OLLOWING their eight-wicket defeat in the T20 Cup to Cliftonville Academy last Thursday night, it was anyone’s guess as to which North Down team would turn up when they faced a much-fancied Lisburn in the Premier League at The Green on Saturday.
But the Comber side were on top form this time around with new arrivals Mo Aahil (76 & 2 for 26) and Liam Hayman (90 & 3 for 36) the stars of the show in an excellent win.
Aahil, after the early run out of opening partner and star batter Ani Chore, composed himself admirably to make his first 50 for the club whilst young Kiwi Hayman was more unorthodox, always busy but very effective as he included a couple of maximums on his way to the nervous nineties, in a partnership worth 132.
Sensible batting provided an unbroken 35 for the sixth wicket, and the 255 was competitive if far from out of sight.
2022 Premier League champions Lisburn floundered in the chase in the face of regular wickets – none more important than the double breakthrough from overseas paceman Kerwin Mungroo – who removed his opposite number and key batter Faiz Fazal before a cracker of a delivery from skipper Peter Davison removed Nigel Jones, so often the thorn in North Down’s side in recent years.
From there, the home side smelt blood and closed out an impressive bowling performance to match that of the batting innings. Perhaps the most pleasing part was that new faces were the match winners, which included a superb caught and bowled from Hayman as one of his three victims to complete a memorable day.
North Down are back in T20 Cup action tomorrow evening (Friday) when they face Premier League pacesetters Woodvale in Group A.
Their second round Irish Cup opponents are now also known, after Balbriggan came out on top in a bowl out against Cork County. That tie is scheduled for Sunday, June 9 in Balbriggan.
