Two wins but title favourites are too strong
RECENT recruit, Robert Wasson, had a brilliant debut for Templepatrick at the weekend when his five wickets haul laid the foundation for victory.
Coming on as first change against Donacloney he ripped through the middle order and the home team was dismissed for a disappointing 111 in dodgy batting conditions on Saturday afternoon.
With no covers available the wicket had been exposed to some rain earlier in the week, so conditions favoured the bowlers and consequently, when Artie Campbell won the toss, he had no hesitation in putting the home side in.
This ploy paid off handsomely with the pace of Wasson being rewarded with the impressive figures of five for 30, ably supported by John Busby whose leg spinners produced four for 11 off his ten overs, while Keith Wilson chipped in with one.
John Busby also took one marvellous catch when he held on to a full blooded drive off his own bowling.
Templepatrick knocked off the 112 required for victory for the loss of five wickets with the bulk of the runs coming from Artie Campbell, 59 not out, and Mark Thompson batting at number three contributing 19.
However the best partnership of the afternoon was for the last wicket to fall when Campbell and Wilson added forty runs.
In midweek, the scheduled two-nighter against Portadown was all over on the first evening when Templepatrick cruised to an eight wickets win.
The County Armagh lads were dismissed for only 79 at The Cloughan, where John Busby was tops in the bowling department with three wickets. Keith Wilson and Robert Smith each had a brace, while teenagers Jordan Carlisle and Daniel McFadden had one apiece.
Once again skipper Artie Campbell was in fine batting form with an unbeaten 32, and his partnership with Robert Smith, 29 not out, steered the locals to a match-winning 80 for two.
Following these two wins Templepatrick slumped to their second league defeat of the season in Armagh on Sunday afternoon.
Without skipper Artie Campbell, James Jackson, Keith Wilson, Chris Busby and Colin Morrow, the East Antrim lads were up against it before a bowl was bowled, and the home side piled up the runs against the weakened attack to post a massive 325 for four.
John Busby again emerged as the most successful bowler with two wickets, while Josh Dailly got one, and the other one was a fortunate run-out, when an attempted straight drive ricocheted off bowler Busby's foot, to leave the non striker stranded.
Templepatrick mounted a spirited reply with Andy McCrea (25) and Richard Greer (47) putting on eighty-two for the first wicket. Neil Reynolds top scored with 48, while Robert Smith (36) and Josh Dailly (26) also made significant contributions, but the innings closed on 215, leaving Armagh winners by a convincing 110 runs.
Commenting, wicket-keeper batsman, Richard Greer, said, "The wicket was a batsman's paradise and Armagh made the most of the conditions after asking us to bowl. We had already beaten them at The Cloughan a couple of weeks ago but we would have needed to have been at full strength to have a realistic chance of completing the double over one of the title favourites.
"However we have made a reasonably good start to the season, having won four of the six league fixtures to date, and after having been in contention for promotion last season we should be up there again this year."
On Saturday Templepatrick will entertain Drumaness at The Cloughan.
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Weather for Newtownabbey
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Heavy rain
Temperature: 3 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 6 C
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