Millpark in with a chance of promotion

Not so long ago they were looking a little anxiously over their shoulders as teams around them picked up points.

Now though, with four crushing wins in September, the Tullylish men are in with just a sniff of promotion.

Before yesterdays match, Portadown, Academy and Saintfield had consecutively been put to the sword.

Stand out performances along the way included half centuries from Charlie McCrum and Steven Leckey against Academy, a game in which Davy Glover took 4-26 and Stu McCart 3-11.

McCrum then carried scored 78 out of a total of 127 in the 20 over game against Saintfield, the match won by a comprehensive 67 runs.

Saturday again saw Portadown the opponents. Millpark fielded a considerably changed team, some of whom were old favourites, some just old.

Nonetheless, Millpark were determined to keep their run of victories going, and from the start there was only one team in this encounter.

Having elected to bat first, Portadown were immediately on the back foot. Proceeding at a snail’s pace, the innings simply could not get going.

However, the batting side were certainly not given any leeway by Millpark openers Davy Glover and Jason Maxwell.

Glover conceded just eight runs in his 10 overs - there were just four scoring shots off his 60 deliveries. He took three wickets, skipper Maxwell taking 1-23.

David Maxwell and Stu McCart then each took a wicket as the Portadown innings picked up a little, due to the aggressive hitting of Danny O’Hara.

It took the return of Ian ‘The Machine’ McCart to clean things up. The metronomic McCart’s six deliveries constituted a double wicket maiden. First he had the dangerous O’Hara caught in the deep, a steepling catch taken by Johnny Breen, before he wrapped the innings up with his sixth ball.

The Portadown total was a poor 68, and Millpark were confident they would run out easy winners.

The result was never in doubt, the margin of victory the only thing to be decided. New opening pair of John Simpson and Paul McCart almost took the team over the line before Simpson was well caught at cover for an encouraging 22. Another wicket quickly fell before Davy Glover came in and clubbed the winning runs. McCart finished with 17 not out.

A comprehensive eight wicket victory for the team as they look to finish what has been a good year. The last two weeks of the season will see if it can be turned into truly exceptional one.