ALL CHANGE AT LEINSTER LIGHTNING (JUNE 2023)

LEINSTER LIGHTNING & BOLTS COACHING TEAM UPDATE (JUNE 2023)

Cricket Leinster is pleased to advise that Andre Botha has been appointed Leinster Lightning Head Coach on an interim basis to the end of the 2023 season. Our thanks to Balbriggan CC for supporting this appointment which Andre will fulfil alongside his existing club-based commitments.

Andre previously represented Ireland with great distinction before embarking on a coaching career initially back in South Africa before returning to Ireland as Head Coach at Balbriggan CC. Andre has spear-headed Balbriggan’s unprecedented success in recent years as the club secured the IBI Corporate Finance Championship in 2021 and then subsequently won the 2022 Premier League just 12 months later. Balbriggan has also recently won the LHK Group Senior Men’s T20 (Alan Murray) Cup for the first time and as 2023 Champions, the club will represent the CL region in the All-Ireland semi-finals later this summer.

It has also been decided that Dominic Joyce will take charge of the Leinster Lightning Bolts in a continuation/expansion of the recent coaching role he fulfilled in the Under 23 District tournament. Dom is club captain at Merrion CC and has already had a distinguished playing career at all levels, representing his country at senior level on 69 occasions including three One-Day Internationals and twenty List A matches.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Nigel Jones for his contribution as Leinster Lightning Head Coach over the past 4 years. Nigel is taking up an exciting new post with Cricket Ireland which will also allow him to be closer to home and we wish him well with his new role. 

Nigel took over as LL Head Coach following the ‘Centenary Summer Smash’ against Middlesex in 2019 and has overseen continued success for the Lightning, most recently in securing the IP20 title last season. In addition to on-field success, we want to acknowledge Nigel’s leadership role in supporting the continued growth & development of the Leinster pathway which continues to produce a majority of IP players on the island.

We also want to take this opportunity to thank Brian O’Rourke for all the support he has provided to Nigel & the Lightning squad and we know Brian will continue in this capacity as Andre takes up the reins.

As always, thanks to our sponsors (Sherwin O’RiordanSolicitors) for their support of the Leinster Lightning & Bolts, it is very much appreciated.