Nenagh Cricket Club began their season in style last saturday with an impressive league win over Cork County at the picturesque Mardyke Cricket Ground in Cork City. After losing the toss, Nenagh were asked to bat and watchfully negotiated a tricky opening spell from the home bowlers, before opener Tom Paul cut loose with three successive boundaries. He fell trying a fourth, however, and departed with the score at 31-1. This quickly becamse 31-3 as Nenagh lost wickets in successive deliveries, and further incisive bowling and sharp fielding from the hosts cramped the Nenagh innings, which stuttered along to 75-5 at the drinks break.
After drinks, Nenagh gambled on trying to stack runs quickly rather than keeping their remaining wickets intact, and went after the host's bowlers with gusto. Captain Ginson Abraham and Kannan Sree shared a 78-run partnership that contained numerous lusty blows, before Sree was caught behind for a useful 36 to leave the score at 137-6. Tiju George, Nenagh's specialist innings finisher then joined his skipper at the crease and kept up the charge with a rapid 30 off just 24 deliveries. Ginson himself notched an important 32 before missing a slower ball, and some enthusiasm from the Nenagh tail saw them reach 194 all out with 3 balls remaining in the innings, the run-seeking gamble having paid off handsomely.
In reply, Nenagh made scoreboard pressure count by squeezing the Cork openers and forcing them to throw their wickets away in frustration. Opening bowlers Ginson Abraham and V Anulal constricted the Cork County top order, and soon the hosts were wobbling at 20-4, with two strikes from Ginson, as well as a run out from the skipper. Change-up bowlers Aji Anthony and Kannan Sree then kept up the pressure, breaking the back of the Cork innings and effectively ending the game as a contest, Anthony taking 2 wickets for just a solitary run off his first two overs, and Sree notable for his 19-4. Jojin Mathew then picked up the final wicket as Cork collapsed to 60 all out. The 134-run victory is Nenagh's largest run victory in Division Two, and a serious marker of intent at the beginning of an exciting season for the Minor Cup holders.
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