GIRLS U17S INTERPROS DAY 1 & 2

U17 LEINSTER 1 V LEINSTER 2 MATCH REPORT 06/07/22

Two under 17 Leinster girls’ teams have embarked upon a 3-day trip up north, to Campbell College. The trip includes three 35-over games for each Leinster team, one against each other, one against an NCU side and finally, one against a NWCU side.

The two Leinster sides faced up to one another on the first day of the competition. Leinster 1, skippered by Ally Boucher, tossed up against Lara McBride, captain of Leinster 2. McBride won the toss and decided to put Boucher’s side in to bat. Leinster 2 started their innings well, with an excellent opening partnership between Annabel Squires who scored 20 (29) and her Merrion clubmate Isabel Light who fell just short of her 50, scoring 48 (66). The Merrion pair started their side’s innings with impetus and intent before Squires was bowled by Saidbh Mitchell. Morgan strode to the crease to join Light, but she soon fell to the off-spin of Freya Sargent for 6 (17).

The remainder of Leinster 1’s scorecard didn’t make for pretty reading with the next top score coming from Lucy Robinson who made 4 (7) before being run out by Teagan Devally. Three runouts, including captain Boucher, certainly didn’t help the side in their attempt to post a defendable total. They were bowled out for 104 in just 24.4 overs, leaving a small total to defend in their bowling innings. Sargent was a source of economical wickets for Leinster 2 (6-1-13-3), while Trower also contributed (4-0-15-2).

With just 104 runs to defend, Leinster 1 needed to start their innings with energy and conviction along with early wickets. Lainey Martin and Jennifer Burns opened the bowling for their side, each bowling economically, but importantly for Leinster 2, they went wicketless. Lucy McDonough opened the batting with Anna Marshall for Leinster 2. McDonough was the first wicket to fall after being bowled by Light for 10 (17). Her opening partner Marshall remained, looking solid and reassured at the crease.

Marshall was joined by her skipper McBride who added 14 (34) before being caught by Squires off the bowling of McHale. Unfortunately for Leinster 1, this was as good as it got as Alice Walsh joined Marshall at the crease. The pair batted fluently and finished the game with ease, chasing 104 for 2 in 20.4 overs. Walsh scored 24* (29) while opener Marshall batted through the innings, scoring 33* (55). The wicket-takers for Leinster 1 were Light (4-0-12-1) and McHale (3-0-18-1). It wasn’t a day to write home about for Boucher’s side as their opposition ran out 8 wicket victors from their first game of the competition in Campbell College. However, there is still plenty to play for as each team have two games remaining against the NCU and NWCU sides.

LEINSTER U17 MATCH REPORTS 7/07/22

The second day of the Cricket Ireland U17 interprovincial 35-over competition was a successful one for the two Leinster teams. Leinster 1 took on the NCU on pitch 1, while pitch 2 saw a battle between Leinster 2 and the NWCU.

MATCH 1: LEINSTER 1 VS NCU

Leinster 1, again skippered by Ally Boucher, won the toss and elected to bowl first, putting Abbi Harrison’s side in to bat. The NCU opening pair of Fisher and Dines faced up to Lainey Martin and Jennifer Burns, Leinster’s opening bowlers. NCU’s first casualty of the game came early as Dines was captured caught and bowled by Burns for 3 (10) in the fifth over. Fisher was joined by her captain, Harrison, as they began to build a partnership. The pair scored quickly and looked assured at the crease until the introduction of Isabel Light who accounted for both the set batters – first Harrison 12 (30) and then Fisher 51 (51) with the score on 84/3.

The NCU still looked in a good position at this point, but then came an extraordinary spell on extremely memorable day for Merrion leg-spinner Annabel Squires which saw her clean out the entire middle order of the NCU, through a combination of bowled, caught and caught and bowled dismissals. The leg-spinner finished with remarkable figures (4.4-0-7-6) during a day she won’t soon forget. Number 11 batter E Keenan made a valuable contribution of 16 (22) to help the NCU to 143 as they were bowled out in the 32^nd over.

Isabel Light again opened the batting for Leinster 1, this time accompanied by her skipper Ally Boucher. A superb opening partnership saw them combine to make 95 before Boucher was caught by Hunter off the bowling of Fisher for a very well put together 44 (57) including 7 boundaries. Light was joined by Morgan at the crease. However, Morgan’s stay was cut short as she was caught by Harrison off the bowling of Keenan for 9 (17). Squires joined Light at the crease with 30 required for victory and the pair saw their team home, chasing 143 in 26.1 overs. Isabel Light backed up her performance with the bat in the first game with another valuable score of 48* (69) and Squires reinforced her performance with the ball scoring 15* (16). Out of the 9 bowlers used by the NCU, it was just the openers, Keenan and Fisher who managed to cause any trouble for Leinster as they took 1 wicket apiece.

A positive day for Leinster 1 as they get their first win on the board. They’ll look to complete their tournament with a second win tomorrow as they face off against the NWCU in their final fixture of the competition.

MATCH 2: LEINSTER 2 VS NWCU

On pitch 2, Leinster 2 took on the NWCU. Captain McBride lost the toss as Wallace, skipper for NWCU, carried on the trend of toss decisions in electing to bowl first. Lucy McDonough and Anna Marshall opened up, facing off against McLaughlin and Scott. McDonough was trapped LBW by McLaughlin in just the 3^rd over, putting Leinster on the back foot early. McBride joined Marshall at the crease as the pair began to build a partnership. However, McLaughlin soon took her 2^nd wicket of the day as she got Marshall, caught by Scott for 18 (17). Soon after, Alice Walsh was run out without scoring. Mitchell was then bowled by Neely for 1 (12), leaving Leinster 2 struggling at 50 for 4. McBride made a valuable contribution of 20 (30) before Neely got her out, caught by Scott. The partnership of the day then came between Freya Sargent and Ellie McGee as they put on 53 before Sargent was run out for 26 (28).

McGee ran out of partners at the other end as the tail failed to wag, finishing her innings on 47* (55) seeing her side to a total of 144 in 30.3 overs. McLaughlin (7-0-29-3) and Neely (5-0-17-2) were the star performers with the ball for NWCU.

With a small total to defend, Leinster 2 needed to bowl excellently, and they did just that. Alice Tector bowled superbly, cleaning up NWCU’s openers, Neely and Barnard for 8 (13) and 4 (21) respectively. NWCU captain Wallace top-scored before she was caught by McDonough off the bowling of McBride for a patient 20 (40). Scott and McLaughlin were the only others to make it to double figures for NWCU, scoring 12 (23) and 13 (23) respectively. Tector, Walsh and McBride picked up two wickets apiece while Deacon picked up one and a number of runouts accounted for the entirety of the NWCU side for 105 in 29.2 overs. While 144 may have seemed a small total for Leinster 2 to have made, they bowled exceptionally to defend it and complete a 39-run victory.

Leinster 2 will look to round off their competition with three wins and take home the title as they take on the NCU today in their final game.