Eight-wicket win eases relegation fears

The County Down side, still without a victory this season, won the toss and decided to bat first and they struggled to 30 for two after 15 overs. The remainder of the innings belonged to former Irish international batsman Mark Hutchinson who scored a superb century for his side to allow them to post what appeared to be a competitive total.

Sharing in useful partnerships with Adair, Law and McCusker, Hutchinson saw the 200 up for Bangor in the 47th over, before being superbly caught in the deep by Mikey Taiaroa off Ryan Eagleson for 116 which was scored off only 121 balls and contained 18 boundaries.

At the end of their 50 overs the Bangor total had advanced to 228 for seven, a good effort from a side that has been short of runs this season. Ryan Eagleson, who took three for 30 from 10 overs, was the pick of the Carrick bowlers, with Jamie Holmes picking up two wickets, and Ross Gelderbloem and Alex Haggan taking one wicket each.

Gelderbloem decided to open the innings himself, and he and fellow opener Jordan McClurkin made their intentions clear from the outset, with a series of boundaries seeing the 50 up for their side in only the fourth over. However, the introduction of spinner Rushe saw first Gelderbloem caught behind for 26 including four fours and a six, then McClurkin bowled for a belligerent 46 which was scored off only 24 balls and contained seven fours and two sixes.

At 73 for two off only eight overs, there was now no pressure on the Carrick batsmen, and Mikey Taiaroa and Michael Gilmour were able to consolidate for a period, but soon they too began to find the boundary with increasing regularity. Both completed fine 50s at better than a run a ball, and so dominant were they that they saw the 200 up for Carrick before the 25-over drinks interval.

They saw the side home to an emphatic victory in only the 29th over, having shared in an unbroken 159 partnership for the third wicket to register their second 150+ partnership in three matches. Taiaroa, who passed the 800-run mark for the season, finished unbeaten on 80, scored off 72 balls and containing eight fours and four sixes.

Gilmour, who has now scored over 200 runs in his last three innings, scored an unbeaten 79 off only 56 balls which contained 13 boundaries.

The win eases Carrick’s relegation worries and gives them everything to play for in their final five matches of the season, but they may yet regret not having been able to play winless Bangor twice this season like everyone else, their first encounter having been a no result after three postponements due to rain. The club thanked Walter Bell of Oil-Fired Heating Services for kindly sponsoring the match ball for this game.

Bangor 228/7 (50 overs; M Hutchinson 116, A McCusker 38*, R Eagleson 3-30, J Holmes 2-52)

Carrickfergus 232/2 (28.2 overs; M Taiaroa 80*, M Gilmour 79*, J McClurkin 46, R Gelderbloem 26, Z Rushe 2-51)

Carrick won by eight wickets