IBI CORPORATE FINANCE FIRST TEAM LEAGUE PREVIEW - ROUND 3 (MAY 31/JUNE 1)

After a three-week hiatus for a plethora of cup cricket, the IBI Corporate Finance First Team League returns to action this weekend, with a full card of fixtures seeing games in Kentstown and Oak Hill on Sunday, whilst the action in The Vineyard is shifted to Monday after The Hills 2 earnt a home draw in the Senior 2 Cup on Sunday afternoon.

The fixtures see Cork Harlequins the visitors to Knockharley, whilst North Kildare become Adamstown’s first opponents in Oak Hill this season. Terenure are the visitors to Milverton to take on The Hills.

KNOCKHARLEY VS CORK HARLEQUINS

Knockharley welcome First Team League action to Kentstown for the first time this weekend, and will doubtless be hoping to add a second victory of the season to their tally. The side have performed admirably thus far this season, with Daneyaal Janjua being the star with the bat, opening the season up with a century and half-century back-to-back, however the hosts will be hoping they aren’t relying on their number 7 once again this weekend. He’s supported in the batting unit by Brandon Kruger, Don Retty and Adnan Shinwari, who are likely to make up the top three, whilst the skipper Mubeen Ali and experienced Ehtesham Ahmed will look to add power in the middle overs. The bowling is led by Ahmed Kayani, who could share the opening duties with Syed Medhi or Janjua, whilst ‘Shami’ is also another strong option with the ball. Kashif Ali’s transition to left-arm spin has delivered mixed results so far, however he could prove to be crucial back on home soil.

Cork Harlequins have had a tough beginning to the season, however they will feel boosted somewhat by the number of players who put their hand up to contribute last time out against North Kildare, as five batters managed between 22 and 37. If just one of those players could kick on to a big score, the Farmers Cross outfit could well find themselves able to post an imposing batting effort. Adam Hickey and Dineth Sumanasinghe are two of the main men they will be looking to in hope of those runs this weekend, whilst the likes of Ryan Joyce is another man who could help them with his free-scoring manner. The bowling is consistent at the start, Seanan Jones regularly picks up wickets in his opening spell, and he’s supported by the likes of Umer Hassan Khan and Joyce early in the piece. ‘Quins may well look to turn to spin early on in this fixture however, and Hickey’s off-breaks along with the left-arm spin of both Semeth Sumanasinghe and Sidharth Pushp provide plenty of depth in that regard.

Knockharley will be hoping that Adnan Shinwari can get them off to a good start with the bat this weekend, and if he can see off Seanan Jones, it could give them a foothold in the game.

KEY BATTLE: Adnan Shinwari vs Seanan Jones

ADAMSTOWN VS NORTH KILDARE

Early pace-setters Adamstown will be bursting at the seams to get going again this weekend, having not completed a game for three weeks at this stage. They are led by Sid Biju, who’s made half-centuries in both his league appearances so far this term. Angad Bawa has been his opening partner in the early rounds, whilst the middle order is where their real gems lie. Prashanth Damodaran and Dinesh Antony Kidagan David are the two men to be feared there, with the latter having made an unbeaten century against Terenure in their last league outing. Nithin Namburu and Aryan Adelkar are two more young-guns well capable of contributing with bat in hand. On the bowling front, teenage sensation Shravon Biju has enjoyed an excellent start to life at this level, and he shares the opening spell with Kidagan David. Other seam options include the likes of Nithin Pradmaprabhu and another pair of teenagers in Nithin Namburu & Aryan Adelkar, who’s three-for proved crucial in their last league outing. Jaivir Singh Oberoi and Arvind Olaganathan provide off & leg spin options respectively that rounds out a balanced and varied attack.

North Kildare meanwhile are one of four teams with a 1-1 record so far this season, and they will be hoping that their top order can give them a big shout in this fixture. Yash Kalasannavar leads from the front, and he’ll be accompanied in the top three by Moize Haider, whilst it will be interesting to see if Nicholas Hunter reprises their opening partnership once again. Their middle order is full of players who like to find the boundary, including Josh Uddin and the Ahmadzai brothers, Asadullah and Adnan. With the ball, Nazmus Monon and Hunter are the new ball pair, with the seam support coming from Ali Elahi and Adnan Ahmadzai. They do however have plenty of spin options, mainly from Nurulain Boda and Asadullah Ahmadzai, however Uddin has also provided some partnership-breaking efforts with his loopy off-breaks as well.

Shravon Biju is the classy operator with the ball in this Adamstown team, and he’ll be the one they’re hoping can dismiss Yash Kalasannavar cheaply, if he can do so, it will give the league leaders a great chance of continuing their good start.

KEY BATTLE: Shravon Biju vs Yash Kalasannavar

THE HILLS VS TERENURE

Just two weeks since these sides faced off in a low-scoring encounter in the Leinster Senior Cup, they face off in The Vineyard with both teams hoping to put the other’s title charge on the back foot at this early stage. The hosts have been boosted since that game by the return of Nathan Rooney to the side, whilst Nicolaj Damgaard’s flying visit could also see him feature in this tie. That duo will bolster a middle order that also features Stefano di Bartolomeo and Joe Fletcher, as well as former skipper Andy Kavanagh. At the top, Muzamil and Yaseen Sherzad have made themselves into a feared opening pair, both finding the boundary regularly, and a quick start for them would set a good platform for overseas man Liam Blackford to work from. With the ball, Matthew Weldon and Killian McGrane form a strong opening partnership, with Tomás Rooney-Murphy an excellent operator as first change. Di Bartolomeo is another good middle-overs operator, whilst the return to form of the Sherzad brothers in the District Cup is sure to be a further boost to the bowling stocks available to Weldon.

Terenure’s bowling attack created plenty of issues for The Hills when they faced off in the Leinster Senior Cup, and they will be hoping for more of the same in this fixture. Kripesh Shetty will likely open the bowling alongside Naveed Khan, whilst Bhavic Tukrel and Benjamin Dillon provide more medium pace as the change bowlers. Skipper Henry Dall’s offies have come into their own in recent weeks, and his last appearance to the bowling crease in The Vineyard saw him claiming a four-for, whilst they are set to be without Aamir Bafanda this weekend, Vishnu Sadanandan proved an able replacement in last week’s National Cup tie, claiming a fine 4/21 in spite of their defeat. Sophie Reid continues behind the stumps and will open the batting alongside Mick Cotter, in a top order full of left-handers that sees them followed by Dall, Zeeshan Mumtaz and Sid Nair before a right-hander appears in the shape of all-rounder Tom Shand.

Liam Blackford’s one appearance in Milverton so far in the league saw him unbeaten on 137, and Terenure will therefore be desperate to knock him over. Henry Dall was the man to dismiss him in their cup tie, and he could well take up the challenge once again this time out.

KEY BATTLE: Liam Blackford vs Henry Dall

IBI CORPORATE FINANCE FIRST TEAM LEAGUE

ROUND 3, ALL 12 NOON STARTS

SUNDAY, MAY 31^ST

At Kentstown, Knockharley vs Cork Harlequins

At Oak Hill, Adamstown vs North Kildare

MONDAY, JUNE 1^ST

At The Vineyard, The Hills vs Terenure