CIYMS v Dundrum 7 June

Two words sum up how Dundrum’s run in the TCH Down Democrat Challenge Cup came to an end; Johnny Hewitt.

In the run up to the match he was the one name that was constantly highlighted as being the main danger, remove Hewitt early and we have a chance was the mantra.  CIYMS’ Derek Heasley and Paul McCrum may have played for Ireland but undoubtedly it was Hewitt they feared and unfortunately he proved to be Dundrum’s downfall.

It was unfortunate with two matches at the weekend that Dundrum did not have their full strength team on the pitch though it is perhaps understandable that Sunday’s fixture against Armagh in the league was seen as a higher priority.

Rodney Hassard won the toss and surprisingly elected to field, maybe in the back of his mind the thoughts still lurked that the batting, bar last week’s magnificent performance at Laurelvale, was the weakest link.

Lee Connor began aggressively and sure enough he had Heasley caught behind without scoring.  The biggest shock was that his opening new ball partner was none other than Jeff Maguire.  Maguire only lasted three overs, he may well have bowled 12 dot balls but it was the 20 runs that came from the other six that were the problem.

Hewitt quickly warmed to his task and reached his fifty in the 13th over out of a score of 58, off 53 balls.  The first wicket fell at 15 and there were a further 138 runs added before Dundrum had the next success.

Michael Hingston played an anchor role as Hewitt plundered the bowling.  After 25 overs the halfway stage CI were 132 for 1 with Hewitt 99 not out, three balls later he raised his bat to acknowledge a remarkable ton.

His second 50 was even quicker than the first coming off just 36 balls and there was a definite feel that a double ton was on the cards.

Richard Shilliday was introduced to the attack and it was he who along with the admirable Joel Maguire put the brakes on the runaway CI train.  First he broke the partnership between Hewitt and Hingston when he had Hingston caught by Hassard for 40 and then he ended Hewitt’s innings with the score on 178.

It was the only false stroke Hewitt, right, played all day as he tiredly chopped on to his stumps when he had made 111.  In all he faced 108 balls and crossed the boundary ropes on 17 occasions.

178 for 3 became 178 for 4 as Shilliday clean bowled Paul McCrum and suddenly Dundrum were back in with a chance.  In fairness they never gave up and it says a lot for their fighting spirit that CI only added 50 in the last 10 overs.  A score of over 300 had looked on the cards but they kept it down to 231 for 8.

Shilliday picked up three wickets and there were two each for Lee Connor and Rodney Hassard.  It was the slow bowling of Joel Maguire and Gavin McNerlin that caught the eye even though they went unrewarded in terms of wickets, with Maguire’s 10 overs only yielding 27 runs.

Dundrum needed to start well and McNerlin and Hassard did not appear to be in great difficulty against Heasley and ex Saintfield player Boultwood.  It was the introduction of Paul McCrum that had a dramatic impact.  Hassard played a defensive stroke to his first ball and lost his off stump with the score on 27.

McNerlin took the attack to the bowling and at 49 for 1 in the 11th over there were murmurs from the CI supporters that there was still a game on.  John Tormey then took a swing at McCrum and Hingston held the catch.

Joel Maguire when still not off the mark then had a similar dart at Simon Flanagan and CI captain Stephen Hughes took the catch and from then it became a procession.

After doing all the hard work Gavin McNerlin became McCrum’s third victim when Adams caught him for 44.  He will be disappointed with the ending having struck five boundaries.

At 62 for 6, Stephen Rayes joined Lee Connor and the pair showed some defiance in adding 17, but when Hughes brought himself on to bowl and clean bowled Connor first ball the end was nigh.

The last three wickets all fell to smart stumpings by Alan McIlwaine as Hughes and Tony Adams took two wickets each.  It was all over in 31 overs as Jeff Maguire fell to Adams with the score on 96 leaving you with the feeling that the old demons of not being able to bat 50 overs were back again.

For CI McCrum and Flanagan had identical figures of 3 for 15 and the margin of victory was 135 runs.  There was little doubt about where the Down Democrat Man of the Match award was destined for, not a difficult call for NCU Chairman, Wylie McKinty; another piece of crystal for the Hewitt mantelpiece.

He received a rousing reception as he walked up to receive the award from Kieran Moloney, CEO, Down Democrat Media.  It was a superlative innings and on the day he was the true difference between the sides.

It would be churlish to dwell on the inadequacies of the Dundrum batting on the day, better to concentrate on the positives from this cup run.  Home victories over Holywood and Premier League Cliftonville allowed them to have their spell in the spotlight.  Now they must knuckle down to the real task for the season and that is to establish themselves in Section Two and this begins in earnest against Armagh.

Jeff Maguire was announcing his retirement even before the match ended, but I don’t intend to write the obituary on the career of a man who has put so much into Dundrum just yet.  I made that mistake when Paul McCrum “played his last ever match” for Laurelvale two years ago!