The first semi-final of the Cork T20 Cup took place at the Mardyke on Monday evening where Cork County A took on UCC. UCC won the toss and asked County A to set a target. Peter Barlow and Barry O’Sullivan opened the batting for Cork County and some excellent running as well as the odd boundary helped County to 26 for no loss after 5 overs.
Barlow was first to depart, caught at point by Khan off the bowling of Tahir for 14. Scot Jeffers joined O’Sullivan and they succeeded in putting on 13 when O’Sullivan was out caught behind off Khan. Aidan Kelleher cover drove Khan to the boundary but fell next ball, caught by Tahir at cover point.
That wicket meant that County had reached 48-3 at the halfway stage and still had some work to do in order to set a sizeable target for UCC. Jeffers wasted no time in upping the run rate and took three consecutive fours from Ishmail Khan before dispatching a free hit to the square-leg boundary. Kevin O’Sullivan who had joined Jeffers at the crease when Kelleher was out continued to feed his partner the strike and the home side had reached 86-3 from 15 overs.
Shahrukh Baig eventually made the breakthrough for the visitors when Jeffers holed out to deep mid-wicket but not before he and O’Sullivan had put on a 52 run partnership to put County in a relatively strong position at 100-4 from 17.2 overs, Jeffers falling 9 runs short of a half century.
Chris Van Heerden joined Kevin O’Sullivan at the crease and took a single to square leg before O’Sullivan pulled a Baig free hit for six and then cut him for four. Some aggressive running helped to put pressure on the UCC fielders and they conceded four overthrows, helping County to 125-4 with one over remaining. Two runs came from the first two balls before O’Sullivan cut straight to gully for 20 out of 127-5. Chris Van Heerden finished off the innings with a boundary, flashing over the slips and County had set UCC a daunting target of 134 to win.
Kevin O’Sullivan opened the bowling for the Tennis Club End and took a wicket with his first ball, Singh edging through to Peter Barlow behind the stumps. Barry O’Sullivan bowled from the University End and had Abdullah Khan caught behind before bowling Bryan Deadman for a duck.
County were well on top at 26-3 and things soon got even better as Shahrukh Baig was bowled by Sachin Saxena for 19. Sean Power was next to go, bowled by Scot Jeffers and he was soon followed by UCC captain Ali, debutant Josh Van Heerden taking a terrific catch at short fine-leg.
Despite the efforts of Kevin Galvin and Danyal Siddiqui, it was always going to be an uphill struggle for UCC and when Galvin was caught by Aidan Kelleher off the bowling of Scot Jeffers the game was up for the away side.
Brian Kelliher(2) and Chris Van Heerden(1) picked up the final three UCC wickets for the loss of just 4 runs and County had completed a comprehensive victory by 62 runs. Cork County A now go on to face the winners of Cork Harlequins and Cork County B in the final of the inaugural Cork T20 Cup which is likely to be played at the Mardyke in a fortnight’s time.
Kevin O’Sullivan