Clontarf skies threaten as West batting falters

Clontarf Cricket Club, the prominent international venue in southern Ireland, saw the Western Academy take on Leinster Cricket Union U17 for the second time in 24 hours.  A rock hard wicket meant that it was an easy decision for the Leinster skipper to elect to bat first, despite the threatening skies over head.
 
Leinster had the total on 13, with Forrest having scored all of them, before left arm swing bowler Elliot Speirs (Ayr)  claimed the first wicket. Anthony Hulatt (Galloway) and SS Chitnis (Clydesdale) bowled well in tandem, displaying good control and variations with their leg breaks and off breaks respectively.

Ross Arbuckle finished the innings of well, bowling full and also with pace on the rock hard Clontarf wicket. Cormac McGlaughlin top scored with an impressive 56. The Leinster innings closing on 236 for 7 in the allotted 40 overs.
 
WCA opened with Craig Young (Poloc) and Luke Speirs (Ayr) and the pair scored 60 before the older Speirs twin  got caught behind off pace man Lynskey. Young then was stumped after thinking the ball was dead.

Stroke players Baum and Chitnis failed to deliver and only Calum McLaughlin (Ayr) batted anywhere near his potential, striking 32 before meekly surrendering his wicket caught & bowled by Niall McGovern. The WCA innings ended 154 all out in the 33rd over.
 
Tim Ackland, Leinster provincial U17 Head Coach commented: '' The lads were a credit to West Scotland cricket, they behaved impeccably. They really should have won at Merrion but they will have learned a lot from that. I hope to see Leinster over in Scotland next summer after two successive Western Academy tours here at U14 and now U17 level.''
 
Christopher Stewart (Asst Coach)