Cork County 3 travelled to the Manor Fields in Adare on a sunny July Saturday to take on Limerick C.C. in Munster Division 3. The teams had already met this season with Limerick gaining a 1 wicket victory over the Leesiders in the Mardyke in June.
Cork County captain James McCarthy was unavailable due to work commitments so vice-captain Kevin O’Sullivan skippered the side. He won the spin of the coin and chose to bowl first on the artificial wicket.
Opening bowlers Hugh O’Brien (1-12) and Narsa Renjarla (3-7) made good use of the new ball squaring the batsmen up and forcing them to play at it almost every delivery. It was Renjarla who made the first breakthrough bowling Shane Burke for 3.
The other opening batsman John Linehan (2) soon followed, also bowled but this time by O’Brien. Renjarla picked up another wicket before he completed his four over spell, clipping Hashir Sultan’s(1) off stump with a delivery which swung back in to the right hander.
Kevin O’Sullivan now brought Aidan Kelleher (3-19) and John Kelly (2-13) into the attack for County and they both picked up a wicket early in their spells, Kelleher bowling Ninja Srinuksan for 1 and Malik Adnan (1) driving straight to Peter Barlow at short extra cover off the bowling of Kelly.
Things got even better for County when Aidan Kelleher bowled John Daly round his legs for a golden duck and five deliveries later he had James Murphy (0) out lbw, trying to swipe across his legs. Limerick skipper Kevin Hennessy (0) tried to steady the situation but was out after just four deliveries, Kelly getting one to swing back in and take out middle-stump.
Samar Sultan(21) decided that at 23-8 it was time to put some runs on the board and hit two sixes and a four off Kelleher in the 14th over. O’Sullivan decided to bring back opening bowlers Narsa Renjarla and Hugh O’Brien and it was Renjarla who got the crucial wicket of Samar Sultan, knocking back his middle-stump.
Eoghan O’Sullivan was run out three balls later attempting a suicidal single and Limerick were all out for 53.
While the target looked quite a small one the Limerick bowlers made it hard for County, Hashir Sultan (1-20) bowled a good eight over spell from the Scoreboard End and County openers Narsa Renjarla (2) and Peter Barlow had to settle for quick singles.
James Murphy(1-21) bowled from the other end and with the final delivery of his second over he bowled Renjarla, deceiving him with a slower ball. Bryn Nelmes came to the crease for the visitors and succeeded in accelerating the run rate, hitting three boundaries on his way to 20 before he skied one to mid-off, the fielder taking an excellent catch.
Nelmes had brought County to within 16 runs of victory and Ian Coleman (12*) and opener Peter Barlow (9*) saw it through for County, Coleman hitting a boundary through the covers to win it for the Leesiders, giving them an 8 wicket win and their sixth straight victory.