Match Report: Munster Premier Shield – Week 2
Cork County CC 1st XI vs Nenagh CC 1st XI
The Mardyke, Cork – Sunday, 27 April
In the second round of the Munster Premier Shield, Cork County CC 1st XI secured a dominant 8-wicket victory over Nenagh CC 1st XI at the iconic Mardyke ground, chasing down a modest target of 121 with ease in a controlled and clinical performance.
Nenagh CC 1st XI – 120 All Out (38.1 Overs)
Winning the toss and opting to bat, Nenagh CC endured a torrid start. Z Khan ran riot with the new ball, claiming three wickets in a devastating early burst. He removed Naveen George (8), Tony Kurian (0), and Vimal Mathai (7), reducing Nenagh to 23/4 and setting the tone for the innings.
From there, it was a procession. Siddharth Joshi bowled with excellent discipline, taking 3 wickets including the key scalp of S Jacob (36), who was the only batter to show resistance. His knock of 36 from 48 balls kept Nenagh’s hopes alive temporarily, but regular wickets at the other end stunted any real momentum.
Bakhtyar Nabi (2 wickets) and Prashant Singh (2 wickets) also contributed effectively, cleaning up the lower order. Nenagh’s innings came to a close at 120, with Aneesh Manoharan (19) the only other batter to reach double figures.
Cork County CC 1st XI – 124/2 (21.1 Overs)
In reply, Cork County showed their batting depth and poise. Openers Ritesh Sah and Donald Marakassery provided a solid start with a partnership of 87 runs. Sah played a composed knock of 33 off 46 balls before being bowled by Sreenivas Pockathara Maniappan.
But the real star of the innings—and the match—was Donald Marakassery, who anchored the chase with a classy 69 from just 57 deliveries. He struck several crisp boundaries, finding gaps with ease and hitting a six to underline his dominance.
Even after the dismissal of Sah and Marakassery, Robert Duggan ensured there were no further hiccups. Cork County got home in just over 21 overs, finishing at 124/2.
Hero of the Match: Donald Marakassery
For his fluent, match-winning 69 off 57 balls and control at the top of the order, Donald Marakassery is named Hero of the Match. His innings not only anchored the chase but also displayed composure and flair in equal measure.
Summary
- Nenagh CC 1st XI: 120 all out in 38.1 overs
(S Jacob 36, A Manoharan 19, Cinulal Varickatharappel 19, Z Khan 4-16, S Joshi 2-19) - Cork County CC 1st XI: 124/2 in 21.1 overs
(D Marakassery 69, Ritesh Sah 33; D Gaddam 1-5, S Pockathara Maniappan 1-29) - Result: Cork County CC 1st XI won by 8 wickets
———-
Munster Premier Shield – Week 2
Sunday, 27 April | Lydican (MC), Galway
County Galway CC 1st XI beat Limerick CC 1st XI by 1 wicket
County Galway clinch thrilling one-wicket win in Lydican nail-biter
In a dramatic low-scoring encounter in the Munster Premier Shield, County Galway CC 1st XI edged past Limerick CC 1st XI by a single wicket in the final over of a pulsating match at Lydican on Sunday. The game swung wildly throughout both innings, but it was Galway’s depth and late-order composure that sealed a memorable victory.
First Innings: Limerick CC 1st XI – 150 all out (39 overs)
Batting first, Limerick struggled to build momentum after a promising opening. Sourabh Teke (30 off 29) and Yogesh Borghare (18) provided a brisk start, racing to 44 without loss. But once Borghare was trapped LBW by S Singh, a flurry of wickets saw the middle order collapse.
Limerick slipped from 44/1 to 83/6, with L Sumit and J Juneja among the key wicket-takers. Late cameos from A Shan (29) and Prasad Hegde (25 off 14), who struck a six and 3 boundaries in his brief innings, helped push the total to a modest but potentially defendable 150.
The pick of Galway’s bowlers was K Mehmood (3-29), who ripped through the lower order with figures including the vital wickets of Sumukh Venkatesh and Hegde, while S Singh and J Juneja were also economical and incisive, snaring 2 wickets apiece.
Second Innings: County Galway CC 1st XI – 155/9 (39.1 overs)
In reply, Galway endured a topsy-turvy innings of their own. They lost early wickets but found anchors in Nasim (69) and N Bharadwaj. Despite Bharadwaj’s patient 16 (54 balls), Limerick’s spin and disciplined bowling kept chipping away.
Arslan Anwar led Limerick’s bowling charge with a clinical spell, picking up 4 wickets including a double strike in one over that reduced Galway to 106/7. When L Sumit fell for a valuable 20, it looked like Limerick might pull off a comeback.
But with scores level at 150/9, tension reached fever pitch. Nasim, who had battled through the innings, was still at the crease. In a bizarre finish, a wide delivery from A Shani on the first ball of the final over rolled away for four, sealing the win in anticlimactic fashion but sparking wild celebrations for the home side.
Hero of the Match: Nasim (County Galway CC)
Nasim’s gritty 69 was the cornerstone of Galway’s chase. Opening the batting, he weathered the storm, rotated the strike sensibly, and kept his nerve amid a collapse around him. Including 5 boundaries and a maximum, it was an innings of immense value and resilience — a performance that rightly earns him Hero of the Match honours.
Summary
- Limerick CC 1st XI: 150 all out (P Hegde 25, S Teke 30, Shani 29, K Mehmood 3-29, Sumit 2-27, Singh 2-44, Juneja 2-31)
- County Galway CC 1st XI: 155/9 (Nasim 69, L Sumit 20; Arslan Anwar 3-24, Anvesh Bogavelly 2-22)
- Result: County Galway CC won by 1 wicket
—————————————————————————————————
Munster Cricket Union – Division 2B – Week 2 Match Report
Clare 2nd XI vs Waterford & District 1st XI
Venue: Ballycasey Clare Oval, Shannon
Date: 27 April 2025
Result: Clare 2nd XI won by 21 runs
Clare 2nd XI Edge Out Waterford in a Low-Scoring Thriller
In a gripping encounter at the Ballycasey Clare Oval, Clare 2nd XI claimed a crucial 21-run victory over Waterford & District 1st XI in the Munster Cricket Union Division 2B One Day competition.
Clare 2nd XI Innings: 127 All Out (40 Overs)
After being sent in to bat, Clare’s innings unfolded in dramatic fashion. The top order struggled against disciplined bowling, slipping to 30/3 inside the first 11 overs. Benjamin Martin was especially threatening early, removing both openers Jatinder Singh and Y Mahmood cheaply. Daniyal Shams tried to break free with back-to-back sixes, but his quickfire 13 was ended by AJ Tavro.
The standout with the bat for Clare was Shafiq Bajwa, who struck a resilient 40 off 40 balls, combining grit and aggression as wickets tumbled around him. Clare managed to limp to 127 before being dismissed in the final over.
Waterford’s bowlers had a field day. Benjamin Martin snared 4-47, and AJ Tavro picked up 3-15 to run through the Clare lineup.
Waterford & District 1st XI Innings: 106 All Out (35.5 Overs)
Chasing a below par score of 128, Waterford started cautiously, moving to a steady 2-60, thanks largely to Sourav Ganguly’s composed 26 (44). However, once Ganguly fell to A Mukthar, the innings unraveled spectacularly. M Singh (4-22) triggered a collapse, reducing Waterford from 2-60 to 7-81 in no time. Three runouts only added to the Waterford implosion.
Benjamin Martin showed defiance with a gritty 19 from 87 balls, but lacked support as run-outs and poor shot selection plagued the Waterford lower order. A sharp piece of fielding by Johnson Navroop sealed the match when Martin was run out in the 36th over.
Clare’s bowling was disciplined and relentless. M Singh’s deadly spell in the middle overs dismantled the chase, while Mukthar provided crucial breakthroughs. G Singh and Mohammedi also played their part in tightening the noose.
Summary:
A low-scoring contest saw both sides falter with the bat, but Clare’s sharper bowling and fielding proved the difference. With two wins from two, Clare 2nd XI are shaping up as early contenders in Division 2B.
Key Performers:
- Clare 2nd XI: Shafiq Bajwa 40 (40), M Singh 4/21, A Mukthar 3/22
- Waterford & District 1st XI: Benjamin Martin 19 (87), Satish Muddar 2/18, AJ Tavro 3/23
Match Summary:
Cork County CC 3rd XI clinched a hard-fought four-wicket win over Limerick Blasters CC 2nd XI in Week 2 of the Munster Cricket Union’s One Day 40-Over competition. Chasing a target of 204, Cork County’s middle and lower-order resilience proved decisive, sealing the chase with just over two overs to spare.
First Innings: Limerick Blasters CC 2nd XI – 203 All Out (39.6 Overs)
Limerick Blasters put up a competitive total of 203, but would’ve felt short-changed after being 7-182 in the 36th over. Opener Binil Joy anchored the early innings with a patient 29 off 56 balls, but the innings truly gained momentum through David Philip’s explosive 57 off 39 deliveries, including five boundaries and two maximums.
Support came from Melvin Mathew (26 off 33), as the pair added valuable runs in the middle overs. However, the Blasters suffered a collapse towards the end, losing their last four wickets for just 20 runs.
Cork County’s bowling highlights:
- Muhammad Talha Mannan (3-35) was instrumental in breaking partnerships and keeping the run-rate in check.
- Anindya Bhattacharjee chipped in with 2 key wickets including the set David Philip. Young spinner Mark Donnelly also snared 2 wickets, as did J Kalathera.
Second Innings: Cork County CC 3rd XI – 204/6 (37.7 Overs)
Cork County’s reply was steady, though not without hiccups. The standout performer was Girish Khot, with an unbeaten 75 off 78 balls, supported by Srihari Ravichandran whose composed 43 from 50 balls laid a solid foundation. A flurry of wickets in the middle overs saw them reduced to 5-167, with Arun Mohan and AT Kurackalattuchira among the wicket-takers for Limerick.
A couple of runouts kept Limerick Blasters in the hunt, but young Hamza Asif had other ideas.
Other contributions:
- Hamza Asif added a crucial 27 (43), holding the innings together after early stumbles.
- Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, County’s depth in batting allowed them to absorb the pressure and reach the target with 14 balls to spare.
For more match results, go to https://munstercricket.ie/match-centre/
