Congratulations: First centurion for Ballina club
It was a superb 148-run victory for Ballina CC, now only in their third season since formation.
Last Sunday, May 3rd, marked the opening fixture of the 2026 CCU Division 1 league at the Ballina Oval, where Co. Galway side Kilconnell provided the opposition for Ballina.
A showery morning initially threatened proceedings, but conditions improved as the day went on. The umpires opted to delay the start by 30 minutes to allow the ground sufficient time to dry, ensuring a safer and more playable surface.
Kilconnell won the toss and elected to bowl, putting the home team in to bat on a very damp outfield.
Opening the batting for Ballina, skipper Chris O’ Neill showed no sign of early-season rustiness by hitting two sixes in the first over. The opposition opening bowlers needed to find their radars, bowling 8 wides in the first three overs. That quest for accuracy didn’t take long; in the fourth over, a lovely straight ball took Ballina’s no.2 Sravan Atla for a duck, leaving Ballina at 22/1. Just 4 balls later, Damien Schwarz was bowled for 1, and the Kilconnell players voiciferously celebrated the early departure of top-order batsmen. A small partnership of 26 took the score to 50, but Chris O’Neill was caught behind shortly afterwards for 23 runs off 21 balls. In the following over, another wicket fell, Ballina were now in trouble at 52/4 in just the eleventh over.
A steady partnership of 41 in 10 overs, between Manu Devassy and Aarif Sali, took the score to 93 in the twentieth until disaster struck when Aarif was adjudged LBW for a respectable total of 20 runs. Two more quick wickets fell and Ballina were 100/7 in the 22nd over.
The one man they couldn’t dismiss, however, was Manu Devassy, who had till now been playing a very patient innings. But with his confidence rightly growing, Manu seized the moment and started to steadily accumulate runs by being ruthless in punishing the bad balls. He reached his fifty off 54 balls, including 3 boundaries and 3 that sailed clear over the rope for the maximum. It was clear that keeping Manu on strike was a priority for Ballina when he was in such devastating form.
Shortly afterwards, the home team lost their eighth wicket in the 29th over as Nithin Matthew, who had provided solid support to Manu, was dismissed LBW with the score on 145. With just 2 batsmen left, it looked increasingly like the home side may not bat their allocated overs, then Blany Fernandes was caught with the score at (167/9 for 33.4 overs), Pavittar Rathaur came in at number 11 and showed admirable patience in support as Manu continued to accelerate the run rate, bringing up the 200 in the 38th over. The rest of the team roared their encouragement as he chased his century, offering plenty of advice on when to run and when to stay put. The shot he played into cover to reach the historic milestone was perhaps one he might have left, but fortune favours the brave, and Manu brought up a fantastic hundred off just 90 balls to become Ballina’s first centurion.
Ballina finished on 218/9 off their 40 overs. Manu registered 107 not out off 92 balls, hitting 7 fours and 7 sixes. The unbroken 10th wicket partnership between Manu and Pavittar was 51 in 6.2 overs. Arun Mohanan was the pick of the Kilconnell bowlers with 3/26 off 5 overs, and Kilconnell’s skipper Anu Nair deserves a mention for figures of 8 overs 2/23.
Kilconnell started their innings with the Ballina bowlers struggling to find line and length, posting seven wides in the first two overs. Then in just the third over, wicket keeper Nithin Mathew took a sharp legside catch off Jineesh Chacko and two overs later, Jineesh struck again by bowling Kilconnell number 3 Alex John, leaving the visitors on 21/2.
The home side’s bowlers continued to aid the visitors’ run chase with some wayward deliveries, but fortunes changed when Pavitter earned an LBW decision, reducing Kilconnell to three wickets down. Damien Schwartz’s bowling was then rewarded when wicketkeeper Nithin took another fine catch. A fifth visiting batsman departed when Pavitter claimed his second LBW victim, before striking again two overs later with a third LBW decision, leaving the visitors reeling at 49 for 6.
A couple of spirited blows from Kilconnell’s Lyson George briefly lifted the visitors before Sravin took a catch off the bowling of Moiz Rehman. Moiz and Yash Kuthaphale then polished off the tail, dismissing the visitors for 70 in 16.2 overs. Lyson top-scored with 12, while Pavitter returned excellent figures of 3/8, Yash finished with 2/2, Jinesh claimed 2/6, and Moiz took 2/19.
It was a superb 148-run victory for Ballina CC, now only in their third season since formation.
Congratulations to Manu on becoming the club’s first centurion, and to the team for registering their highest-ever 40-over score while also batting through their full allotment of overs for the first time. The only blemish was the 28 runs conceded in wides.
In the backdrop to the match, it was a wonderful sight to see participants in the Women’s Mayo Mini Marathon passing by the ground.
Congratulations to everyone involved in organising such a fantastic event.
