Enniskillen reach quarter-finals by the slimmest of margins

"This is why we play the game of cricket".

Those were the words of Enniskillen Cricket Club captain Stephen Maxwell immediately after the completion of the match against Armagh 4s on Saturday which went down to the last ball and resulted in a nerve-jangling one run win for the local team and a place in the quarter-finals of the Northern Cricket Union Development Cup.

The scenes after the match were of pure emotion, relief and ecstasy and was hard to put into words.

It had all seemed such a different setting at the Mall five hours earlier when Armagh won the toss in the beautiful serene setting putting Enniskillen into bat.

Opening batsmen Stephen Maxwell and David Cadden started well and put on an opening partnership of 43 before Cadden fell for 15 trying to push the score along even more.

A couple of quick wickets followed but the skipper remained firm scoring freely with an array of fine shots especially down the ground and brought up his first half century for Enniskillen before eventually falling for 56.

Bibin Matthew anchored the rest of the innings with an unbeaten 22 and hard-hitting cameos from Thuwan Puthra (27) Paul Ramsay (11) and Darshan Nair (14) pushed the score up to a total of 179 at the end of the 30 overs.

A respectable score but certainly one that they would have to bowl and field well to defend.

The Armagh batsmen started with real intent and the run rate was above what was required for the first few overs but when Matthew made the breakthrough and new signing Devin Carrihill bowling at a rapid pace causing the incoming batsmen a lot of problems the local team gradually started to claw the run rate back.

However, at the drinks break the match was still very much in the balance.

After coming back the skipper turned to Kenny Maxwell with his left arm spin and immediately it paid dividends with Maxwell Snr bagging two quick wickets and Matthew claiming another scalp the ascendancy was certainly with the away team but this is cricket and to their credit, the Armagh batsmen clawed their way back into the match and the last over arrived with them needing nine runs to win.

Carrihill was entrusted with the task of bowling it and when the second ball disappeared to the boundary for four all seemed lost.

But Carrihill only conceded two more runs off the next three balls and the final ball arrived with Armagh needing three to win.

With the whole Enniskillen team pushed back in the field the last delivery was mistimed and as the batsmen tried for the second run which would have meant a replay Stephen Maxwell fielded the ball from his keeper position and Carrihill had the presence of mind to run to the keeper's end to effect the run out and win the match.

After the high of Saturday, a trip to Mallusk on Sunday to take on Ardent Blues was a hard ask as several of the team members were carrying injuries and unfortunately, the team went down to an eight-wicket defeat despite putting a competitive total of 144 for 5 on the board after the 25 overs thanks to a magnificent 64 from Aby Theckanath backed up by a good 29 from Bibin John in a partnership of 84.

Unfortunately not much went right in the field and the bowlers looked jaded and tired from the previous day's exertions although they battled to the end only losing with two overs left with Satheesh Puthenveetil the pick of them with 1/11 off three very accurate overs of swing and guile.

Disappointment then but that's sport and with the quarter-finals of the cup July 20 against Ardent Blues the team have ample time to prepare and get individuals carrying injuries back to full fitness to reverse the defeat.

Match scores 
Armagh 4s vs Enniskillen 
Enniskillen 179
S Maxwell 56
T.Puthra 27
B.Matthew 22 n.o
Armagh 4s 178/6
B.Matthew 2/29
K.Maxwell 2/34
Enniskillen won by 1 run 

Ardent Blues 4s v Enniskillen 
Enniskillen 144/5
A Theckanath 64
B.John 29
Ardent Blues 4s
145/2
Ardent blues won by 8 wkts