BREADY: Belfast-based CIYMS, the Clear Currency All-Ireland T20 Cup champions of last week, have added the Clear Currency Irish Senior Cup title to their trophy cabinet after a dominant 225-run win over a gallant Lisburn.
It is the first time CIYMS have claimed the much-coveted Bob Kerr Trophy in the competition’s 40-year history.
The win was CIYMS’ fourth all-Ireland or provincial title in 2022 and comes just six days after winning the all-Ireland T20 crown down in Cork.
After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, CIYMS’ openers had the better of the early exchanges, despite a lively bowling display by Lisburn’s Josh Manley and David Simpson.
Ross Adair sought to set an aggressive tone from the start, racing to 32 from 29 balls, striking four boundaries and a six but was out off his 30th ball faced offering a lobbed catch to Adam Berry in the covers, giving brother Mark Berry his first wicket of the day.
Chris Dougherty, CIYMS’ veteran wicketkeeper-batter, and John Matchett continued to move the scoring rate along at around five an over Dougherty playing a series of deft shots through backward point and Matchett looking to punish anything short. The pair brought up their 50-partnership in the 21st over and moved the team score into three figures the next over, as overhead the clouds grew darker and light rain began to fall.
As the partnership grew, both batters registered their deserved half-centuries. First, Dougherty pushed a single off his hip from his 71st ball to pass his milestone, then shortly afterwards Matchett was celebrating his own fifty from 67 balls.
Lisburn, who were well supported by a vocal travelling supporter group, cycled through seven bowlers in search of a breakthrough, but in the 35th over with the score at 181-1 it was the CIYMS batters who hit the accelerator.
32 runs flowed from the next three overs as Dougherty and Matchett took the aerial route with increasing frequency and confidence.
However, in the shadow of his century, Dougherty went aerial one too many times and picked out Matthew Humphreys at wide long on his 93 from 118 balls (including 12 boundaries) earned warm applause from an appreciative crowd. That wicket ended a 174-run partnership the highest partnership for any wicket in an Irish Senior Cup final.
Mark Adair came and went after a cameo of 16 from 7 balls, before Matchett became the second batter dismissed in the 90s – backing away to left-arm spinner Humphreys, he missed the ball and lost his middle stump.
Matchett’s 94 from 108 balls featured 12 fours, and like Dougherty before him, he left the field to appreciative applause.
Jason van der Merwe then injected some batting fireworks into the death overs, blasting 49 from just 23 balls. The late knock included five sixes one of which cleared the Bready Cricket Club clubhouse.
64 runs came from the final six overs as the recently crowned All-Ireland T20 Cup side champions finished on 321-6 from their 50 overs – the highest team total scored in an Irish Senior Cup final.
Needing a good start in the run chase, Lisburn lost Jonathan Waite (5) and Neil Whitworth (1) early, however Faiz Fazal dug in for what Lisburn fans hoped would be a decisive knock by the club pro.
Fazal began his innings looking quite circumspect, but gradually became more lavish in his strokeplay. He struck three boundaries and an eye-catching six off Allen Coulter’s first ball, but when CIYMS captain Nigel Jones entered the fray with the ball, Fazal’s luck ran out when he skied a ball from Jones down to long on and was well caught by a backpedalling Jack Beattie.
Jones soon had three wickets to his name, as the Lisburn fight faltered badly.
David Simpson (20) looked briefly like an obstacle in the road of the CIYMS bulldozer, but he fell to a good running catch by van der Merwe at point.
The final wickets fell in quick succession, and Lisburn were all out for 96 in the 27th over – the last eight wickets falling for just 47 runs.
John Matchett was named Player of the Match.
MATCH SUMMARY
Lisburn v CIYMS, Clear Currency Irish Senior Cup Final, Bready, 27 August 2022
CIYMS 321-6 (50 overs; J Matchett 94, C Dougherty 93; N Whitworth 2-63)
Lisburn 96 (26.2 overs; F Fazal 30; N Jones 3-15)
CIYMS won by 225 runs
