Mount Juliet v. Halverstown

Social Fixture

Sunday, 11th September 2016

Halverstown:  64 
(yes, 64, but it is more than the League team scored the previous week)

I. Walker 14; N. Greene 10; M.Hanley 9; J.Threadgold 2 (yes, 4^th highest scorer!)

M.Juliet Bowlg: A. Nixon 4-2-7-2;R.Khan 5-0-20-2;L.Grace 1-0-1-1;B.Martin 4-3-2-1                                                  

Mount Juliet: 67-4

S.Pym 27; C.Pym 13*

H'town Bowling:J.Threadgold 7-0-15-2; A.Mahon 2-0-8-1; Sonny 3-2-3-0

Through the attractive village of Stoneyford (strictly “Stonyford” apparently) and turn left: it takes you down an expectedly steep slope to where the Nore cuts sharply, and runs swiftly, through an otherwise undulating landscape. Cross the old stone bridge, presumably bridgeing the “stoney ford”, and a gap in the wall on the right brings you through a small wood to the beautiful, hidden gem that is Mount Juliet Cricket Club. If it reminds you of a certain other cricket ground on the banks of another river in County Kildare it is not surprising: arguments over which is the most beautiful cricket pitch in Ireland usually include Harristown and Mount Juliet, sometimes to the exclusion of all else- though for me Oakhill in Wicklow has to be included as well. 

The beauty of the surroundings and the excellence of the tea had to be the consolations that justified the trip down, it was certainly not our performance on the cricket field. Luckily Mt. Juliet, having won the toss put us in to bat, otherwise it might have been a very long day in the field. I cannot lay the blame for our collapse on a few demon bowlers: to be fair Mt. Juliet used 9 bowlers in all, though every one seemed as unplayable as the previous one. Ben Martin's intense accuracy as No.2 bowler seemed to unnerve the team and wickets tumbled with depressing regularity. The nervousness of the batting was evident in the astounding figure of 11 maidens in 31 overs, despite the plethora of bowlers.

Mt. Juliet had little enough to worry about in a target of 64 despite some impressively consistent bowling from John Threadgold in taking his 2 wickets for 15. In fact the bowling was not bad at all but with so many wickets in hand, a good batting line-up and so few runs to get it was little surprise that the whole game was over even before tea arrived! But thanks to those who travelled. Getting a team together was a heartache, which was surprising given that it was the last game of the season and that Mt. Juliet is one of our favourite fixtures. Particular thanks to Alan Mahon who travelled down from Dublin to help us out and bowled tidily for his wicket; Ian Walker from Wexford who had the consolation, such as it was, of being our top scorer; the “Baltinglass Martyrs” (see account of Baltinglass game) Rev. Mairt Hanley and his friend Sonny (maybe it was “Sunny”, since he was ever smiling, perhaps because he both bowled rather well and was one of our higher scorers with 1 run).

I hope that circumstances are such with the future of Harristown that argument will continue for many a long year as to just which is the most beautiful cricket ground in Ireland....

Des Drumm