Anton Scholtz RHB, ROS

Vice-Captain

Wednesday 7th July - Normally a 20 over win in Merrion would be greeted raptures. However the end of the North County game, and it's eliminating of Leinster from this year's comp (with Merrion already gone) meant this game was a bit of a dead duck. By all accounts it was once again the Sunny show, Faizan running out Clarence with a direct hit (I'm probably the only one picturing a short-sighted Ronnie Barker) and then grabbing a one handed effort to get rid of Ben Ackland. Merrion made 137, which proved a good bit short (well, maybe 15 runs). Brathwaite and Jones started well, putting on 56 for the first wicket, and when Faizan came to the wicket, he immediately started quietly stroking the ball around. The second wicket (I'm not sure if it was Brathwaite or Jones) saw panic creep in (I say creep, when of course I mean flood in in tsunamic proportions). Three wickets fell for s arun and when Mark Kelly was run out on 95 with 42 still needed, the game was in the balance. Faizan was still there, and with Lennon, the deficit was reduced. The winning runs coming with five balls left. It didn't count for much for either side though

Thursday 1st July - If Leinster's 20/20 team is looking for a new moniker, the Leinster Headless Chickens may be suitable after this "defeat" (and I don't mean that in any way other than being a game that Leinster threw away.) If the game had finished after 19.2 overs, Leinster had won. Chasing North County's 123-9, Leinster had managed to eventually match it. Under the regulations, the score after 10 overs is then used to seperate the teams, and Leinster were well ahead. So four dot balls, or any runs, and Leinster were victors. Balls three to five were safely negotiated, but on the final ball, there was panic, confusion and disaster as Calum Paterson was run out (and would have been out obstructing the field after kicking the ball away). WIth two group games still to play, Leinster were already out, due to the vagaries of how the results and fixtures had gone. It was a bizarre game all round. Leinster did well to keep County to 123, Brathwaite bowled his four overs for eight runs (and two wickets), and the Fingallians were at one point 76-7. Rob Miley took four wickets at the end, but was expensive (thirty from four) as Eddie Richardson got the total to 123. Sunny Faizan was then the classy rock that the Leinster innings was built on. 78-3 was looking promising, but then panic set in, with five run outs and that incrediblle final over.

Sunday 27th June - Rupert Heather gave his thoughts on the game over on Cover Point, but there were several points I felt he missed or got wrong. . The opening spell of 8 overs went pretty well. Brathwaite was bowling quickly, and all three of Strydom's opening scoring shots could have gone anywhere. Kelly bowled tidyly at the other end, and Brathwaite could also have got Lewis a couple of times. However the 10-20 over spell was a bit of a shambles, with a couple of dropped catches, and numerous quick singles taken into the ring. Once the Leinster mojo had be refound, the rest of the innings went pretty well, with YM only getting 100 from the final thirty overs for the loss of seven wickets. That 10-20 over spell though was the difference between winning and losing (well that and a pathetic batting display). 213-8 was about 20 over par, and when Leinster cam eto bat, it looked about 100 over par. There was no explanation for the batting collapse. The pitch was decent, and whilst YM bowled pretty well, it's by no means the best attack in the land. The first four wickets all fell to catches in the slip/gully cordon, with poor shot selection playing it's part. The middle order then tried to dig itself out of the whole, but may as well have been using a tea spoon. Only from when Peter Byrne came to the wicket was any semblance of guts and determination displayed. With Brathwaite turning to desperation in order to reach the YM total, the pro and Byrne put on 29 for the 8th wicket, before both fell in succession. Reynolds and Kenealy then showed the others what to do, adding a further 42 for the last wicket, at least salvaging 2 points from the sorry mess. Much to be done over the coming weeks.

Sunday 20th June - A strangely subdued side lost to Clontarf fairly comfortably in this Division 1 encounter in Clontarf. Maybe it was due to the missing of the team's beating heart(s) in Jones, Mallon and Scholtz, all enjoying the sun in the convalescence wing of the pavillion. Maybe it was just the fact it was a lazy Sunday. Maybe it was the disappointment of such a small crowd, with only a hundred turning up, when obviously they were expecting 4500. After George Dockrell won his first toss as skipper, things weren't looking too bad at 80-1. Dave Lucas has been batting out of his considerable skin recently, and raced to his fourth senior 50. in jig time. Rod Hokin's introduction to proceedings had an immediate impact as he bowled both Lucas and O'Dwyer around their legs. That middle order, shorn of the steadying influence of Scholtz and Mallon didn't fire, with Dockrell lbw, Kelly run out by Brathwaite, who was then snaffled at first grabber. That was 115-6 and it was damage limitation time. Lennon (21) and Miley (31) did their best, and Paterson was the last to go, caught at long on in the last over, the total on 196. Early wickets were needed, and with Richard Forrest's poles being rearranged at the end of the first ball, they don;t come much earlier. Bill Coghlan was allowed the freedom of the pitch though, advancing towards some wayward deliveries, and with Hokin accumulating, Clontarf took the game by the scruff of the neck. Mark Kelly finally found the breakthrough, a bouncer hurrying on to Hokin, who top edged to Reynolds, Eoghan Delany and Jordan Coghlan carried on though (Coghlan eventually departing lbw to Dockrell for 65), and the fizz had gone out of the Leinster resistance. There were still 25 balls left when it was declared all over.

Saturday 12th June - Not too much meat on the bones that is the scorecard. The first trip to the North West since 1997, with the famous semi final win against Brigade, but the 2009 victory won't be repeated after this 4 wicket defeat to Fox Lodge. By all accounts it's a 300 ground, and as such 230 all out was never enough. As I said, no tales to tell, but from 56-4, Mallon (66) and Lennon (39) helped the score up to something approaching respectability at 230ao. McGinnis took 5-49 in 9.5 for the hosts. Early wickets were needed, and although the openers didn't do the job, Miley and Kelly got one each at first change to have Fox Lodge 38-2. The next two partnerships put on 63 and 92, and by the time professional Brown was out for 85, the score was 193, and it was game over. Mark Kelly bowled excellently for 2-27 from 10, but it wasn't the bowling where the game was lost.

Saturday 5th June - As narrow a victory taken as defeat was received the week before. Following online, it always seemed as if Merrion were slightly behind the rate, and when the required boundary off the last Mark Kelly delivery only went for two, that rate deficiency was proved - but only just. When George Dockrell was bewitching all in the Carribean several weeks ago, it seemed unlikely that he would become Leinster's batting mainstay in such a short time. But the talent was always there, and with added responsibility, George has now scored 194 runs at nearly 65. His 59 in Anglesea Road meant that a total of 234 was reached in 50 overs, but it was JP O'Dwyer with 68 who set up the innings. Many must have been wondering if his Senior 2 knock of 178 in Merrion was to be repeated. Keaveney (2-29 from 10) and professional Clarence (2-33 from 10) were the pick of the Merrion attack. Wickets fell every 40 runs or so in the Merrion knock, enough to keep Leinsyter believing. The important wickets of Clarence for 44 (bowled Scholtz) and Anderson for 43 (caught Scholtz bowled Dockrell) kept the pressure up, and it was a case of whether Ben Ackland could up the rate sufficiently to the required 9s. He finished with 56*, but it wasn't, quite, enough.

Sunday 31st May - This season, Twitter has revolutionised the reporting of club cricket. Personally, I could never quite see the point of it, and then all of a sudden, enough people are Tweeting to make it an unmissable part of the game. The problem of having to find someone watching the game who could be rung (or even worse if you were that person having to take call after call), has now disappeared. Stu Daultrey was the man with his finger on the tweet. I was in Laois with the 2nds, but thanks to BaldStu's posts, followed the game with as much excitment as if I was in Skerries. The early bad news of Jones, Brathwaite and O'Dwyer being dimissed, slowly improved as Dockrell went from 50* (his first mention!), and out for 97. From a far, 261 looked a bit below par, but a victory was possible if we bowled well. Bray and Van der Merwe had gone by the time the 2nds went out to field, and then there was a sense of excitement when the tweet came through to say The Hills had collapsed to 169-8. But who was still in? the next tweet revealed it was Sorensen on 50*, to be followed by The Hills needing 62 from 10 with 2 wickets left. A sense of foreboding was in the air. A long, long pause, and whilst in a petrol station in Naas, Sorensen was dismissed in that penultimate over. And then another painful wait as we disappeared into a communications black hole. Finally back on the M7, and the worst, most painful 240 characters of the day, as that ball was whacked over Will Lennon's head for four. For a better report, Stu Daultrey's account on Cricket Europe can be read here.

Saturday 22nd May - A convincing victory sees the 1sts bounce back to third in the table with this 24 pointer. With wickets falling early and often, a trip to Rathmines was aborted, so my able stand-in Mr Stu Daultrey, files this report for Cricket Europe.

Saturday 15th May - A crushingly disappointing result. This was a match which was there for the taking, and rather than being grasped with two hands, it slipped to the ground like a soapy frozen banana skin. With 12 overs left, 70 were needed with six wickets remaining and the two batsmen set. But as the rate crept up ever so slowly to seven, wickets began to fall, and coupled with Trent Johnston returning to complete his complement, the lower middle order fell away, offerering about as much resistance as Super 14 defence. That there was an opportunity to win the game was mainly down to a curate's egg of a performance from Railway. Kenny Carroll deserves the plaudits for the work he has done on the Railway square in the last few years, and on an excellent pitch(as in the modern "batsman's" measure of an excellent pitch - there was nothing in it for the bowlers) runs were easy to come by. Most players visiting Park Avenue would have visions of the tiny boundary towards the bowling green. However, with this pitch being in the centre of a square that is slowly moving towards Dublin Bay, and the boundary pushed back as far as possible, Railway is about the biggest playing area in the province. Brathwaite started well from the Apartment end, but Rob Miley experienced the horrors coming t'other way, and hence Fisher and Carroll were on 50 from six overs without having to do anything much at all. Hugh McDonnell was immediately asking questions, and his inquisitition immediately saw both openers failing the exam. Johnston and O'Brien then worked the ball around, (the area where it is easiest to see the benefits of a professional existence), opening up occasionally, and it looked as if Railway should make 300 easily, with 330 being a distinct possibility. Some decent bowling from the spinning triumvirate of Byrne (3-33), Scholtz (0-49) and Dockrell (4-60) then dragged Railway back, with only Conor Mullen (55) offering anything and with plenty of wickets falling, the possible 330 became only 260 - approximately a par score. It should really have been less, as Leinster's ground fielding was pretty ordinary, and the bowling was a little on the generous side. However flat the pitch is though, 260 will always need a bit of solid batsmanship, a century with a few thirties, should do the trick. Whilst the thirties were delivered (Jones 24 - not really a thirty, but the openers put on 70 from the first seven overs to set up the chase, Brathwaite 41, Scholtz 46 and Dockrell 38), no one went on to deliver big. When push came to shove, 70 from 12 would have been easy if some of the top order were there, but it was beyond a lower middle order missing a few. Whilst it should have been a day for Leinster to stake there claim as genuine title contenders, they should be there in the shake up come September. Railway 21 points, Leinster 4

Saturday 8th May - On the face of it, a crushing victory for Leinster in the first game of their defence of the 2009 Irish Senior Cup, in this first round match against the Club Formerly Known As CYM. The Irish Senior Cup has moved into full ODI mode this year, with Power Plays now joining pyjamas, Duckworth Lewis and the white ball. Not one for traditionalists perhaps, but a sign of the times nevertheless. Brathwaite looked a little lethargic, as he stretched those long limbs after his flight, but with Rob Kenealy parsimonious at the Mountpleasant End, Terenure never got away. Wickets didn't fall though until Hugh McDonnell entered the game, Andy McConnell accounting for Kenny MacDonald with a smart peice of glovework down the leg side, before Morgan was caught by Dockrell off the same bowler to make it 53-2. The Dublin 6Wers weren't in too bad a position at the half way stage, being 93-3, but then a spell from Peter Byrne, in tandem (on a tricycle?) with fellow spinners Dockrell and Scholtz put the screws on. The bare stats are that the last seven wickets fell for 77, and there isn't really too much more beef to put on that particular bone. Darren Nicholl made 43 from 68 , but no one else, apart from Morgan got past 25. Brathwaite took 3-39 (despite never quite looking dangerous), Hugh McDonnell, 2-18 and the others shared around. Although at one stage it looked like Terenure may make 199-9, they had to make do with 170-9.

It was another glorious day in this promising start to the season, with a decent crowd. Plenty of headgear was on display, although Sean Jennings made do without either his blue or raspberry beret. Presumably the openers were told to attack with an exhortation. "Lets Go Crazy", but Mark Jones was unable to capatilise, limply poking a Ken Brennan delivery to Ben Hoey at backward point for one. That brought JP O'Dwyer to the crease, the cream of the Leinster big-hitting brigade now at the crease. O'Dwyer's knock wasn't of the highest order, with some duds amongst the diamonds and pearls, but it set the mood for the rest of the innings. He departed for a 49 ball 35, but it should have been less, Terenure giving him several chances. Scholtz was next, and was watchful to begin with before opening up against Ben Hoey. The youngster from the CY/YM dynasty took the brunt of Scholtz's pulls, finishing with 0-41 from his 20 balls, as Scholtz took 39 from 35 balls. Brathwaite also hit two sixes into the pigeon coop, and the pair were seemingly unaffected by the emotional pain felt when doves cry. The end was soon coming, Leinster geting home with just under 20 overs to spare. Terenure look to be much stronger than in previous years, and were no push over, whilst for now the men in purple reign .

The weekend's practice matches were about as far removed from the normal run of events as it was possible to be. The cold, uninspiring poor quality cricket on a mat was replaced by glorious sunshine, between decent teams on a shirtfront that was more second week of August than just after Easter. Whether much can be gleaned from the weekend's two matches, a 10 run victory over Carrickfergus and a 36 run defeat to Railway Union is hard to know. All the sides were missing a few players, and on a wicket that didn't really give the bowlers too much encouragement, it was batsman's mistakes that caused there own downfall most of the time. Jones, O'Dwyer, Kelly and Scholtz all got decent runs at some point over the weekend, Lennon, McDonnell and Scholtz caught the eye with the ball (on Saturday anyway - no details yet from Sunday). All in all, a worth excercise, but with the 1st's first competitive game still three weeks away, it's still early days.