The Ireland Academy side made it through to the European Cricket Championships ‘Championship Week’ following an eight-wicket victory over Hungary in the final of Group D. Having beaten the Hungarians in Qualifier One earlier in the day – thanks to an unbeaten half-century from Brigade Cricket Clubs Cameron Melly – they repeated the feat in the final, and will return to Malaga in a weeks’ time.
Match 1 – Qualifier One
An unbeaten half-century from Cameron Melly, along with 45* from Scott Macbeth helped Ireland Academy beat Hungary by 54 runs in Qualifier One, and move into the Group Final.
Ireland Academy v Hungary, European Cricket Championships Group D, Cartama Oval, Malaga, 7 October 2023
Ireland Academy 168-2 (10 overs; C Melly 58*, S Macbeth 45*; S Rasik 1-29)
Hungary 114-7 (10 overs; L du Plooy 37, A Darapureddy 27; T Tector 2-3)
Ireland Academy won by 54 runs
Having topped the group, Ireland had two chances to make it into the Group Final. Because of that the Ireland coaching staff elected to rotate their batting line-up. That proved to be wise decision, as openers Cameron Melly and Tim Tector combined to score a half-century after just three overs.
Tector was dropped on 31 when two Hungary fielders almost crashed into each other, however, the YMCA man was dismissed two deliveries later after an incredible diving catch by Abhitesh Prashar out near the boundary.
Further partnerships of 56 (Melly and Gavin Hoey), and 62 (Melly and Scott Macbeth) followed – as Ireland looked to set a big total.
Melly went on to score 58 runs, which included five sixes and four fours, as Ireland finished their innings on 168-2.
In their response, Hungary quickly found themselves behind the required run-rate of 16.8 after the first couple of overs, as Olly Riley, Adam Kennedy, and Jared Wilson kept runs to a minimum.
Hungary’s danger man Leus du Plooy was dropped in the third over, and du Plooy decided it was time to go, quickly scoring 24 quick runs off Gavin Hoey.
Adam Kennedy finally made the breakthrough, removing Vinoth Ravindran (20) in the fifth where only conceded two runs.
Tim Tector then came in to bowl the sixth over and removed both du Plooy brothers – Ximus (1) and Leus (37).
Ashrith Darapureddy (27) once more provided some late runs, but Riley, Mike frost, and Carson McCullough took care of the tail as Ireland Academy comfortably won by 54 runs.
Match 2 – Group D Final
Hungary made the final after a tough game against Finland in Qualifier Two, winning by just fourteen runs. Playing three games in quick succession would trouble the best of teams – both physically and emotionally, however, Hungary started extremely well in the final having decided to open with left-handers the du Plooy brothers – Leus and Ximus.
Ireland Academy v Hungary, European Cricket Championships Group D, Cartama Oval, Malaga, 7 October 2023
Hungary 137-3 (10 overs; X du Plooy 52*, A Darapureddy 43; A Kennedy 1-16)
Ireland Academy 138-2 (8.4 overs; T Tector 48, S Macbeth 44*; X du Plooy 2-29)
Ireland Academy won by 8 wickets
Ireland’s fielding was good early on – with Olly Riley saving a couple of boundaries, but Hungary moved on to 46-0 after four overs.
YMCA medium pacer Riley continued his recent good bowling form and removed Leus du Plooy lbw with the first ball of the fifth over.
Despite Leus’ dismissal, his younger brother Ximus continued to find the boundary rope with ease, as they moved onto 71-1.
Adam Kennedy of CIYMS came into the attack and took a wicket first ball, getting Rasik to nick one behind. However, some loose bowling allowed Ximus du Plooy to move past fifty.
Hungary’s confidence grew the longer the game went on, and Ximus du Plooy and Ashrith Darapireddy kept taking on their shots.
Despite a last-ball run-out, Ireland conceded 31 runs in the final two overs as Hungary finished on 137-3.
Seamus Lynch and Tim Tector opened the batting for Ireland in the chase, and Lynch set the tone from the very first ball – smashing Sandeep Mohandas for back-to-back sixes – as they scored 21runs in the first over.
Lynch – who has been in superb form all throughout this competition – was eventually dismissed for 36 by Ximus du Plooy when he edged one to Danyal Akbar.
Once Lynch departed up stepped Tector, and two classy shots for six moved Ireland to 68-1 after four overs.
Tector (48), who was looking to score a half-century, was dismissed by a good catch from Kamran Wahid with Ireland still requiring 21 off 15 balls.
Scott Macbeth came in at number three and showed his power with the bat, quickly racing away to 20 off six balls. He eventually finished with 44* before John McNally scoring the winning run off Wahid with eight balls remaining.
The win made up for their group final defeat in 2022.
Ireland Academy will now return to the Cartama Oval in Malaga for Championship Week, which takes place from 16-20 October 2023.
IRELAND ACADEMY SQUAD
- Sam Harbinson (Merrion) (captain), Seamus Lynch (Terenure), Liam Doherty (Eglinton), Cameron Melly (Brigade), Tim Tector (YMCA), Scott Macbeth (Brigade), Gavin Hoey (Trinity/Pembroke), Jared Wilson (Cliftonville Academy), John McNally (Clontarf), Carson McCullough (CIYMS), Olly Riley (YMCA), Mike Frost (Malahide), Adam Kennedy (CIYMS).
Head Coach: Peter Johnston
Assistant Coach/Manager: Albert van der Merwe
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