Harlequins Cricket Match Report

Saturday 18 June 2005

Munster Division 1 

UCC 1   161 all out
Harlequins 1   162 for 6

Scoring Notes: S. Gee 4-31, R. Gash 4-14, R. Gash 50, Q. Claassen 42

A Win!!!



Yes you heard right, Harlequins completed their first win of the season with a well earned victory over UCC. After winning the toss Quins captain Eamonn Hearne had no hesitation in putting UCC into bat, a decision that he soon thought may have been wrong as UCC opener (a ringer flown in from Clonmel) Paul Croke attacked the Quins opening bowlers, dispatching them to all areas of the ground. 20 overs into the match and Quins looked in despair, UCC were racing away and a 300 target looked a certainty rather than a possibility.



Some good captaincy bought Seamus Gee into the attack at one end and some arm twisting saw Richard Gash throw down his wicket keeping pads and turn his arm over at the other end.



Gash undid Croke with one of his slow, lob full-toss specials; I think Croke was heard saying hed never faced such a slow ball in his life - Gash didn't care and pointed Croke in the direction of the dressing room, and Croke reluctantly followed.



At the other end, Seamus Gee was in inspired form, knocking over wicket after wicket. Between them Gash and Gee picked up the remaining 8 wickets that had seemed so elusive to the Quins openers.



UCC ended up with 161, just 139 odd runs short of what could have been.



Quins opened with Cormac Wilcox and Gash. Quins survived a few early caught behind and run out appeals, but Wilcox was clean bowled for 15 when he tried to dispatch one of the UCC bowlers onto the Ballincollig bypass.



A quick fire 20 from Rory Heaslip and a quick fire 42 by Claassen at one end, helped Quins to a victory, while a slow but steady 50 from Gash as he held up the other end.



Obviously UCC arent accustomed to losing and despite allegations flying left right and centre, Quins had a well deserved victory moving them off the bottom of the league table.

Team: C. Wilcox, R. Gash, R. Heaslip, R. Benson, D. O Leary, Q. Claassen, B. Perrot, S. Gee, L. Hale, C. Benson, E. Hearne.