…as both Waringstown and Strabane will rue the four runs that lay between agony and ecstasy in their respective finals.
Given the amount of rain that has fallen in recent times and that has turned cricket grounds into lakes, it was quite an achievement for the grounds staff at Downpatrick and Coleraine to produce two suitable venues to host the TCH Down Democrat NCU Senior Challenge Cup final and the ClubTurf Ulster Cup Final. Given the conditions, they were never going to be high-scoring epics, but for excitement and controversy, there’s nothing to match a close finish in a low scoring match. To get two on the same weekend in major cup finals, was a bonus, but the parochialism that exists in local cricket, meant only a few people saw both.
For those who ‘watched’ the NCU cup final on the ball-by-ball commentary provided by the Cricket Europe website, it was as close as you get to the real thing outside television. Their coverage was excellent with tidbit comments and opinions to help get a better feeling of what was happening as the tension mounted. Waringstown won an important toss and inserted Civil Service North. It was a good decision as they had the Belfast team on the back foot from almost as soon as opener Wayne Norwood departed for a duck. Skipper Nigel Jones dug in and was the backbone of the Belfast club’s innings as they grinded to 150, an unlikely prospect until young Michael Heaney provided crucial support late in the day. The total was obviously worth more in the conditions, but most people would still have fancied Waringstown to meet the challenge, especially with such a formidable batting lineup. 
But cup finals aren’t won on reputations but on what happens on the field, and on this occasion both teams served up a classic for everyone present. Wickets fell but runs were scored, albeit slowly, and overs ticked away quickly. ‘Mr. Extras’ was much to the fore and as the pressure mounted some brilliant catches were mixed with some dropped chances, as every little incident added more to the frenzy. Fortunes ebbed and flowed with either team capable of winning, but when Peter Hanna and Dave Cheater were at the crease it looked odds-on Waringstown. Then Peter ran himself out and dramatically next ball Dave holed out to Reagan West in the deep, and the pendulum swung decisively to Civil Service North. At least it should have, but as the 150 target got closer and closer, the pressure mounted, and it looked like tailenders Stuart Kidd and Simon Stokes might pull off a remarkable victory from the jaws of defeat. But then the pendulum swung decisively again and Stuart was given out caught behind to set off scenes of great jubilation from the Civil Service North players and supporters.
Only a boundary separated the two teams at the finish, and there were still two overs left.
What a cliffhanger and what a great advertisement for the one innings final.
Nigel Jones deservedly won the new Bill McCarroll Man-of-the-Match Trophy for his half-century and tight bowling, but although the Waringstown supporters might feel this was one final that got away, their team made a major contribution in an epic match.
Two days later after more rain, the cricket action moved to Coleraine where Strabane and Limavady faced off in their all North-West ClubTurf Ulster Cup Final. Once again the heavy conditions mitigated again high scoring, but Limavady’s 170 total in 40 overs was a formidable target to chase. It would have been more had it not been for Mark Gillespie’s impressive 3 for 18 in 8 overs.
Strabane pack a lot of punch in their front four batsmen, but on this occasion only professional Jon Beukes stayed the distance as wickets tumbled around him. 
He won the semi-final match against North Down with his belligerent batting, and looked on course to repeat the performance, but when he was snapped up by McDaid off Sabir, the match swung into Limavady’s hands. Or did it, because the tail then wagged, and it was a tense final few overs before David Cooke could get his hands on the trophy as Strabane came within a boundary of becomingUlsterchampions.
Two exciting cup finals on a wet weekend with the winners and the losers separated by only a boundary.
It doesn’t get much better in cup cricket.
Clarence Hiles
Editor
