Saturday finally got the competitivecricket season under way for Dungannon with a rearranged second round fixture in the Junior Cup away to civil Service North at Stormont - and it resulted in a win for the Tyrone team.
Poor weather in May played havoc with the early season programme and Dungannon only progressed from the initial stages of the cup via a bowl out.
Without any meaningful practice Dungannon travelled with hope rather than expectation. However, the
y would return up the motorway with the rare prospect of a cup quarter final to look forward to.
Dungannon captain Stephen Forsythe opted to bat first with overhead conditions indicating a hot day under the sun. Things didn't get off to a great start with both openers falling lbw for single figures.
Dungannon were soon in trouble when Kelly was unfortunate to be run out and Dougherty was caught at cover.
With the score at 22 for 4, Meeke and Regisee set about rebuilding the innings and occasionally had some luck on their side. The pair nudged the ball around to pick up enough runs to frustrate the youthful Service attack who contributed to their own problems by bowling a number of wides.
The total passed 100 and the tide of the game began to turn. When Meeke was bowled the pair had nearly put on a hundred for the fifth wicket.
Lincoln was taking the game away from the home team and scored a deserved first 50 for the club before Wilson and young Harkness successfully pushed score to the 200 mark.
A late flourish from the bat of Lucas took the tally to 221 from the allocated 50 overs. This represented a good effort on a slow enough early season wicket and gave the Dungannon bowlers a good target to defend.
In reply the Dungannon opening bowlers had good spells to pick up important early wickets.
The Civil Service North middle order proved more resilient although the required run rate was always rising.
Forsythe rotated his bowlers to good effect and Adam Harkness playing his first game at this level, was the model of composure. He claimed the key wickets of Hetherington and Goodhall.
Both batsmen had been well set but these wickets turned the game Dungannon's way.
The run rate reached a run a ball and as risks were taken, wickets began to fall, Forsythe bowling the last batsman, dismissing CSN for 192 runs with Dungannon secured a 29 run win.
Dungannon can take a fair amount of confidence was this result as they look forward to getting their delayed league campaign under way.
The Dungannon 2nd XI also enjoyed a successful start to their season on Saturday, defeating Victoria Seconds by 7 wickets in the league.
