Division 11 stats
Leading all time run scorer (2011-2015) - Ali Hashmi (Lucan) - 953 runs @ 38.12
Most runs in a Division 11 season - Ali Hashmi (Lucan) - 553 runs (2014)
Highest score - Tariq Islam - 239* - Laois 3 vs Bagenalstown 2 - Togher - 15 May 2011
Leading all time wicket taker (2011-2015) - Diarmuid Power (Bagenalstown) - 41 wkts @ 15.10
Most wickets in a Division 11 season - Simon Rice (Greystones) - 34 wkts (2013)
Best bowling - Simba Mujeni - 8-6 - Knockharley 2 vs Bagenalstown 2 - McGrath Park - 4 June 2011
Most matches - Foram Mehta (North County) - 36 - (2012-2014)
Highest team score - 409-1 - Laois 3 vs Bagenalstown 2 - Togher - 15 May 2001
Lowest team score - 20 all out - North County 5 vs The Hills 4 - Milverton - 29 July 2012
The entrance of a new club into Cricket Leinster's leagues has become a frequent occurrence in recent years, and this Sunday will see another momentous occasion, as Clondalkin 1 play their first match. How they perform over the season will have a big part to play in determining who will stay up and who will go down.
2015 was a good year for The Hills 4, who reversed a few years of decline with a campaign that finished with promotion from Division 12. But they will need a further improvement this year to stay in Division 11, and it is a little difficult to work out where that will come from. They have a poor record against the mid-ranking teams in the division, and so are going to be looking to those matches against possible relegation contenders for their points. They haven't played matches in recent years against either Rush 3 or Merrion 6, and it looks as if those four matches will be the big ones. At the moment, both Rush and Merrion look to have the edge, and that would send The Hills back down to Division 12.
Pembroke 5 are another teams who fit the patter of big club - lower team slipping down the leagues. The last two years have seen Pembroke at least stop that decline (without reversing it). Can the Foxes win their first league title since 1997? Probably not. They have an excellent record against The Hills (3-0), a good one against Lucan (2-1), but apart from that it is nothing to write home about, and unfortunately it looks like it could be a long summer's battle at the wrong end of the table.
Without wishing to sound like a broken bit of vinyl, Rush 3 are yet another traditional club whose lower teams have slipped a bit. In fact it is easier to list those clubs who don't fit that description. There has been a fall in league position for the last three years, and another one would mean relegation. But the side who last won a league title back in 2003 should have enough in them. Qualities such as that that they have brought to encounters with Clontarf 5 - winning four of the last seven matches - would lead one to believe that they will be lower mid table at least. 7th.
Merrion 6 were one of the success stories of lower division cricket. Their decline though has been one of the unheralded collapses of the last few years. In 59th place in 2011 (equivalent to the top half of Division 8 now), they have slipped towards the bottom half of Division 11 in five seasons. But there is not much evidence to think that that decline will keep on happening. Merrion are still a strong club, and although the 6ths were probably punching above their weight back in 2011, further relegation doesn't seem likely. Despite that, the season will be no stroll in the park, and they will have to maintain their decent records against teams such as Pembroke and Rush to stay up. Perhaps 6th.
And so on to Clondalkin 1. THey have been preparing assiduously for the new season. Their new ground in Tymon Park is ready to go, and they have assembled a big squad with lots of players that are new to Leinster cricket, along with a good few who have played previously with other clubs. They could do very well in the league; we think it unlikely that they will be relegated, and more likely than not, they will be in between. We'll plump for 5th.
That leaves the business end of the table, with the top four. This is Lucan 1's fourth year, and they have slowly moved up the league ladder, from 93rd to 84th. If they could eke out another upwards move, they would be in the top three. But there is little to suggest that they have to keep on moving upwards - no new players, and no youth section to add to the ranks. Safely top four, but any better may be beyond them.
Terenure 3 had a torrid time in 2015, but against that have played at a level beyond everyone else in the division (apart from Merrion 6 at their peak). 70th in 2011 down to 78th last year, is only a small drop compared to other teams, and crucially, top of Division 11 this year is 81st in the league structure. But last year's stresses may have taken their toll a little bit, and although Terenure will do ok, they will fall just short of the title. Maybe 3rd place.
Finally we have an exception to our rule of decline in big clubs. Clontarf 5 have bucked that trend, and have gone up the leagues slowly - from 89th in 2011 to 83rd last year. We know that is a very small rise, but they have been a salmon swimming against the current of similar teams going the other way. One more rise would see them reach the top two, and that is where we think they will finish.
So to our tip for the top of Division 11 this year. One reason is that Ringcommons 1 will once again have the only former Ireland international (we think) playing in Division 11 - Declan Moore. The team were promoted three divisions in 2012/13 and have slipped back a little bit since. However, last year's position would see them top this year, and we predict that that is where they will finish
Clondalkin 1 kick off the season with their first ever game in Tymon Park, against Lucan 1 this Sunday.