STRABANE Saints enjoyed a historic night on Friday at Fox Lodge when they won their first piece of silverware.
A seven-wicket win over Bready, the Cup holders, saw them collet the North-West Cricket Union’s Ladies Cup.
Less than two years ago, players from St.Johnston Ladies Cricket team joined forces with players from Strabane Rounders team and the Strabane Saints Cricket team was born.
Last year, their first season, they came third in the League and regrouped for 2015 aiming for silverware. They have just two games remaining in the League and are unbeaten, sitting atop the standings, while Friday’s Cup win saw them etch a new chapter in the history books.
Photo caption: Strabane Saints and their coach, Martin Deanes, celebrate Friday’s Cup win. Photo courtesy of Stephen McLaughlin.
After accurate bowling from opener and former international Julie Logue and powerful pace from Nicola Mullens, the current champs were finding it difficult to find holes in the Saints fielding as only singles and the seldom boundary were scored by Bready’s opening pair.
A breakthrough for the Saints came when Saints’ bowler Denise MacDonald caused Bready’s first wicket to tumble as the ball found its way into the safety of wicket-keeper Logue’s gloves for a textbook stumping of Wilkinson.
MacDonald stepped up and again bowled with precision forcing the opening batswoman, Flanagan, to lift the ball on the off-side at pace, where captain Hazel Magee took a challenging catch out in the covers to snatch the second wicket for Saints.
With the 20-over match nearing its completion, the batting pair to finish the innings included the Bready Captain. Continuous pressure from Saints bowling of Megan Moorehead and Tory Lapsley meant that Bready were held to 103 for the loss of 2wickets.
With their target clearly in sight, the newbie finalists opened their batting in earnest with Logue and Magee leading the charge.
With a run-rate of 7 per over from the opening pair, they got off to an ideal beginning. From this solid foundation, the game was firmly set in Saint’s corner as the overs ticked by.
After scoring 23 runs, Magee was bowled out by Wilkinson.
Angela Porter made 20runs, with Sarah McShane and Tory Lapsley adding to the Saints total to complete and win their first piece of silverware in their short history.
Saints finished the game with 6overs to spare.
Player of the Match was rightly awarded to Saints’ Julie Logue for her 45-not-out, not to forget her excellent bowling figures and her stumping.
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