BANGOR showed little sign of letting up at the top end of Section Two when they coasted to an 197-run win over division strugglers Belfast Superkings at Upritchard Park on Saturday.
Electing to bat first, openers Mark Hutchison and Sam McMillan got off to an aggressive start, bringing up their 50-run partnership off just four overs. With McMillan dismissed shortly after, Bangor skipper Jonny Parker came to the crease. Hutchison and Parker scored freely as the runs flowed with both parties bringing up half centuries and compiling a 150 partnership in the process as they serenely batted in the afternoon sunshine.
Hutchison eased his way to a dominant and well-deserved hundred off just 83 balls including eight fours and even a six. The Superkings finally managed to break the partnership when Parker was dismissed on 68 in the 26th over when trying to up the ante as Bangor eyed up a massive total.
Robbie Van Harte joined in the runfest with a quick fire 34 including three sixes before being caught out on the boundary trying to get a fourth. Andrew Kirkpatrick contributed in a typically explosive fashion with 35 off just 20 balls in the final few overs. Hutchison finished the innings on 125* not out and received a standing ovation as he made his way off the pitch. Bangor ended their innings on 348-4 off their 40 overs.
Opening bowlers Van Harte and Michael Skelly bowled tight restricting lines as the Superkings struggled to score and the Bangor overseas soon claimed his first wicket of the day with wickets falling in regularity leaving the visitors 40-3 off 10 overs. The third wicket was especially memorable as 14 year-old sub fielder and future star Josh McMillan held on to a fine catch when filling in for the exhausted Mark Hutchinson after his 40 overs of batting.
Although the defiant middle order of the Superkings was able to stem the flow off wickets, Chris Walton broke the stubborn partnership assisted by a solid catch from the young Myles McNaught in the 22nd over.
With the visitors well behind the run rate, Will Simpson with an excellent exhibition of left arm spin bamboozled the batsmen, troubling the front pad on numerous occasions. Wickets flowed with regularity for Simpson with four in his first four overs, going on to claim a maiden 1st XI fifer as he finished with figures of 5-26.
Even with Simpson’s spell, the Superkings managed to just about bat their allotted overs, being nine wickets down with Bangor winning by a very comfortable 197 runs.
Bangor are back in action on Saturday at Upritchard Park when they welcomDownpatrick.
