Double delight as Middle Road men return with wins over Laurelvale and Cliftonville after five weeks out

On Saturday, Carrick travelled to Laurelvale for the first time since they clinched the Section 1 league title there 10 years ago. The home captain won the toss and had no hesitation in putting Carrick in to bat on a rain-affected wicket, and during the first 20 overs Carrick’s batsmen had to work hard for their runs on a drying wicket. They struggled along to 58 for three when Mikey Taiaroa (right) who had been there since the second over was joined by Louis Delport. After a shaky start when he survived a fairly simple chance, Delport began to find the boundary regularly and Taiaroa was by now matching him shot for shot. Taiaroa completed a fine 50 and after hitting two huge sixes was bowled for 65, his innings coming off 97 balls and containing six fours and two sixes. The pair had put on 55 runs, taking the Carrick score to 113 after 34 overs, when Ally McCalmont, coaxed out of retirement, joined Delport. The South African now moved up a gear with a series of boundaries, and 53 runs came off the next seven overs to take the score along to 171 before Delport was caught in the deep for 65, off 75 deliveries and containing five fours and three sixes. Useful contributions from McCalmont and Richard Hood took the total to a very respectable 214 for seven at the end of Carrick’s 50 overs. Laurelvale openers Philip Weir and Chris Webb got their innings off to an excellent start, taking 82 runs off 24 overs before Weir was caught at square leg off the bowling of Stephen Grant for 38. He was replaced by the dangerous Craig Irwin with a good foundation set for an assault on the Carrick total. He was then crucially run out before he got going, and after that it was all downhill for Laurelvale. Webb also went for 38, lbw to Taiaroa, and wickets fell regularly as they tried in vain to keep up with the ever increasing run rate. The innings eventually petered out in the 45th over with the total having reached 140, to give Carrick a comfortable 74-run victory. Richard Hood and Mikey Taaroa each picked up three wickets for Carrick, with one apiece for Alex Haggan and Stephen Grant. Score summary Carrickfergus 214/7 (M Taiaroa 65, L Delport 65, A McCalmont 20, R Hood 21no, S Pearson 2-37, R Wilson 2-65) Laurelvale 140 (P Weir 38, C Webb 38, R Hood 3-16, M Taiaroa 3-15). Carrick won by 74 runs On Sunday Carrick met Cliftonville at a windswept Mallusk, and ran out as eight-wicket winners in a low-scoring match. Full report from this match available at www.carrickfergustimes.co.uk Score summary Cliftonville 139 (B Anderson 19no, S Grant 3-23, R Hood 3-27, M Taiaroa 2-27, A Haggan 2-46) Carrickfergus 140/2 (M Gilmour 48, M Taiaroa 51no, A Haggan 17no). Carrick won by eight wickets