Monday night past saw all the action kick off in the ladies league for the 2015 season.
The Bready ladies travelled to Bonds Glen for their opening game and the visitors, who seem determined to stay in the top flight, achieved a comfortable 10-wicket victory.
Batting first, Bonds Glen got off too a poor start, losing their opening pair of Kylie McGarrigle (3) and Leanne Brandon (3) early on leaving them 7 for the loss of 2.
Doing most of the damage for Jemma Rankin’s team was Vanessa Buchanan (6-10),picking up the wickets of 6 of the 7 top batswomen.
Steadying things up, Cherith Thompson seemed to get the score moving before she was well bowled for 19. The hosts were all out for a total of 38 runs.
In reply, Bready opened with Kelly Moore (29) and Emma Dougherty (4) who achieved the runs comfortably without the loss of any wickets in 6.2 overs.
Speaking to CricketEurope, Bonds Glen Captain, Linzi Rodgers said ‘’I am disappointed with the result but its only our first game of the season. We have plenty more games to win throughout the season but I can't deny the Bready girls played fantastic cricket tonight.
"The stand out player for me was Vanessa Buchanan- taking 6 wickets in her 4 overs is something she can be very proud of.’’
At Strabane Park, the Strabane ladies got their first victory against Fox lodge. Winning the toss the hosts decided to bat first. Opening the batting were Julie Logue and Hazel Magee. Both ladies seemed to be in good form- putting on a partnership of 55 before Magee was out lbw for 20.
Logue however went on to achieve an impressive 63 not out that helped increase the score to a final total of 126 runs off 20 overs.
Chasing that, the Foxies got off to a rapid start with openers, Joan McIntyre and captain, Emma Sproule putting on a partnership of 52 runs before McIntyre was run out for 49. Next to the crease was Mollie Devine and both Sproule and Devine scored freely taking the score to 89 before Emma was well bowled for 27 runs.
Wickets started to fall more frequently after that but Hannah McLaughlin came in during the 16th over and added 11 not out, however it wasn't enough. Unfortunately for the visitors they ran out of overs, achieving a total of 119 runs in the end- defeated by the small margin of 7.
Newcomers, Eglinton travelled to Killyclooney in their first league game of the season and on a bitterly cold evening Killyclooney won the toss and put Eglinton into bat. Holly Rankin got off to an impressive start picking up opener, Megan McClintock for just 4 runs.
Bowling at the pavilion end, Bethany Black (3-19) bowled well in order to restrict Eglinton’s scoring. Annette Wilson steadied the score up after the fall of a couple of wickets with a comfortable 32 not out that helped the visitors post a score of 79 for 4 after 16 overs.
In response, openers Rankin(18) and Amber Nicholl(6) got off to a flying start putting on a confident partnership of 34 runs before Nicholl was run out in the 6th over.
Becoming unsettled losing 3 more wickets in the space of 5 overs with fantastic bowling from Annette Wilson (4-10), it then became Charlene Dougherty (12) and Lauren Bresland’s (4) job to help steady things up.
This pair managed to get the reply up to 67 before Bresland was bowled in the 12th over leaving Killyclooney all out for 73 runs- Eglinton winning the match by 7 runs.
Fixtures for this upcoming Monday (11th May):
- Bready V Strabane Saints
- Donemana V Bonds Glen
- Eglinton V Newbuildings
- Fox Lodge V Killyclooney