The June Bank Holiday weekend gives the opportunity for some players to fit in three games in one weekend. Others come up against teams decimated by non-cricketing demands of DIY, shopping or even weekend breaks away. Sometimes the other half needs some attention too. Either way there are lots of games to be played, runs to be scored, wickets to be taken and catches to be, well hopefully held. This all adds up to a whole heap of fantasy points to be earned. However, on the other side of the coin the next starring list is very shortly due and some players hiding below lines and playing for two teams wouldn’t want to be sticking their heads up with a century or five-fer and coming to the attention of the OCC now would they?
Out on the field of play, first division players certainly had a busy weekend with the Leinster Senior Cup on Saturday followed on Monday by a full programme of fixtures. Even the weather co-operated as most grounds with far fewer games falling to the saturated wickets and outfields. At some grounds a huge amount of work had to be put in to enable games to proceed. Members were rising early from their slumber to trudge through fields pulling or pushing machinery, carrying paint to mark lines, moving ropes to the right boundary lines. A few Clubs employ the services of a grounds-man to do all of this work, by in the main it is volunteers. It is volunteers who do all of the work within a club and not just on the ground. We all know the people in our own club who can be seen organising, cajoling, doing all of the work necessary to keep a cricket club moving forward. The people who get up early on Sunday mornings to coach the under age players, and then go off to play their own games or to score other games. The people who always bring tea to the ground, who are always last to leave, who do all of the cleaning of dressing rooms and who during the winter can be seen painting clubhouses, fixing machinery and the other 1001 jobs that have to be done. This is even before the paperwork that has to be completed for a cricket club. So this weekend, show your appreciation for all of the hard work they do; so you do not have to. Give them a pat on the back; it will be their only reward. Say ‘thank you’. Buy them a pint. Whatever it is, just make sure they know that their efforts are noticed. For without them, we would all be reduced to playing games in parks with no wickets, no dressing rooms, no teas. Ladies and Gentlemen, a toast: to the unsung heroes of Leinster, nay, Irish cricket – I give you, The Volunteers.
In the fantasy world there is a new leader. K. Chaudhary [Wicklow] has passed 700 points and has opened up a gap of 78 points on the field. 17 wickets at 4.06 plus a century and half century demonstrates his all-round abilities. 245 points since last week has certainly propelled him to the top from last week’s 4th place.
Overall point table
Getting to the top though requires more than wickets and runs. Only 2 of the top 10 overall point scorers appear on the top 10 of points per game and they are in 8th and 10th. Unsurprisingly the top of the points per game table is I. Mohammed [R&SPU] with his solitary knock of 160 garnering him 190 points.
Points per game table
Top of the matches played remains R. Wing [Malahide], who has managed almost a full league programme already having appeared 13 times. 1,547 players, including the multi-club Player Unregistered have taken the field at least once, although 70 players who have done so have not scored a run, taken a wicket or successfully taken a catch.
Games played table
R. Wing also tops the innings batted having done so in every game he has played, 13 times. No-one can even get close to that record. At this rate he will play over 40 games this season.
Innings batted table
Most not outs is not a usual category, but is included this week in a desperate attempt to fill space and also mention some other names. However, upon looking at the table only Harry Balbirnie hasn’t already been mentioned. Also worthy of note are: Luke Clinton [The Hills], K. Everard [The Hills], D. Ryan [Greystones], G. Angel [Knockharley] and N. Myers [Slieve Bloom] who all have batted three times and not been dismissed.
Most Not Outs table
Highest score remains the property of I. Mohammed [R&SPU] with his 160. Will he play again this season? Just the one game played to date. If, and it is a big if, he had played as many games as R. Wing and done so as successfully as his one game he would have over 2,000 runs and nearly 2,500 points.
Highest Scores table
Balbriggan lead the centurions table also with Adrian Harper and M. Farrukh remaining the only players to score two tons. A further 32 players have scored one century and 190 players have scored at least one half century. Leading the half century scorers with an impressive four are P. Byrne [R&SPU] and Tim Affleck [North County].
90 players have scored runs and not been dismissed, including Dom Joyce [Merrion] who has 114 runs. Of those players with an average, Ross MacMahon [Leinster] tops the list with 186 runs and one dismissal, which does put him ahead of I. Mohammed [R&SPU]. Ten players below all are averaging over 100. Many have done so with a single visit to the middle, but even so it is impressive nevertheless.
Batting Average table
No-one has topped 400 runs as yet, although top run scorer P. Byrne [R&SPU] is closest needing only 3 more runs to reach 400. The top 10 have all passed 250 runs and only one of these players is averaging less than 40.
Leading run scorers
Over to the bowlers now and first up most overs bowled. Leading the way is a man who, if Facebook is to be believed, enjoyed his Bank Holiday Weekend, but still managed to take to the field, albeit a tad thirsty. P. Rodgers [Leinster] has now sent down 76 overs in 9 games, which is nearly 50% more than next on the list Eddie Richardson [North County].
Most Overs table
Best bowling analysis remains with M. Lunson [Phoenix] whose 7/5 keeps him ahead of C. Siddell [Malahide] and David Poff [Pembroke] who also have a seven wicket haul. Eight players have six wickets in an innings and 29 bowlers have had 5 wicket games.
M. Mathai [Swords] is the only bowler with a wicket and no runs conceded and therefore an average of 0.00. Player Unregistered [Rush] is included in those bowlers with an average of 3 or less. Surely it would be worthwhile registering him for future use?
Lowest Bowling Averages table
P. Rodgers [Leinster], as well as bowling the most overs also has the most victims. Thirty-five players have taken more than ten wickets and 822 players have at least one victim.
Leading wicket takers table
Leading catches (includes wicketkeepers)
60 stumpings in total throughout the leagues/cups at the moment and there is a clear leader in S. Kurian [Dundrum] with 5.
Stumping table
Finally this week a note to Civil Service CC. Thank you for your hospitality last Monday. Whilst turning up as a spectator, I was offered a complimentary cup of tea upon arrival and also got to share what is in my opinion the finest tea in Leinster cricket currently. Where is YOUR favourite tea? What makes a good tea? Should we have a table for the teas?
Have a good weekend and here’s once again thanks to everyone who makes it all possible.