CIYMS see off North County as John Matchett and Obus Pienaar set the scoring standard

Having won the toss and elected to bat, North County got off to a flying start and were 55-1 after 10 overs having comfortably dealt with the pace of Allen Coulter and Mark Adair.

The Leinster side made serene progress to 111-1 before Nigel Jones struck to remove overseas professional Yassar Cook for 43 and that was the moment that the wheels began to fall off for County, who lost nine wickets for 100 runs to crumble to 211 all out.

Matchett got the chase off to a flying start on what was a brilliant batting track and even when he lost opening partner Chris Dougherty and captain Jones in quick succession, he continued on in attacking fashion and brought his 50 up in the 15th over.

Pienaar would also reach his half-century and that was the moment he upped the run-rate by slapping two huge sixes to round out the 29th over and leave CIYMS requiring just 35 to win.

The 22-year-old Matchett was more than deserving of a century but fell five runs short when he was caught behind off the bowling of Singh and it was left to Pienaar (81*) to see CIYMS home.

At one stage it looked like the home team would be chasing a target in the range of 280, and captain Jones gave praise to his side for showing the character to fight back.

“It is pleasing after that first 10 overs or so where we coughed up a few bad balls, which the boys knew themselves,” he said. “With the way the track was playing and the shorter boundary we were thinking 280 or more potentially.

“We started the pull the run-rate back and credit to the spinners who did a great job to finish things off.

“North County fell away in the end and we were able to chase 212 down with 16 overs to spare.”

Matchett looked in control and was playing some glorious strokes during his 92-ball innings which contained 14 fours and one six, and Jones believes there is no one better to watch in full flow in their star-studded squad.

“John has played some fantastic innings for us over the past couple of years,” he added. “He has one hundred next to his name and I know he is pretty gutted that he missed out there because it was deserving of a hundred.

“There is no-one better to watch in our team - no matter what names we have.

“If John gets going, it is good to watch and it was a great knock from the young man.”

Important games will come thick and fast now for CIYMS will a trip to Lisburn in the Challenge Cup this weekend before the second round of the Irish Cup on June 16.

“We know that when you get into June and July that it’s the business part of the season,” said Jones. “The early part of the season is about getting underway with the league, getting through the first round like we have and now the big games are coming.

“It’s good to see everyone is in form. All the batters have done something and the bowlers are starting to come together.”