Difficult start continues for Lisburn CC

Having lost their opening encounter against Instonians, Lisburn were hoping to get back on track at Eaton Park but again their batting let them down badly mustering just 75 in their innings.

Ballymena won the toss and asked the visitors to bat first on a slow, damp wicket and were soon in all kinds of trouble. Richard Simpson was first to go, bowled by Lazars for 3 in the 4th over and he was followed three overs later by Lisburn’s big hope for runs, Craig Ervine, recently reinstated as a Lisburn player after a dispute; Craig was caught and bowled by Lazars for a ‘duck’ and Lisburn had reached just 13 for the loss of two wickets.

Robert Rankin and Darryl Brown got their heads down for 8 overs adding 12 for the 3rd wicket but runs were hard to come by and when Rankin was out in the 13th over he had managed a hard fought 16.

Darryl Brown and skipper David Simpson also grafted for their runs, batting for another 9 overs in a stand of 31 and just when they looked like getting on top of the Ballymena attack, Simpson was caught for 11 and Lisburn were struggling at 56 for 4 in the 23rd over.

The innings never recovered as, first Nathan Waller was bowled for another ‘duck’ and the vital wicket of Darryl Brown for a fighting 22 scored in 25 overs leaving Lisburn at 59 for 6.

The later order could not provide any help in the disastrous situation adding just 16 for the last four wickets and Lisburn dismissed for the paltry score of 75 in only 35 overs.

Lisburn, having posted such a low score required a ‘miracle’ if they were to take anything from the game but the Ballymena openers were prepared to grind out the winning runs adding a precious 40 for the first wicket.

Robert Kennedy was the first to fall; caught by Richard Simpson off the bowling of ex Ballymena player, Carl Williams. He had scored 14 in his 13 overs at the crease breaking the back of the lowly 76 needed to win.

Robert’s brother, David joined Colgan at the wicket and any thoughts of making inroads into the Ballymena batting was soon forgotten as he added a further 14 before Colgan was bowled by Darryl Brown for 15. At this point, the home side required just 22 more runs for victory and although Lisburn claimed a third wicket, David Kennedy, bowled by Richard Simpson for 18, it was too late and the remaining runs were knocked off without further incident and Lisburn had suffered a humiliating defeat by 7 wickets in the 25th over of the Ballymena innings.

Carl Williams had bowled his 5 overs for just 15 runs and one wicket while Darryl Brown’s 5 overs cost only 6 runs with the wicket of Colgan while Richard Simpson picked up the prize wicket of David Kennedy at a cost of 11 runs in his two overs.

Lisburn now face a couple of weeks before they take on Lurgan in their next league match and even at this early stage of the season this is a ‘must win’ match if they are to correct their perilous position.

Lisburn

R.Simpson b Lazars..........................3

R.Rankin ct Fullerton b Glass.........16

C.Irvine ct and b Lazars...................0

D.Brown lbw b Aphale....................22

D.Simpson ct Purse b Taylor...........11

N.Waller b Aphale..............................0

A.Berry b Aphale...............................3

P.Ferguson lbw b Aphale...................7

R.McConkey b Aphale.......................0

G.Elliott ct Aphale b Lazars..............6

C.Williams not out............................0

Extras.................................................7

Total 75 35 overs.

Fall of wkts 1-6 2-13 3-25 4-56 5-58 6-59 7-62 8-62 9-73 10-75 M.Glass 10-1-28-1 S.Lazars 10-2-26-3 S.McDowell 5-2-7-0 F.Taylor 3-0-4-1 K.Aphale 7-5-6-5

Ballymena

R.Kennedy ct R.Simpson b Williams 14

S.Colgan b Brown..........................15

D.Kennedy b R.Simpson...............18

K.Aphale not out...............................6

S.Lazars not out................................6

Extras...............................................17

Total 59 for 3 in 25.1 overs.

Fall of wkts 1-40 2-54 3-68

Lisburn bowling D.Simpson 2-0-6-0 D.Brown 5-2-6-1 N.Waller 5-3-4-0 C.Irvine 4-0-23-0-C.Williams 5-0-15-1 P.Ferguson 2.1-0-8-0 R.Simpson 2-0-11-1

Result Ballymena won by 7 wickets.