BANGOR Cricket Club had more than one cause for celebration last weekend.
The Upritchard Park outfit have been imperious all season, and their crowning glory arrived not only in the form of a cup final triumph but also league title honours and promotion back to NCU Section One.
The first leg of the would-be double was ticked off thanks to a seven-wicket victory over BISC in Friday evening’s T20 Bowl final as Bangor successfully defended the silverware they won a year ago.
And a little over 12 hours later the squad returned to Upritchard Park to face Dundrum in one of their biggest games in recent memory. Bangor were up to the task, and fittingly it was one of their young stars in Sam McMillan who hit the winning runs to lead the club into a new era.
When eventually relegated from Section One in 2022 following several near misses in the preceding years, Bangor found themselves in the doldrums. That was further compounded last year as the side cruelly missed out a place in the top-six promotion playoffs, in large part down to bad luck with the weather.
It has taken a titanic effort from all involved, led by captain Johnny Parker, chairman Peter McIlwaine and head of selectors Patrick McMillan to ensure that everything was in place for the Seasiders to succeed this season.
Before they can get their hands on the Section Two trophy Bangor have one final game at Strangford Road against Downpatrick on Saturday, and then they can begin to reflect on a season unlike any other.
More coverage of local cricket in this week’s Spectator.
