs and the match was duly won with the last two batsmen at the crease.
Our third match away to Wallace HS saw the home team being bowled out for 70 and Ballyclare attaining their first victory over these opponents in 4 years. BRA proved too strong in the first round of the Ulster Schools U15 Cup, as did Carrick Grammar in the subsidiary Jubilee Cup.
The boys played better than the results suggested and, importantly, a number of players should emerge from this squad to play cricket in the senior school in the next three years.
The growing success and popularity of cricket at Ballyclare HS saw the school field an U15 ‘B’ team for the first time and they put up a good performance against Boys Model ‘A’ team. The team was led by J Moore and included M Barr, P Hanna, M Patton, D Evans, J Daye, S Frazer and S Spence.
U15 XI: S Shannon (Capt), B Scroggie, P Dickson, L Bailie, A Hughes, A Patterson, C Stevenson, T McClintock, J Moore, J Annett, S Berry, M Barr
Staff: Mr Lenaghan and Mr Milliken
Under 14 X1
The U14 XI season went particularly well this year because they won most of their matches and reached the final of the U14 Ulster Schools’ NCU League Cup. Most of this year’s squad had previously enjoyed success winning the Year 8 Ferris Cup in 2005. The inclusion of several talented year 9 players strengthened the cup team, but the Year 10 squad players showed admirable commitment and loyalty by continuing to be available when required for the Saturday morning fixtures.
Two early victories over Parkhall College and Larne Grammar set the team up to play in both this year’s cup competitions. In the Derriaghy Cup the side lost to Regent House in the first round. Unfortunately the next Saturday fixture against RBAI also saw the team defeated. The return fixture against Regent House, however, saw the previous result reversed with Ballyclare winning due to a well-constructed half century by Jonny McCrea, who paced the run chase and protected the lower order batsmen, demonstrating a maturity and composure which will serve him well in his future cricket career.
In the NCU League Cup Larne Grammar and Ballymena Academy were both well beaten in the group stages. The next Saturday morning matches saw the team lose to Wallace High but put in a better performance to defeat Campbell College. Belfast High proved worthy opponents in a very exciting match, with Ballyclare down to their last wicket partnership and needing 9 runs to win from the final over. Josh McIlroy hit a couple of sixes to secure the win.
Kyle McCallan’s Grosvenor Grammar team batted well to attain a Saturday morning win but Ballyclare’s U14s were at full strength to take on Regent House for a third time, this time in an Ulster Schools’ quarter final. An excellent team performance produced a victory, the reward for which was a home semi final against Methodist College. Defending a modest total Ballyclare produced another exemplary bowling and fielding performance dismissing MCB for 50 runs.
The Ulster Schools U14 League Final was delayed until the 31st August due to the inclement weather at the end of the summer term. The Ballyclare team are just the second U14 cricket team in the history of the school to reach this prestigious final, the previous occasion being when a young Kyle McCallan opened the batting to beat MCB by 10 wickets in 1991.
However, the Ballyclare boys met their match in what turned out to be a most exciting final held at Lisburn’s senior ground, Wallace Park. Ballyclare, having been put in to bat, struggled on the grass wicket against the flight and guile of the left arm slow bowlers from Friends’ School, Lisburn. Only the talented Jonny McCrea (44) got to double figures in what proved an inadequate total of 83 runs. Ballyclare gave their best by claiming 6 Friends wickets, but Friends held out with much better middle order batting to win with 2 overs to spare.
Congratulations are due to Jonny McCrea, Aaron Bartley and Niall Dalton for their selection on the Belfast Taverners team for the annual Under 14 competition staged in Arundel, Sussex. Also worthy of note was the contribution of wicket keeper Matthew Cranston who was the only member of the squad to play in all 15 matches.
The U14 League finalists: N Dalton (Capt), J McCrea, A Bartley, C Harvey, M Dailly, J Holmes, M Cranston, S Beattie, G Bartley, D Roger, J Johnston, L Armstrong.
Staff: Mr Nutt and Mr Wilson
Under 13 X1
The U13 XI showed much improvement this season, with particularly encouraging batting performances from Chris Harvey and Johnny Holmes. A new U13 school record was set when the team hit 206 from 20 overs, Chris Harvey (72) and Johnny Holmes (69). The best bowler was Matthew Dailly who collected 21 wickets while Grant Bartley and Chris Millar (leg-spinner) deserve mention for their performances.
The fielding was very sharp with a good number of catches held.
Under 13 team: Grant Bartley (Capt.), C Harvey, J Holmes, M Dailly, S Barr, M Turner, C Millar, A Christie, P Gregg, J McIlwrath, D Kelly.
Staff: Mr Stewart and Mr Crampsey
Under 12 X1
The U12 XI started the season well winning their first match against RBAI by 2 runs and their second against Regent House. The Ferris Cup match was lost against a strong Inchmarlo team but the team learned to develop their batting, bowling and fielding in the other matches played. Adrian McCrea was the outstanding player of the season. Andrew Cowden (past pupil) and Peter Shepherd (Templepatrick Cricket Club) are to be thanked for assisting in coaching and umpiring.
Under 12 squad: A McCrea (capt), C Todd, R Todd, J Hunter P Reid, S Harvey, M Grimason, L Montgomery, E McKee, J McKee, A Davidson, R Ashe
Staff: Mr Waring and Mr Thompson
Preparations for the 2007 season had begun as early as October 2006 when an enthusiastic group of staff and some senior pupils took part in a rewarding ECB coaching course delivered by former pupil Andy McCrea. All involved enjoyed the opportunity to refresh or add to their existing qualifications and to congratulate Andy on his growing coaching reputation.
The start of the cricket season in Ballyclare High coincided with Ireland’s historic involvement in the cricket World Cup in the West Indies. With interest in cricket at an unprecedented high Mr Thompson even featured on a Radio Ulster interview to explain how Ireland’s success was generating more enthusiasm for the sport in school.
Once again former pupil Kyle McCallan played a prominent role as Ireland recorded unexpected wins over Pakistan and Bangladesh, capturing the imagination of the local cricket fraternity and of those from further afield. Kyle’s individual bowling performances earned plaudits from knowledgeable observers, the Sky Sports commentators even suggesting that he would have been worthy of a place in nearly all of the other competing teams. It appears certain that there are still further chapters to be written in the story of Kyle’s considerable success at international level.
The cricket staff and 46 pupils from four cricket teams travelled to Stormont to watch the annual international cricket match which this year brought India and South Africa to Ireland for the first time. In this first of three one day internationals in Belfast the staff and boys were treated to the wonderful spectacle of India’s Sachin Tendulkar scoring 99 runs; he currently holds the world record for the most runs in international cricket.
The summer term ended with the now traditional six-a-side competitions, and the customary action-packed, high scoring fixtures again took place. A total of 1242 runs and 87 wickets in 2 days reflect the frenetic, carefree approach which characterises this event.
The Year 8 and 9 event was won by Scott Barr, James Buckley, Adrian McCrea, Jay Hunter, Ryan Todd, Philip Gregg and Craig Todd (sub), while the Year 10 and 11 trophy was presented to Simon Beattie, Christopher Stevenson, Trevor McClintock, Jonny McCrea, Matthew Cranston, Craig Hegarty and Chris Harvey (sub).
All associated with cricket in Ballyclare High are grateful to Mr Thompson, the teacher in charge, for overseeing all the arrangements and ensuring that a very pleasing number of fixtures are completed despite the inevitable congestion in a comparatively short summer term. We would also extend congratulations on his appointment for the second year in succession as Ulster Schools X1 coach.
Congratulations are also due to Robert Smith (Irish Schools Under 19, Ulster Schools Under 19, Ireland Under 17, NCU Under 17) and Jonny McCrea (NCU Under 15).
