*Division 12:* Halverstown I vs Malahide 4
*Result:* Malahide 104 all out (Zia 4-12, Matt 2-19), Halverstown 105-4 (Leigh 24, Andy 16)
*Halverstown win by 6 wickets*
On a bright, sunny day with the ground still slightly damp from overnight rain, there was no hesitation in electing to bowl first in order to make use of the conditions. Halverstown were playing with a familiar side to the one that finished the 2024 season, but with the addition of Leigh, Zia and Atul who all made their debuts.
Despite having 7 months off with no cricket, both Neville and Vishnu were on the money once again as they so often are, conceding only 18 runs off the first 10 overs, with the sole wicket to fall taken by Neville. A fantastic start, but what followed was even better. With just his second ball, Matt notched up his first victim and then immediately followed it up by taking another wicket in his next over to leave Malahide teetering at 29-3. Two more wickets followed to leave Malahide 69-5 at drinks.
Halverstown have been in this position before where excellent starts have been relinquished as the innings progresses, however this was not such an occasion. Enter Zia, who in the space of 6 accurate, clinical overs, took 4-12 to leave Malahide’s innings in tatters as they succumbed to 104 all out. A fantastic bowling performance by everyone, but the job was only half done.
In response, openers Andy and Leigh wasted no time in putting on 51 in the first 6 overs, but two quick wickets left Halverstown at 52-2 and Malahide sensing that they were back in the game. However Sean and Chaitanya each played a dogged, gritty innings to reconsolidate. Whilst the run rate declined from the heady heights set by the opening pair, it was the right approach to take to ensure that we wore the opposition down and ground our way closer to the winning total. One further wicket fell and with only a handful needed, Vishnu and Sean saw it home (via 2 wides in a row – see note below) to grab a very well deserved victory that was never in doubt.
This was a fantastic game played in the right spirit by both teams and given this was only game 1, our batting, bowling and fielding looked sharp. Perhaps this is testament to the winter training? Nevertheless the early signs are very promising indeed for another successful Halverstown I season.
As a side note, and what isn’t mentioned in the report above, is that ‘Extras’ was actually the top scorer by a big margin. The recent ‘leg side wide’ regulation change is going to play a big impact in the results of games this year I feel. Malahide bowled 37(!) wides compared to 11 wides that we bowled and such a lack of control will be the difference between winning and losing this year.
Written by Andy Wordley