HUNDRED BALL BUSINESS LEAGUE ROUND UP

Cricket Leinster were delighted to launch the HBBL in 2023 and received significant interest across the business community.

This League provides individuals with the opportunity to organise a team to represent their company in a series of matches over the summer months against other companies. The competition largely mirrors the HBL (as launched in 2018) and is played in coloured clothing using a pink ball. The matches operate in the following fashion:

• Every team will face and bowl 100 balls
• Wides and no-balls will not lead to any extra balls but will count for one extra run. The next ball will be a free hit so batters will be encouraged to play with more freedom and it will also give them opportunities to play shots they might not have tried in conventional league games
• Every batter's first ball will also be a free hit
• Other rules include batters having 30 seconds to get to the wicket, which will speed up games and stop batters from sulking too much on their way off
• The other main rule is that batters have to retire after 20 balls. This means that more players will get to bat, but it also gives ample to time to players to get a decent score.

We were delighted to have entries from Grant Thornton (2 teams), PWC, EY, Deloitte, Ergo, Glanbia (Kilkenny), ESB Networks and KPMG.

The teams were split into two groups and matches started in mid June. Each team plays each other once and the two teams that top the table play the overall final. This will be in Merrion CC on July 25th at 6 p.m.

There have been 6 matches in this group to date, with Grant Thornton 1 showing good form so far. The remaining four matches will be hotly contested to try and grab that place in the Final.

The Group B fixture list is in its early stages, with only two matches played to date.

All the competition fixtures are available in the Fixture section and we'll have further updates ahead of the Grand Final in Merrion CC on July 25th.