SPORTSHUB SENIOR CUP PREVIEW – QUARTER-FINALS (MAY 22ND)

After last week’s ‘sneak-peak’ into this year’s competition saw Phoenix forcing their way past The Hills with a fine all-round performance to secure victory in their preliminary round, this week sees the Quarter-Finals of the SportsHub Senior Cup taking place.

The holders reward for their victory against The Hills is a home tie against Balbriggan, whilst the other tie north of the Liffey sees Malahide playing host to Clontarf. In Observatory Lane, Leinster play host to Merrion in what looks like it could be the tie of the round, whilst finally Pembroke play host to Rush at Sydney Parade.

The winners in these fixtures will progress to the semi-finals on July 1^st, with the final set to be played 10 days later in Sydney Parade on July 11^th.

PHOENIX VS BALBRIGGAN

An excellent opening 7 days of the season has seen Phoenix pick up two league wins alongside advancing through a tricky preliminary round tie against the side they conquered in last year’s final. This is in no small part down to the influence of Gaby Lewis and Zara Craig with the bat, with the pair both contributing strongly in both of last week’s wins, whilst Arisha Foysal has earnt a promotion into the top 5 this season and rewarded that faith with a strong performance in week one. Siúin Woods and Nevedha Saravanarajan will likely round out the batting order, however with some uncertainty surrounding Alice Tector who pulled up whilst batting in the Super Series at the weekend, it means those five are likely to be the players who the Park side will be relying on this time around. With the ball, Craig and Ali Keenan form a strong opening pairing, whilst Rhea Nair is a strong third seaming option, however Arisha Foysal’s leg-spin is often the most troublesome spell which oppositions face when they come to the Phoenix Park, and this game is likely to be no different.

Balbriggan on the other hand are boosted by the arrival of wicket-keeper Ciara Gibson this week, which along with overseas player Ella Marsh, and their Dutch off-spinner Madison Landsman, makes up a trio of incomings which they will hope gives them a chance of putting it up to Phoenix in this tie. Marsh appeared to have all the time in the world on the ball in week one against Leinster, however couldn’t find a willing partner to hold down the fort with her, and the addition of Gibson to the batting line-up is one the away side will hope can help alleviate this issue. The Maritz twins have proven to be extremely important to this side over the last two seasons, and they will also both appear in a top 5 which on paper looks capable of putting it up to any side. With the ball, Lara Maritz leads the charge as usual, and her new-ball spell always proves vital, with support in the shape of Erin Knight and Reena Devi in the seaming department. As already mentioned Landsman is a key with her off-spin, with the attack likely to be rounded off by Marsh’s own off-breaks, with the Aussie having opened the bowling in their only other game so far this season.

Whilst Phoenix’s depth is getting stronger gradually, there is no getting past the fact that Gaby Lewis remains a key player for their side at the top of the order, and she is the batter which Lara Maritz is most likely to be taking aim at with the new ball in her hand. If Maritz can knock Lewis over, Balbriggan will believe they can win this fixture.

KEY BATTLE: Gaby Lewis vs Lara Maritz

MALAHIDE VS CLONTARF

Having tasted victory in Castle Avenue last week, Malahide will be hoping to repeat the dose in this fixture to earn a semi-final slot. Their overseas player Meg Thompson is in excellent form, having made scores of 74* and 51 so far in the league and she is likely to prove vital once again, whilst they are expected to see Amy Hunter in the team this time around, which would be a massive boost. If available, the inclusion of Arlene Kelly would also be a huge addition to the home side, however with Thompson and Hunter at the top of their order, their batting unit already looks like one to be feared. That pair will be supported by the likes of Sarah Condron, Anna Kerrison and Sorcha O’Carolan-Murphy, who have all made decent contributions to the team last season when needed. With the ball, they rely on Condron and Maria O’Halloran in particular for control and movement early on, whilst Isobel McCormack is also a consistent seamer for the side. The spin comes from Anna Kerrison in a bowling line-up that is getting better with each passing game.

Clontarf meanwhile come into this off the back of two defeats to start the season, and will be looking to their skipper Christina Coulter-Reilly to lead the charge in an effort to bounce back to winning ways in the cup. She’s a key wicket at the top of the order, and whilst they will still be hoping that Robyn Searle could yet feature, the form of Julie McNally and Alice Walsh is likely to be important for them throughout the season, and they’ll be hoping that pair can help Coulter-Reilly to pile up some big runs. With the ball, meanwhile, they have a consistent battery of seamers in left-armer Sinead Thomson, and pair of right-armers Lucy Barry and Alyssa Pasley, with support coming from Walsh & McNally, in another side which is going from strength to strength as these younger players continue to develop through their club.

Malahide’s likely firepower with the bat possibly makes them slight favorites once again this week, and having been the thorn in Clontarf’s side last time around, Meg Thompson will be hoping to keep up her good form. In the same vein as last time around however, if Sinead Thomson can find a way through the Aussie’s defences, it could very much be ‘game-on’ early in the Malahide batting innings.

KEY BATTLE: Meg Thompson vs Sinead Thomson

LEINSTER VS MERRION

Two sides off to perfect starts in the league go head-to-head in Observatory Lane, and the strength in depth of Leinster’s top team will really come to the fore, as they are set to field no fewer than 7 players who have been capped by Ireland. The batting is led by Rebecca Rolfe and Laura Delany who were both in the runs last week, whilst Sophie MacMahon, Eimear Richardson & Joanna Loughran will all likely feature in the top 5 as well. Ava Canning and Jenny Sparrow give the side some firepower in the middle-order, however the five wickets which would need to be taken to see that pair come to the crease ought to do plenty of damage in their own right. With the ball they are every bit as strong, Aussie Karina Bell bowls with serious pace, and is complemented nicely by Canning’s prodigious swing movement. MacMahon and Delany also provide medium pace options, and in a team where captain Canning could throw the ball to almost anyone, Leinster’s ability to smother the opposition cannot be underestimated.

Merrion meanwhile have seen their only fixture so far be a demolition job against The Hills, and they will be hoping that their batters are in similar form again in this tie. Bella Armstrong, Rebecca Stokell and Leah Paul provide three high-quality operators in the top four, with Armstrong and Stokell both particularly proficient at finding the boundary regularly. Annabel Squires, Aoife Brennan & Ally Boucher are others likely appear to in their batting unit that can also boost their score. With the ball, when Merrion are at full strength they boast one of the stronger attacks in the league, the captain Niamh MacNulty has been a brilliant new ball operator for a number of seasons, and alongside Síbha Bhoja they combine into a very strong opening pair. Leah Paul’s return to the bowling crease is a very welcome sight for the Anglesea Road side, whilst there are further options in the shape of Armstrong, Brennan & Aisling Lawlor who could all see some overs.

Leinster’s bowling unit will need to be on top form to restrict Merrion’s batting in this tie. The away side will be hoping to see Ava Canning bowling a good opening spell to Bella Armstrong, however if the Merrion opener gets on top early, it could be a long 20 overs for the home side.

KEY BATTLE: Ava Canning vs Bella Armstrong

PEMBROKE VS RUSH

At Sydney Parade, the introduction to Senior Cricket doesn’t get any easier for Rush, as they must attempt to overhaul Pembroke on their home patch. The hosts in this tie are another side with a myriad of Irish caps in their starting XI. With the bat, they can look to Sarah Forbes, Lou Lou Little & Orla Prendergast to get them off to a flier, whilst the skipper Shauna Kavanagh is likely to be joined in the top 6 by the powerful duo of Izzy McLean and Isobel Jennings, in a batting unit which appears to have plenty of depth. With the ball, Prendergast’s return is an obvious boost, however more broadly the return of Hannah Little this term having missed all of last season offers them some control and swing in the early overs. Anna Beale has been in brilliant form with the ball this week and will be hoping to continue in that vein, with Mhairi Nicoll & Lou Lou Little the other seamers. There’s spin from Louise McCarthy & Zoe Bell to add to those five seamers, meaning Pembroke will never be short of options in this tie.

Rush meanwhile will be looking to their captain Ellie McGee & overseas player Ocean Bartlett to lead the way with both bat and ball. The pair both boast an extremely similar skill-set, having spent much of last season opening the batting together and both being very useful leg-spin options. If that pair are on-song it’s going to be the key to giving their side a chance to cause an upset. Elsewhere with the ball, Aisling McCormack was the leading bowler in Division 2 last season, and will need to translate that to provide some early momentum for the visitors, whilst Aaditya Subramanya Ramnathpur has been rewarded for a brilliant performance in the 2nds last week with a position in the 1^st XI this time around, and her all-round ability possibly makes her a youngster to watch throughout the season.

Ocean Bartlett’s bowling is going to be key for Rush here, as they need to take wickets if they are to control Pembroke’s batting line-up, however Lou Lou Little comes into this tie having made a century in last weekend’s Super Series fixture for the Scorchers, and is sure to be making every effort to get her side on top in this battle.

KEY BATTLE: Lou Lou Little vs Ocean Bartlett

SPORTSHUB SENIOR CUP

Quarter-Finals, May 22^nd, All 5:45pm Start

At Phoenix Park, Phoenix vs Balbriggan

At The Village, Malahide vs Clontarf

At Observatory Lane, Leinster vs Merrion

At Sydney Parade, Pembroke vs Rush