Date: Thursday 29 May 2008.

Venue: Osborne Park

Quarter final of the Duke of Abercorn Cup

Ballyclare 2nd XI v RBAI 2nd XI

Ballyclare High School 2nd XI travelled up to Osborne Park, Belfast to take on Cup favourites RBAI 2nd XI in the quarter final of the Duke of Abercorn Cup on Thursday 29 May 2008.

The match was played on a well prepared grass wicket, which will host this year’s U19 Ulster Schools Inter Provincials on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 June. Winning the toss C. Martin, Ballyclare’s captain elected to bat with openers A. Coleman and A. Pyper. The RBAI’s bowling was extremely accurately and Ballyclare’s openers found the going tough not having played on a grass wicket since April when Ballyclare 2 nd’s defended RBAI 3 rd’s.

Unfortunately A. Coleman (5) looking solid ran himself out going for a second run having turned blind. Two balls later A. Pyper was superbly caught by RBAI’s first slip leaving Ballyclare 6 for 2 off 6 overs. W. Stevenson was joined by D. Clarke and the left handed Stevenson, despatched two fours before being caught for 8. J. Moore swiped unnecessary at a ball on the stumps and was cleaned bowled. While both N. Gray and C. Martin both returned to the pavilion without scoring. Ballyclare were now reduced to 21 for 6. Both Luc Bailie (14) and C. Stevenson (7) offered some resistance in the lower order and took the score to 50 runs. T McClintock was dismissed like most other batsmen hitting the ball in the air. A key feature of the RBAI fielding was they held all their catches and put pressure on the Ballyclare batsmen. Luc Totten finished 4 not out to close Ballyclare’s total on 55 all out.

RBAI did not hang around and notched up the runs with the loss of Marks and Elliott, the latter having turned out regularly for their 1 st XI. N. Gray and L Bailie opened the bowling for Ballyclare and A Pyper, C Martin, L Totten and C. Stevenson all bowled a few overs for RBAI to win by 8 wickets in the 10th over.

Team: C Martin (Captain), A Coleman, A Pyper, W Stevenson, D Clarke, J Moore, N Gray, L Bailie, C Stevenson, T McClintock and L Totten.