Warriors post impressive win in Cork
The North West Warriors got their 2023 Rario Interprovincial campaign off to a flying start with a six-wicket win over reigning champions Munster Reds at the Mardyke on Monday.
It was a victory teed up by a superb bowling effort from the visitors after Murray Commins (35), Brandon Kruger (26) and Alistair Frost had given the hosts a decent start.
Commins and Kruger put on 63 for the first wicket with Frost and Tyrone Kane (14) taking it to 98-2 before Harry Zimmermann and Mike Erlank stepped in.
Ardmore’s Zimmermann bowled superbly to pick up 4-36 with Eglinton’s Erlank (3-21) providing the perfect foil.
Ryan Macbeth was equally effective- picking up 2-23 from his seven-and-a-bit overs with Jared Wilson (1-26) ensuring the quality never dropped.
Munster’s batting struggled to get going after that although Mike Frost’s unbeaten 19 saw them through to a competitive 149 all out.
The Warriors reply started poorly with Nathan McGuire falling to Mick Granger from just the second ball of the innings.
Erlank was bowled by Liam McCarthy for 9 soon after, before a 32-run stand between Ani Chore and Scott Macbeth (11) helped the batting side gain a little momentum.
Macbeth’s wicket was the signal for Chore and Shane Getkate to dig in- there wasn’t a single run off the next 29 deliveries as Frost and Tyrone Kane got on top.
Skipper Getkate decided enough was enough at that stage however; his first scoring shot a six off Frost, and the shackles were gone.
A 63-run partnership between that pair ended with Chore bowled by Ben White for 33 as the visitors upped the pace. Getkate (56*) reached his half century in 59 balls (4 sixes, 2 fours) as he and Cameron Melly (27*) took it home from there with an unbroken fifth wicket stand worth 42.
An impressive effort this from Boyd Rankin’s inexperienced squad and confidence to be taken ahead of a couple of games at Bready next week against Leinster Lightning (23 May) and the Northern Knights (25 May).
The North West Warriors are kindly sponsored by – Fleming-Agri Products Ltd
Originally set up in Donegal in the northwest of Ireland by Robert John Fleming in 1860, ownership of the company has remained in the Fleming family to the present, ranking as one of the oldest agricultural machinery companies in the UK and Ireland. The company trades in over 20 countries and employs over 100 people in their modern 6-acre site in Newbuildings. They specialise in agricultural, countryside and ground care machinery with over 100 products on offer: https://www.fleming-agri.com/
