NCU CRICKET: Waringstown brush aside Armagh in Premier League

Visiting captain Greg Thompson won the toss and elected to bowl, and James Mitchell struck with the very first ball of the innings as he clean bowled Neil Gelston.

Phil Eaglestone also picked up a wicket in his first over, bowling Armagh’s other openerJamie Rogers for 0, and when Mitchell had captain Matthew Steenson smartly caught in the slips by Kyle McCallan, Armagh were 2-3 and facing an uphill task to post a respectable score.

Eaglestone picked up his second and third wicket in quick succession having South African professional Shadley van Schalkwyk caught in the slips for two and trapping Sammy Wilson LBW for no score.

Alan Whitcroft joined Colin Russell at the crease with the score sitting on 3/6, and the pair put on a partnership worth 34 before Whitcroft was bowled by spinner Gary Kidd.

Kidd ended the innings with figures of 4/14 from eight overs, and McCallan finished Armagh’s stand on 69 as he had Colin Russell caught and bowled for a defiant 31.

It was never likely to be enough to give the reigning champions any trouble, and that proved to be the case as Adam Dennison and James Hall went about chasing the score in double- quick time.

Hall finished on 34*, including two sixes, while Dennison was 33* as they guided Waringstown to joint top of the league table.

It meant Armagh’s first home game in the NCU’s top flight for 60 years ended in defeat, and it doesn’t get any easier for them as a trip to CIYMS in the Challenge Cup first round awaits on Saturday.

Sunday’s win for Waringstown followed Saturday’s thrilling 28-run success over Instonians at Shaws Bridge, where Dennison recorded his second senior century for the club. The 21-year-old struck 17 fours and one six in a brilliant knock, sharing a 134-run stand with professional Shaheen Khan for the fourth wicket.

Khan contributed 58 from 59 balls with nine boundaries to the total of 307-8, with Nikolai Smith the star bowler for Instonians, collecting three wickets.

The home side were without James Shannon, Nathan Smith and Robert McKinley, but they put together a highly impressive run chase before finally being dismissed for 279.

Captain Andrew White made 71 from just 69 balls as Inst kept up with the asking rate for much of the innings but the game turned on Shane Getkate’s dismissal by Greg Thompson as the Dubliner was brilliantly caught and bowled for 55 from only 51 balls. He had struck three fours and three sixes.

Waringstown, with Khan unable to bowl because of a broken toe, picked up all 10 wickets with spin, as Thompson claimed 4-46 off 6.2 overs and McCallan ended his 10-over spell with 3-40.

Gary Kidd had Oliver Metcalfe (35) stumped by Marcus McClean in the 20th over, and the duo struck again 12 overs later as White edged behind.