Open Competitions: U15 Cricketers

We return in this article to the performance of youth players in Open Competitions. In previous items we focussed on participation, general averages and how youth players have fared in the top two Divisions. As would be expected it is mainly U17 and U19 players who feature in the higher leagues. But how well are the U15 players doing and at what levels are they taking part.

Up to the end of July 120 U15 players were recorded as having taken part in 872 matches in Open Competitions. 45 players have competed in less than four matches, suggesting that they are not regular players but perhaps making their debut mid-season or simply being called up when the adult teams are short. At the other end of the spectrum there are 36 players who have turned out 10 times or more. It is this group that we focus attention on.

First of all in terms of participation, three players have played in more than 20 matches [of all types], Jamie Grassie [21] from North County, Dean Brogan [22] from Rush and Diarmuid Tucker [27] and Sanil Gupta [26] from Pembroke. YMCA have the most regular players [7], followed by Pembroke, Clontarf and Merrion who have four each.

Looking at the individual players it is always difficult to balance performance against the level of cricket being played. Young players regularly selected for higher teams may not get the same opportunities and will not find it as easy to score runs and take wickets as those who turn out in the lower divisions. Two players have turned out in a D1 league match –Grassi [9] and Harry Tector [1] and seven in D2, Gupta [2], Josh Little [4], Joshua Murphy [3], Max Neville [4], Conor O’Gorman [4], Joe Prendergast [1], Brogan [9] and Tucker [2]. For the record two U13 players made one senior appearance each, JJ Garth and Cian Nulty.

Fifteen players have [end July] scored 200 or more runs in Open Competitions. 

Twenty players have taken 10 or more wickets. 

If you think any player has been left out or if a player is in the wrong age group please send details to cricketleinster@gmail.com and we will make any necessary corrections. Figures above relate to all forms of cricket where scorecards for mataches up to end of July where scorecards were submitted by clubs.