CRICKET:PETER O'DONNELL proved the hero for The Hills as they beat Leinster by one wicket off the penultimate ball of the match at Milverton yesterday in the only Lewis Hohn Williams Senior Cup first-round clash to be completed over the weekend.
All-Ireland champions Leinster looked in a great position to make today’s quarter-final draw after reducing the home side to 169 for eight in the 46th over as they chased 262 for victory.
The Hills still had Max Sorensen at the wicket but he required some serious help if they were to get over the line.
There was further drama when Leinster professional Carlos Brathwaite claimed his third wicket, trapping Sorensen lbw for 83 with the penultimate ball of the 59th over to leave The Hills’ final pairing needing seven runs off the last seven deliveries.
O’Donnell showed he was up to the task, hitting Will Lennon’s fifth delivery straight back over the bowler’s head to finish on 42 not out.
Earlier, Ireland spinner George Dockrell showed his prowess with the bat as he hit 97 off 134 balls as Leinster made 261 for eight off their 60 overs.
Terenure will fancy their chances of making the last eight when their game resumes against Old Belvedere in Cabra this evening (6.0pm).
Chasing 257 for victory, Terenure are 102 for two off 21 overs with Nathan Carroll (51 no) and Shimon Das (35 no) well set as they target 155 runs in the remaining 39 overs.
Rush are also in a strong position ahead of the resumption of their tie against Pembroke on Thursday at Kenure Park .
Chasing a formidable 361 for victory the home side made it to 263 for three in 42 overs before bad light stopped play on Saturday.
Shahid Iqbal is undefeated on 107 and Saadat Gull on 57 not out. Iqbal’s century was the third of the game after Stephen Moreton (134) and Ryan Hopkins (132) made hay in the Pembroke innings of 360 for eight.
Meanwhile, Andre Botha has been named captain of the Ireland A side for their three-day game against a Sussex Second XI at Chichester next week, one of six senior internationals in the 12-man panel.
IRELAND A (Squad for three-day game v Sussex 2nd XI, Chichester, June 8th-10th): A Botha (North County, capt), C Dougherty (Brigade), P Eaglestone (Strabane), J Hall (Waringstown), G Kidd (Waringstown), R McCann (Instonians), N McDonnell (Brigade), J Mooney (North County), A Poynter (Clontarf), E Richardson (North County), A Van der Merwe (The Hills), C Young (Bready/Sussex).
