CRICKET REVIEW: Carrick exit Cup in narrow defeat at Strabane

Alex Haggan top-scored with 61 for Carrick in their defeat to Strabane.

Carrick skipper Iain Parkhill won the toss and with weather threatening later in the day, asked the home side to bat first.

After a fairly slow start they side upped the ante in the latter stages of their innings, finally making 214 for 6 in their 40 overs.

Barry Scott made 22 at the top of the order, before the momentum increased in a 70-run stand between Aaron Gillespie (43) and Ryan Gallagher (39).

That stabilised the Strabane innings but the real impetus came from Kevin Pretorius.

The young South African helped his side add no fewer than 47 runs in the final two overs of their innings, blasting a quick-fire 60 not out off 29 balls, with 30 of those coming in the final over!

Ryan Eagleson (2-34) fared best with the ball for Carrick.

Carrick’s reply was given a solid, if unspectacular, start by Jamie Holmes (29) and Iain Parkhill (23).

Gillespie and skipper Gallagher combined again to keep things in check, however, and were able to pick up wickets at key times as the Red Caps got their noses in front.

Alex Haggan proved an altogether different proposition and he breathed new life into the visitors’ response before finally succumbing to the Strabane captain for 61 including seven boundaries.

Eagleson (20), Michael Armstrong (19) and Richard Hood (18) battled hard to keep the contest alive but Gallagher (4-30) and Gillespie (3-46) had done enough to keep them at arm’s length, and they were still 19 runs short at the end of their 40 overs.

Strabane 214 for 6 (K. Pretorius 60 no, A Gillespie 43, R Gallagher 39, B Scott 22, R Eagleson 2-34)

Carrickfergus 195 for 8 (A Haggan 61, J Holmes 29, I Parkhill 23, R Eagleson 20, R Gallagher 4-30, A Gillespie 3-46)

Strabane won by 19 runs

Carrick’s rearranged Premier League match at Instonians was rained off for a second time on Sunday

There was no jackpot winner in Carrick’s club lotto this week. No-one predicted the numbers 4, 12, 19, 24. Four people pick up £10 for coming up with three numbers. The big prize stands at £2,968.