Welcome to Ballymena RFC @ Eaton Park – Est 1887

North Down 3rd XI v 3rd XI – 1/7/17

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The Green, 1st July 2017
Ballymena 3rd XI finished on the wrong side of a high scoring match in Comber on Saturday.
Invited to bowl first, the team started positively with some strong accurate opening bowling, but the key to the match lay in the Ballymena side’s inability to remove either of the opening batsmen.  Despite bowling some threatening balls, and inducing some false strokes, the North Down opening pair, father and son A Macrory and A Macrory jnr, showed considerable resolve to weather the storm and start to amass runs.  They pair saw offf the openers Jonny Browne and Matthew Bell and then continued to plunder runs against all who followed.  When Macrory senior fell in the 25th over for 89, the score had reached 184.  The return of the opening bowlers brought two further wickets, including Macrory jnr for an impressive 83, but the runs continued to pile on with the home side finishing their 30 overs on 230 runs.
In reply, the Ballymena innings had shaky start with skipper Crease out third ball, quickly followed by Romeo Tanna making the score 8-2. The following batsmen, however, showed some resolve and with Martin looking as fluent as ever the Ballymena side’s score took on an air of respectability but all hopes ended with the fall of Martin for 54, although Calum Crease looked comfortable in his innings of 20 and Jack Archer showed some glimpses of his huge potential batting at the top of the order.  At the close of the innings Harry Cook showed the younger generation how it’s done with with a six and two fours on his way to a score of 19 not out.
In the end, the Ballymena side finished their 30 overs on 178-9, a score which would win most games most weeks, but on this occasion was well short of the required target.  It must be hoped that the side can get back to winning ways next weekend against bottom of the table Carrickfergus.