In a game that was affected by rain and chasing a revised target they fell short by 4 runs. Stu Daltrey's match report can be read on cover-point.com. Next game: versus Phoenix in the Park on Saturday.

Defeat by 67 runs was not the result Pembroke were hoping for today.

Despite missing young Barry McCarthy (in Belfast playing for Ireland Under 20's in the Europeans) and Allan Eastwood, Pembroke started with high hopes.

However, the wicket played its part throughout and Rush dealt with it better than Pembroke.

Rush batting first were looking like folding for less than 100, but the tail wagged and their number 3 made 50, bringing their total to 143.

Pembroke started steadily, but the loss of 4 wickets for no runs in the middle order ripped Pembroke asunder. It concluded early with Pembroke reaching 75 all out.

20 wickets, many with assistance from the wicket, 218 runs.
 

First up this week is the victory over Phoenix in the LHW Alan Murray Twenty20 Group match held in Sydney Parade on Thursday evening. Ryan Hopkins was the backbone of an excellent Pembroke total of 174, gaining plenty of support from his teammates along the way. If only there had been as much support along the sidelines. Pembroke supporters were out-numbered about 2:1 by the travelling support, but those that were there were particularly vocal in their encouragement. Pembroke's total and Phoenix's target did not look quite as large as David Langford-Smith took the long handle to the opening bowlers. At the end of the third over the score stood at an imposing 42, with DLS on 38. However his dismissal merely exposed the rest of the batting order and the runs dried up, although only by his standards. Phoenix subsided to a merely respectable score and lost by 60 odd runs.
This will have improved Pembroke's net run rate and given them hope of qualifying from this group for Finals day. However, everything will depend on other results. 

In Division Two the First travelled cross city to take on the Terenure Titans on their mat. A decent fielding display saw A. Leonard take another four wickets, which must just about wrap up the P.B. "Spud" Murphy trophy again for another season, and Bill Whaley take three wickets. The Titans (remember them) managed to stage a couple of recoveries moving from 98/8 to 121/8 and then onto 166 all out. However the Pembroke reply never really got going despite 30 from Brían O'Rourke and 28 from Eddie Extras with wickets falling at 9, 44, 46, 66, 76, 78, 78, 88, 90 and all out for 103. A first defeat in Division Two, one which knocks them from the top of the table, we all hope it is merely a reflection of a below-strength team on the day and that they will recover their form for next Saturday's game against Cork County before the Bollywood night... 

Pembroke First XI got back to winning ways on Sunday with a comprehensive victory over The Hills 2.

Theo Lawson (102) scored a season's second century as Pembroke got off to a fine start. Together with Danny Barclay (23) the opening stand was worth 89. Danny has now passed 300 runs for the season.

Steve Moreton (42) joined Theo with the score on 91 for 2 and together put on a century partnership until the first German goal interrupted Steve's concentration and he tamely hit a reverse sweep to the fielder at deep point. Steve has also passed 300 season runs.

It will be of some concern to the team that they failed to really capitalise on the fine start and put a really imposing total on the board.

However the bowlers did their job and skittled The Hills for 121, with Andy Leonard taking five wickets in a Senior game for the first time. This win ensures that Pembroke remain top of the table in their priority task of getting promoted to Division One next season.

Pembroke First XI are now well and truly out of the Leinster Senior Cup since their heavy defeat to North County on Saturday.

North County batted first and put up a total of 239 that was out of Pembroke's reach. If every bat had functioned then Pembroke might have had a chance, but wickets fell and continued to fall rapidly. Pembroke were all out for 59.

It was not the best showing, but hopefully it will be the last such collapse. 

Theo Lawson scored an unbeaten 108 as Pembroke paced their successful chase perfectly.

Batting first Old Belvedere started sluggishly as if suspicious of the pitch in front of them. Barry McCarthy took two early wickets to put OBCC under pressure. The middle overs saw a good OBCC stand until Bill Whaley returned to clean up the tail for his 4/36. A final total of 193 was probably 30 runs below par, but 50 runs more than Pembroke would have thought they were going to concede. Barry ended up with 3/23.

After losing Andy Balbirnie early on to an unfortunate and unwarranted run out, Theo Lawson and Steve Moreton consolidated and then slowly increased their scoring rate to see Pembroke home in the 50th over without further loss of wickets. Steve Moreton reached his own half century following his century last week, whilst last weeks other centurion, Ryan Hopkins, remained padded up and waiting.

This full points victory will ensure that Pembroke remain in top spot. Next match is next Saturday in The Vinyard to play The Hills in the Irish Senior Cup. Home advantage was conceded due to the state of the Pembroke square, which while on the road to recovery was deemed unsuitable for this fixture. Conversely the Fifths were due to play in The Hills and now have a home fixture instead. Nice to see common sense sometimes.

This match has not yet been completed. The two teams will return to the Yard on Thursday with Rush needing 98 to win with 7 wickets remaining.

Pembroke scored 360 in their 60 overs, with Steve Moreton scoing 134 and Ryan Hopkins making his maiden, although I suspect not last, century and going on to make 132. Both scores were an absolute pleasure to watch and made in totally different ways. Steve Moreton had spent the week under the weather and his knock was gritty and involved a huge amount of concentration. Ryan Hopkins however played with aplomb and class punishing many balls and getting full value for his shots.

Barry McCarthy made 28 with further signs of how far he has come in the past two years.

However Rush went off in a rush with 20 off the first over. The offer of bad light was turned down on its initial offering but eventually the umpires called the players off.

Pembroke needed the break and a chance to regroup before Thursday.

Part 2. Pembroke foiled Rush on Thursday night and completed a 15 run victory as 7 Rush wickets fell for 83. cover-point.ie has further details, but suffice to say that the bowlers take the plaudits.

Bill Whaley makes it onto the Honours Board with a four for 39, ably supported by skipper Allan Eastwood's 3 for 84, and following on from his century in the first innings, Steve Moreton's 3 for 53.  Further details to you as we learn more of the story.

Division 2 was thrown wide open when The Hills 2 beat Phoenix in an absolute thriller a couple of weeks ago. Pembroke, Rush and The Hills 2's were all unbeaten going into the weekend with a mere 8% separating first from third. Thus the importance of keeping the momentum of a fine start to the season was further increased. Saturday's game against Terenure was another that was gracefully hosted by Oakhill and our continued thanks to them.

Before getting down to the match report I thought you might be interested in Stu Daultrey's blog preview of the game and other matters.

This is copied from the fine cover-point.com "Ireland Cricket online magazine".

This weekend sees the second round of the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup. All the ties bar Coleraine v Clontarf are being played on the Saturday, and there is one change of venue, Pembroke now entertaining North Down at Oakhill C.C. in south Co. Wicklow.

Staying with that story, the square at Sydney Parade has been over-fertilised (visions of Monkstown RFC members up to no good after a night on the batter in the bar), and in order not to ruin the square (!?!?) Pembroke will give it a rest. The powerful Comber side must now travel another 40 miles past Dublin on the M11/N11 (turn left after the Beehive).

There they will find a replica of the Ampleforth College ground, but they shouldn't suspect a popish plot - that part of the country is as Protestant as anywhere in the Free State. Whatever chance the 'Broke had in Sydney Parade, they've less on a proper cricket pitch. Away win.

It is nice to report that Stu was not quite right in his assessment of the square as it has not been confirmed what caused the damage and nothing has been ruled out included malice.

Stu's views on the Pembroke square are well known to one and all and his use of exclamation and question marks in addition to the phrase "whatever chance the 'Broke had in Sydney Parade, they've less on a proper cricket pitch, will only educate new readers to his prejudice.

On the match itself, Pembroke posted 180 with Theo Lawson scoring 64 and a returning from Middlesex for the weekend Andy Balbirnie 46.

North Down will have fancied their chances on a real cricket pitch of chasing down such a total, but the Pembroke bowlers had other ideas. North Down lost wickets consistently and even the non-issue of a nick to the keeper not being given when 15 were required could not stop Pembroke entering the second round draw. The last wicket fell with just 8 required.

The second round game is against The Hills and will hopefully be back on our own cabbage patch on 12th June.

24 points (96%) from the first fixture will be just the start Allan Eastwood and his team will have been looking for. Dublin University, batting first, were bowled out for 101 in just 38 overs as the skipper led from the front with 4/25. Steve Moreton took 2/25 and Paul Lawson 2/10 as Dublin University struggled into three figures.Theo Lawson top-scored with 26, whilst Brían O'Rourke (38*) and Rohit Bahl (17*) saw the side home with only two wickets down.
Next week sees the first round of the Bob Kerr Irish Senior cup versus North Down. This game will be played in the graceful and delightful surroundings of Oakhill CC in WicklowMany thanks to Oakhill.

Pembroke took to the field, which allowed them to shake off the effects of the journey. S. Noreton led the way with 4 for 21, whilst Andrew Leonard took 2 for 10 as opponents Bready were bowled out for 128. Also 4 wickets were taken behind the sticks by Mucker. A good start to his Pembroke season.
Pembroke reached their target for the loss of 6 wickets with Rohit topscoring with 38 and Theo Lawson (17), Andy Leonard (14*) and Barry McCarthy (10*) also contributed.
The team will no doubt be delighted to get the first win out of the way and have a chance to make it two out of two tomorrow.