ANNUS HORRIBILIS? Don't you believe it; this was more akin to a spirited rendition of Our Lovely Day for the YM brigade, as soon-to-be-married Alan Lewis conspired with Angus Dunlop to steer the Claremont Road club to their second River House League victory of the season, at the expense of close neighbours Railway Union, at Park Avenue yesterday.
Chasing a modest 139 in a rain-affected encounter, YMCA lost opener Mark Nulty with a modest 10 runs on the board. Railway Union rumours of capital being made on that early breakthrough turned out to be greatly exaggerated, as Dunlop and Lewis stuck to their task, stolidly and cautiously at first, and then with decided panache after rain had again briefly halted the proceedings with 50 or so runs needed.
A possible return to the fray tonight was clearly not top of their priorities. Or top of anybody else's either, come to think of it.
Both recorded excellent half-centuries, ending with an undefeated 131-run match-winning partnership as Railway finally capitulated mid-way through the 32nd over. Dunlop's fine knock included eight fours, while Lewis hit one further boundary as well as a mighty six.
Earlier, home advantage, combined with the trauma of YMCA's eight-wicket demise against Pembroke the previous day, at first seemed to favour Railway Union. Ginger O'Brien, who continues to live up to his nickname, and Ross Wynne were going well, and 21 for the first wicket wasn't bad, if not exactly record-breaking stuff.
And 48 for two wasn't all that bad, either. But 48 for three, 48 for four and 56 for five were figures not likely to occasion an evening of unbridled celebration in the Park Avenue clubhouse, and the belief of the YM players and supporters in an (occasionally) benign deity must have been restored.
Enter Paul O'Brien. With a little help from his friends, most notably Steve Pratt, he shoved the score along, and when the sixth wicket fell, Railway were on 119, before (more) heavy rain caused a long delay, and put the continuation of play in considerable doubt.
But that was the end of any real resistance. Lewis and David Streek had done the initial damage, and when Stuart Taylor disposed of Paul O'Brien, Dunlop joined him to polish off the tail when play resumed.
