Since I last set out details of more landmarks achieved, and sent out details of those who were getting nearer to achieving one, 3 more have been passed. It is probably fair to say 4 have but the absence of one scorecard from a few weeks ago has meant I have not been able to confirm that.
Naseer Shoukat of The Hills stated the season with a career total of 8,703 runs, and needing 297 to reach 9,000 career runs. A score of 57 against North County at Inch, in the great Fingal Derby, saw him there.
Naseer, or Naz as he is perhaps more generally known, made his debut for Rush in 1995 and played for Rush until 2010 when he moved to The Hills after spending some 15 seasons in Kenure. He has now reached in total 9,018 runs in 307 Matches and 282 innings, of which 46 were not out. His batting average in Leinster Cricket is 38.21 and he has scored 6 centuries and 68 fifties. That is apart from taking over 550 wickets and makes him one of only 5 who appear in both lists of those who have taken over 5,000 runs (at an average of over 22.0) and 500 wickets. He also represented Ireland, for whom he qualified in 2004, on 11 occasions.
The second to reach a target recently is Richard Lawrence of Terenure. He started the season on 1,698 runs and needed 302 to reach 2,000 runs. In his case he got there with an innings of 78 against Balbriggan.
Richard made his debut for C.Y.M. (the then name for Terenure) in 2006. The following year he moved to North County where he remained up to and including 2012 before the wheel turned full circle and he returned to Terenure this season.
Since he came to Ireland Richard has played 89 matches, with 79 innings of which 8 were not outs. After his 78 against Balbriggan he has now reached 2006 runs at an average of 28.25. He has not scored a century during his career, his highest innings being 95* but has got 11 Fifties.
The last of the three who this week reached a landmark was a man many consider the best batsman in Leinster of the last 15 years, Jeremy Bray of Y.M.C.A.
Jeremy made his debut for Phoenix in 1998. He represented Phoenix initially for some 7 seasons, during which period he won the Marchant Cup 6 times and reached 1,000 runs in a season no less than 4 times. He subsequently moved to Clontarf and The Hills before this year moving to YMCA. As well as that he has played North of the border in both North West and NCU.
This year he found himself at the start of the season requiring 340 runs to reach 10,000 runs in Leinster. Coming into last weekend he only needed 8 more and got there in the grand style with 87* against Merrion in a top of the table league clash on Saturday and then on Sunday in the Cup Final adding a further 130*, 217 over the weekend without being dismissed.
In all Jeremy, including those weekend matches, has played 210 matches, batted 205 times with 43 not outs. He now has 10,209 runs at an average of 63.01, the highest ever career average in Leinster for those with over 5,000 runs. In the entire history of Leinster Cricket there are only 12 with more runs than Jeremy has so far. He has scored 24 Centuries and 64 Fifties. Only Andre Botha has scored more centuries in top level cricket in Leinster with 25.