Cork County took on local rivals Cork Harlequins at the Mardyke last Sunday with the home side knowing that victory would hand them the Munster League Division 1 title. Victory would put County into an unassailable lead in the league standings with second placed Midleton running out of games to have any hope of clawing them back. Cork County were without all-rounder Andrew Saul and the injured Darren Fogarty but welcomed back seamer James Duggan into what was a strong side.
After winning the toss Harlequins captain, Cormac Wilcox, decided to have a bat on what was some of the best batting conditions at the Mardyke all season. With a hint of disappointment the Cork County side prepared to have a bowl and deny the Farmers Cross side the opportunity of building any sort of competitive total. Openers, James Duggan (0-10) and Indian pace man Sujith Girija (4-14), bowled with great control and verve with great carry through to the keeper, Des O’Leary. The Quins’ innings didn’t begin well with the run out of Ruadhan Jones after some sharp fielding at mid wicket by Robert Duggan. His dismissal was soon followed by young Rory O’Keefe who edged a sharp delivery from Girija straight to Bruce Koch at second slip. These two early wickets marked the start of a collapse in the Harlequins innings with not one player in the line-up reaching double figures for the second time in as many matches against the Mardyke side. Medium pacers, Matt Reed (1-17) and Andrew Wootton (3-7), as always took the pace off the ball with movement both into and away from the batsman. Denying them any room to free their arms and get any momentum into their innings. Once the final Harlequins wicket of Liam Hale fell, they had massed the meagre total of 54 all out for the home side to chase.
With such a small total to chase, Cork County opened the batting with the clean hitting Michael John Wycherley (20*) and skipper Robert Duggan (32*), both of whom were determined to chase down the total quickly without the loss of any wickets. Both batsmen played some great shots down the ground and square of the wicket as they went at almost 10 runs per over. They were aided, however, by some mediocre bowling from the Farmers Cross side. With 4 runs needed for victory, Cork County captain Robert Duggan pulled a short ball from Brendan Winslow for a boundary to clinch the 2010 Munster League Division 1 title. The boundary was greeted with celebration from the County players and supporters as they claimed the Division 1 title for the second time in three years. The manner of the victory by ten wickets typified the determination and fighting quality that Cork County have shown throughout the league campaign from the pre-season right up this title clinching victory.
All attention now turns to Leinster League Division 2 action this weekend as County travel to Dublin to take on Terenure and Old Belvedere in two crucial fixtures with their fate in the league still to be decided with four games remaining. The Munster Senior Cup Final follows on Sunday the 5th September against a strong Limerick Raiders side at the Mardyke as County hope to secure the League and Cup double to emulate the great Mardyke sides of the 90’s and early 2000’s.
Sunday August 22nd: Cork County 55-0 beat Cork Harlequins 54 all out by 10 wickets at the Mardyke scorecard
Upcoming Fixtures:
Saturday 28th: Terenure v Cork County at Terenure
Sunday 29th: Old Belvedere v Cork County at Cabra
Munster Senior Cup Final:
Sunday 5th September: Cork County v Limerick Raiders at the Mardyke