No report last week as your correspondent was on holiday in cricket-free Berlin!!

Action in the Section over the "Twelfth" was confined to yet another defeat for bottom club Dundrum on Sunday 13th at the Meadow this time at the hands of Holywood who won by 8 wickets with Ross Adair having a good day with 3-36 and 46 runs.

The following Saturday (19th July) saw two games abandoned due to local thunder storms at Carrickfergus (v Woodvale) and Templepatrick (v Holywood) but happily the other 3 games were played to a finish.

Dundrum suffered another heavy defeat this time by 10 wickets by Bangor who passed their target of 52 largely due to in-form Nicky McCollum (44no). Downpatrick won a high scoring affair at Strangford Road when they reached Derriaghy's testing total of 285 (Craig Lewis 101, Peter Bell 47) with only 3 wickets in hand. Consistent batting won the day for the home side with Amit Patel(74), Aaron Ferris(55no) Gavin Ringland (50) and Jordan Wade (48no) all contributing.

Lurgan had an easy win over Cliftonville at Mallusk when the home side were dismissed for only 40 with Niranjan Godbole and Paul Stafford both taking 3-8. Earlier the visitors had made 196 with Bruce Topping top scoring with 64.
However the Co. Armagh side returned to earth the following day at Uprichard Park where an Andrew Nixon inspired Bangor won a thriller by 2 wickets. The all rounder took 2-44 in Lurgan's total of 237 but a brilliant 101 saw his side home by a narrow margin.

Carrickfergus and Woodvale lost no time in rearranging their washed out Saturday game when the sides pitched up for a T 20 at Middle Road on 23rd July. Woodvale kept their nerve in a tight finish when Jamie Gibson was the hero with an unbeaten 43 as the visitors squeezed home by 1 wicket. For the home side their professional Indrajeet Kamtekar made 51 in a total of 119-6 and followed up with 4-8.

Lurgan bounced back with a convincing win over Templepatrick last Saturday at Pollock Park. Batting first the visitors made 226 with Bob Homani (72), skipper Ricky Greer (64) and Jordan Carlisle (42no) best. In reply the home side reached the D/L target of 218 for the loss of only 2 wickets with Niranjan Godbole's unbeaten 99 well supported by Graeme Hunter with 61no.

Downpatrick maintained their challenge with a very comfortable win over Cliftonville at Strangford Road. The visitors posted a total of only 90 batting first and this was easily passed by Paul Tate's side in only 15.4 overs with Amit Patel leading the charge on 51.

Carrickfergus are still well in the hunt and they knocked up a massive 361-8 at Queensway with New Zealander Jamie Holmes outstanding with 130. He was supported by Indrajeet Kamtekar (100) and Michael Gilmour (82) in the second highest total of the season so far (Bangor's 402-7 on 15th June against Dundrum is best) which was reduced by D/L to 330 in 40 overs. In reply Derriaghy were never in contention and were dismissed for 252.

Dundrum's misery continued at Seapark where they were on the wrong end of an 8 wicket defeat. The visitors batting continued to let them down with a total of 112 - David Kennedy took 3-9. In reply the home side coasted to victory with Alan Duddy making an unbeaten 41.
Having surprised Lurgan 6 days earlier Bangor were blown away at Ballygomartin Road where Paul Robinson took 7-27 in a devastating display of fast bowling which left the visitors in tatters on 47 all out. Despite losing 3 early wickets the home side took the honours by 7 wickets.

Two matches made a start on Sunday - Carrickfergus v Downpatrick and Holywood v Templepatrick but both fell victim to the atrocious weather.

NEXT FIXTURES - Saturday 2nd August
Bangor v Derriaghy
Carrickfergus v Cliftonville
Dundrum v Woodvale
Holywood v Lurgan
Templepatrick v Downpatrick

                    P    W    T    L  NR/V  Pts
Lurgan             12    8    0    4    0   32
Downpatrick        10    7    0    3    0   28
Carrickfergus      11    7    0    4    0   28
Holywood           10    6    0    4    0   24
Templepatrick      10    6    0    4    0   24
Woodvale           11    6    0    5    0   24
Cliftonville       12    6    0    6    0   24
Bangor             12    5    0    7    0   20
Derriaghy          12    5    0    7    0   20
Dundrum            12    0    0   12    0    0