CRICKET REVIEW: Second defeat on the spin for Templepatrick

He top-scored with 35 at The Cloughan, but received little support as the hosts were bowled out for only 90 in 24.3 overs, chasing a winning target of 218 set by Cooke Collegians.

It started promisingly for Ross Bryans’ side with Cooke losing their first three wickets for 29 runs, but mainly due to Robinson (36) and Kava (38) they recovered to 135 for 7.

Then came the final assault, with the last three wickets adding an impressive 82 runs, before the last man was smartly run out by Jonny Ramsay off the final ball of their allotted fifty overs.

Skipper Bryans (3 for 27 off ten overs) and Michael Stewart (3 for 71 off ten) shared the bowling honours, with support from Ramsay (2 for 40 off 9) and Charlie Monro (1 for 29 off 7).

Openers Adam Clarke (14) and Jay Hunter (21) put 45 on the board for the first wicket, but the departure of Clarke heralded the start of a collapse from 45 for 1 to 57 for 6, as Richard Greer (0), Bryans (0), Patrick Lutton (2) and Phil Kernaghan (0) all departed quickly, while Campbell remained solid at the opposite end.

He was eventually ninth man out having hit 35 off 47 balls, leaving Ramsay not out on 4.

Shekar was Cooke’s star bowler with figures of 7 for 24, while Dale had 2 for 9 and Krishna 1 for 32.

Result: Cooke Collegians won by 127 runs.

Jay Hunter, who was top scorer with the club two seasons ago, made a welcome return following a year with Muckamore, and should be an asset to the club.

Club officials had been hoping to make a determined effort to bounce straight back to Section 1 after signing Indian all-rounder Mansing Nigade, but he will not be coming, having his application for a visa turned down.

The player had been looking forward to coming to Templepatrick, and after having scored 900 runs in a season with Donaghcloney, had expressed the hope that he would pass the 1000 mark at The Cloughan.

“His absence is a big loss, but we will have to soldier on without him,” said skipper, Bryans.