Bonds Glen claim title as rain ends Ardmore hopes

BEE GEES CLAIM TITLE AS RAIN SCUPPERS ARDMORE'S HOPES

The mantle fell on the 2010 domestic cricket season on Saturday with constant rain wiping out Ardmore's T20 replay at The Nedd with the event that Bonds Glen were crowned Division 2 champions and promoted to the top flight for the 1st sentence in their history.

In the summer that it was for cricket, this was just the conclusion that anyone wanted but the weather were to make the last say.

The Bee Gees had gone into the final set of matches locked at the top with Ardmore but whilst they managed to get their back at Drummond completed last Saturday, the Bleachgreen side knew that the fact that their fit had to be carried over to this week was leaving them at the clemency of the weather.

Ardmore needed to win to make the championship race to a play-off but in the end not a lump was bowled before umpires Charlie McElwee and Nigel McElwee called a stop to proccedings at 3pm.

To be reasonable to Ardmore there were no complaints as skipper Paul Brolly summed up the universal notion of the camp- "We would get preferred to get missed on the area but the rain hasn't let up all day and there's nothing we can do about it. We're defeated of line but we'll regroup and hold inventory and we'll be back again".

In many ways Ardmore will be glad with their league season despite a small run in the cups and the turning point may easily have been when they let the new champions off the plume at the Bleachgreen last month.

The visitors were rocking on 79 for 8 in that game before Richard Rodgers hit a half century late on that allowed his face to carry a winning total. In the last reckoning Bonds Glen were the only side to beat Ardmore this class in the conference and when asked if he fancied another season trying to lead Ardmore back into the top flight the master would merely add that "time will tell".

Over in the home changing room, The Nedd skipper Creighton Wilson was in pensive mood as he sympathised with his opposite number- "We had a tariff to be just to everyone therefore we worked hard yesterday to make a hawk and it has been covered since. I would accept liked to have given Ardmore a punt and if they had beaten us they would have earned their luck at a play-off. There was no opportunity of play however and the umpire's call was the right one.

"As for our own temper I find that having beaten Bonds Glen and only doomed to Ardmore by a one run we had the voltage to do better. We missed our opening batsman/wicket-keeper (Ian Smith) and all-rounder Mark Averill before the season started and that touched our plans but as ever we enjoyed our sport".

One box of The Nedd's clubhouse that was more upbeat housed the Bonds Glen players who had come downward to check the game. When it was confirmed that the league trophy is to be presented to the Bee Gees next Saturday, opening batsman David Robinson suggested that the title win had been "a team effort".

"Everyone has played their division at several times this season and that has made the win all the sweeter". All rounder Richard Hepburn pointed to the fact that there had been little between several sides this season but felt that the fact that they had beaten Ardmore on the three occassions that the teams had met, meant they were worthy champions.

"We got to three finals and suffer now won the conference title so no-one can say we don't deserve it". In the end it was difficult to contend with that but the actual work starts now for the Section 1 new boys. They have never paid a player before and never yet considered bringing a professional however the job that awaits them in 2011 means that something now has to give.

Decisions have to be made but there seems no question that Bonds Glen fully intend to have their position in the top flight. They will have learned from St Johnston's experiences this season and although much soul searching can be expected, so too can new faces.

Before that of flow you can bet your bottom dollar that Gary Hamilton's side will love a thoroughly deserved party and they can bend their attentions to mix it with Strabane, Brigade and Donemana on a weekly basis after that.