BA TAKES FLIGHT BUT HUNDRED NOT ENOUGH TO DENY DONEMANA

Brian Allen’s magnificent unbeaten century may have come in a losing cause, but the experienced left-hander believes Fox Lodge can look back with considerable satisfaction on an excellent first season back in the North West Premiership.

Their faint outside title hopes finally disappeared when they were beaten by second-placed Donemana by 17 runs under DLS in a rain-affected Tyrone derby, despite Allen producing a superb unbeaten 117 from 120 balls. Fox Lodge were without two important players and Allen admitted they needed everything in their favour to overcome a Donemana side containing Ireland international Andy McBrine.

“We were going into the Donemana match missing Jason Milligan and Adam Walker, which I feel meant we needed to be at full strength and in decent form to turn over the likes of Donemana, especially when Andy isn’t on international duty,” said Allen.

Even so, Fox Lodge gave themselves every chance after recovering from 47 for three to post 253 for six. Allen was the cornerstone, striking nine fours and six sixes in what was his eighth century for the Ballymagorry club’s First XI.

His approach had initially been dictated by Fox Lodge’s batting collapse the previous weekend. “The general game plan was to bat the overs, given our collapse the week before,” he explained. “I did give a chance on 50-odd, and at that stage we looked to move from just setting a competitive total to pushing on a bit for a potentially winning one.” Allen found excellent support from overseas professional Gayan Maneeshan, whose 49 helped add 113 for the fourth wicket and completely rebuild the innings.

Donemana subsequently made a rapid start to the chase through Jamie Huey and Luke Marillier before the weather intervened, the hosts eventually prevailing under the DLS calculation. The defeat should not detract from Fox Lodge’s impressive return to senior cricket.

Allen pointed to the consistency of several key performers as the foundation for their strong campaign. “Our First XI have generally been in decent form, especially early in the campaign, thanks to consistent performances from Jasy, Gayan and Charlie Simpson with the bat, and Aaron Heywood, Adam and Levi Kerr with the ball,” he said. “Others, including myself, have pitched in on a somewhat less consistent basis.”

Allen was being typically modest after an innings of the highest quality For a promoted side to remain on the fringes of the championship race so deep into the season underlines just how successfully Fox Lodge have readjusted to Premiership cricket. Their title hopes may be over, but Allen’s eighth First XI hundred provided another memorable moment in a season which has firmly re-established the Ballymagorry club among the North West’s leading sides.