Report by Paul Rodgers

Observatory Lane was a cold, bleak place as the fourths looked to get back on track and move to 3 wins and 3 losses against a Norh Kildare side struggling in Middle B this year. Thanks in part to the weather and cricketing attractions elsewhere there were very few spectators present, and the balcony in the clubhouse was notably void of any members viewing proceedings on a moved bar-stool with a drink in hand, as would be expected to be seen in mid June.

Leinster won the toss and were inserted, captain Rob O'Connor opening with the combination of the young Hugh McDonnell and young-at-heart Charlie Richards. Poor running led to Charlie being run out for a duck, bringing Graham Whelan to the crease, looking to build on the previous weekend's 50. Conditions for batting were difficult and very few of the Leinster batsmen really got going: this was emphasized by the dismissals of Whelan, who feathered one behind and number 4 batsman Alan Godfrey, out to a ball that moved in the air and on the pitch.

Scoring was slow and difficult and the rate never really went above 4 per over, with only Hugh McDonnell, Steve Kenealy, who now appears, in his old age, to be playing purely as a batsman, and Naga Trakulara reaching sores of 20 or over, and even then no-one scored over 25. Extras, in fact, may have topped the scoring.

Mick Scully and Rob O'Connor did up the tempo later on, hitting a few rare boundaries and, although 175/9 may have seemed a trifle light, on a Mountpleasant square wicket with plenty in it and a decent looking attack, Leinster were always confident that it could be defended.

Rob O'Connor opened from the Richmond Hill end with Paul Rodgers coming from the Gullivan Terrace end and, in Rodgers' second over, he got one to stay low, nip back and remove the North Kildare opener clean bowled. Rodgers, whose pre-match preparation pre-empted this, his finest Leinster performance, had two more wickets in his next over: a catch behind by the excellent Neil Griffin, standing up to everything, and then a catch at mid off next delivery to Kenealy to leave the men from the Lillywhite County at 15/3 and in all sorts of difficulty.

The North Kildare spirit was eroded at this stage and they limped on scoring at no more than two an over, with O'Connor and Jonathan McNulty in particular bowling excellently and both being very unlucky not to get on the score sheet. Rodgers finished his full quota of overs in one spell with two more wickets, another clean bowled and a catch to Graham Whelan at short extra cover, to finish his final match as a twenty something with a career best 5-17, leaving NK at about 50/5 off 20 overs.

Naga Trakulara replaced Rodgers at the Gullivan end and, using his nimble, piano player's fingers to tweak the ball and induce off spin, picked up two quick wickets in his first over, via a plum looking lbw decision and an outfield catch. Although NK briefly lunched a mini recovery, they were never really in with a chance of winning this match and their innings ended at just over the 100 mark, in about 34 overs, with Hugh McDonnell picking up wickets at the end.

A good performance in difficult conditions from the fourths who now travel to Mullingar and The Hills next weekend for a double header knowing that two wins should see them top Middle B.