Midleton was defeated in the final league game before next Saturday’s Munster Senior Cup Final against Co. Galway.
Captain Dean Wilson took the opportunity to have one last look at his bowling line up before the final, playing a total of nine bowlers throughout the Harlequins innings. However, it was to be a stubborn performance from veteran Ted Williamson that was to frustrate the varied bowling attack, as the left-hander hit a sublime 120 before falling to Wilson’s bowling. Nottingham Nightmare Pete Thackeray did his chances of selection no harm with a handy spell that left him with figures of 3/21, with Wilson and McEvoy taking two wickets each and Kashif Kahn, Magsi and Kieran O’Reilly chipping in to clear out the tail once Williamson fell. However, the hosts had already posted a formidable total of 281 all out from their 49 overs.
The hot, muggy conditions had taken their toll on the Midleton fielders, and effects were soon seen during a slow batting response. Openers Luke Deane (3) and Thackeray (6) fell in quick succession before Atif Jameel fell for 6 just as his partnership with Kieran O’Reilly was starting to develop. O’Reilly finally fell on 20 thanks to a good catch be Senan Jones, and though Majid Kahn hit a quick, boundary packed 26, the visitors found themselves in serious trouble as the wickets continued to fall, leaving Kashif Kahn and Danish Iqbal as the last men standing with the score at 94/9. With nothing to lose, Kashif transformed himself into a fully functioning run machine, as he hammered his way to a fantastic 78, including 13 boundaries, ably assisted by Danish, before being caught by Jones to finish the Midleton innings on 190 all out.
