RANKIN ROLLS BACK THE YEARS
From Londonderry Sentinel August 10 2005
In the intermediate C Cup Final, St Johnston veteran Ian Rankin rolled back
the years as he led his side to a superb eight-wicket victory over Crindle with
an unbeaten century to add to his 51 in the first innings.
Needing 217 to lift the trophy, the Donegal side lost an early wicket but Rankin
coming in at number three and opener Malcolm Alexander took the score to 108
before the latter was out for 30.
Rankin, who was scoring steadily, was joined by Richard Cooke. They put together
a match winning unbeaten 117-run stand as St Johnston posted 225-2 in 47.5
overs.
Rankin was unbeaten on 110 with 11 fours, while Cooke’s impressive knock saw him
46 not out as the Cup went to Donegal.
Crindle had first use of the wicket and after losing their opening pair of David Blair and Andrew Nutt for 9 and 0 respectively, worse followed when skipper Alex Steele went for 13 hitting three fours leaving them at 38-4 extras.
Kanti and Alexander were the main St Johnston wicket-takers with 3-26 and 38 respectively, Cooke picking up 2-14 in 3.3 overs.
Like their opponents, St Johnston were in trouble at 37.3, after opener Alexander was out for 12.
The very experienced Rankin and Trevor Topping then gave their team a foundation with a 74-run fourth wicket stand, before Rankin departed having just reached his 50 for 51, scoring six fours.
Topping was finally out for 26 but it was Karthic coming in at number nine
with 18, including three fours, who saw his side into a lead of 17 as they
finished on 153 after 48.5 overs, with the extras contributing 27.
In the Crindle attack, Neil Painter claimed 4-50 off his 10 overs, with Blair
and Jason Steele weighing in with two a peace for 44 and 19.
Crindle, in their second innings, opened with Nutt and Paul Blair, and a wayward
second over with five wides, saw them into the lead.
Blair was the dominant partner as the 50 came up in the 5th ball of the seventh
over but 24 runs later he was caught off Ramesa for a well-played 45, which
included seven fours and a six.
Skipper Alex Steele joined the steady Nutt and punished anything loose as the 100
was reached in the 19th over.
Alexander came into the attack and soon after bowled Nutt for 8. as the top
scorer in the first innings McElwee joined his captain but he was also bowled by
Alexander for 14.
Alex Steele brought up his 50 in the 26th over with his seventh four, having
also hit two sixes, as he finished the day unbeaten on 61 out of a total of
160-3 in 27 overs.
Steele was out early on the second morning for 62 and with 18 from Neil Painter, 17 from David Blair and 15 not out from Alan Crown, Crindle were all out for 234 in 42.1 overs, which meant St Johnston needed 217 for victory.
