Sunday’s torrential rain may have forced the cancellation of the Midleton Cricket Club’s last game of the season, but the club still managed to see plenty of action despite the unsettled summer.Simon Casey’s First XI competed in the top flight of the MCU Senior League. Despite exiting the National Cup Competition to Ballaghaderreen following batsman Sukhpal Singh’s unbeaten 204, they bounced back to thrash Country Kerry down in Tralee, with Dean Wilson taking an impressive four wickets. Rob Smyth impressed with 94 runs against Co. Galway, but it was a rare bright spot for the side, as they struggled for runs in an extremely competitive division despite the best efforts of Majid Kahn and Jeff Hitchmough, with pre-season favorites Cork County topping the table.
Run scoring also proved difficult at times for the Seconds in Division Three, but the continuing emergence of new talent from Jim Doran’s underage structure promises much for the future. Aidan Leonard, Ciaran McGregor and the Jalil brothers David and Brendan showed great promise with a string of excellent displays, while young Shane O’Reilly took his first two wickets for the club in the home win to Harlequins.
The T20 version of the game threw up some of the most exciting moments of the season. Danish Iqbal hit a last-ball six to seal victory against Cork Harlequins, whilst Peter Thackeray’s magnificent boundary catch at Farmers Cross in difficult conditions will live long in the memory.
