Division 6 stats
Leading all time run scorer (2011-2015) - Srikanth Boddu (Sandyford) - 1109 runs @ 30.81
Most runs in a Division 6 season - Khizer Khan (Railway Union) - 479 runs (2013)
Highest score - Imran Mohammed - 160 - Railway Union 4 vs Longford 1 - Newtownforbes - 22 April 2014
Leading all time wicket taker (2011-2015) - Anthony Burke (Sandyford) - 78 wkts @ 14.91
Most wickets in a Division 6 season - Aaron Joseph (Phoenix) - 31 wkts (2014)
Best bowling - Susheel Kumar - 7-13 - Railway Union 4 vs Castleknock 1 - Castleknock College - 14 June 2014
Most matches - Sean McCann and Patrick Monks (Rush) - 46 - (2011-2015)
Highest team score - 345-8 - Railway Union 4 vs Sandyford 1 - Park Avenue - 14 June 2015
Lowest team score - 33 all out - Knockharley 1 vs Longford 1 - Knockharley - 14 Sept 2014
This column leaps into the future now, skipping over Divisions 7, 8 and 9, to have a look at Division 6, which starts this Sunday.
For those of you who have read the Division 10 preview this afternoon, Division 6 has a very similar story. And without boring anyone, there are sides from above relying on past glories, young bucks emerging from below, and a Dublin 4 based side lifting the title.
The 2015 Division 7 champions, Merrion 5 make their debut at this level, and frankly it is a level so high for a 5th team that it is difficult to fully appreciate. The reasons behind the success that Merrion's "middle" sides have had in the last few years are numerous, but would probably need someone from within Merrion to fully expand on. The traditional response from outsiders would be that there are people on the 5ths playing at a level that is too low. That can hardly be true though, as all the higher Merrion sides do equally well. The answer is basically that there are lots of decent players in Merrion. But this must be a promotion too far. Even with Merrion 5's success in the last few years, they have never finished higher than 49th in the league. And just to avoid relegation. they will have to improve by another three places. It is difficult to see anything other than 8th place.
Castleknock 1 are another team who are going to have to perform out of their skins to be playing Division 6 cricket in 2017. The only team win this league without a league title to their name, Castleknock have had a pretty consistent few seasons, finishing somewhere between 44th and 51st each year. But it is only 44th (their 2013 position) that would see them safe this season. Their record against some of their opponents is none too inspiring, including a 0-5 record against Terenure 2. If they are to stay up, they have to beat Merrion 5 twice. But it looks like 7th place in our eyes.
The mid table of Division 6 looks pretty congested, and there is very little between places four to six. We've plumped for 2009 Senior 3 champions Terenure 2 to take 6th place, but there wasn't much in it. Recent seasons would have seen Terenure finish at the top of DIvision 6 every year - with only 2012 and 2013 seeing end of season positions that would have been outside of the Division 6 promotion positions. But their record against their opponents is poor to say the least - 2-4 vs Railway, 0-2 vs Longford, 0-2 vs Adamstown and 1-4 vs Rush to say that they may be closer to the bottom than the top. So no title, but no relegation either, and they could be a bit higher.
Longford 1 have quickly established themselves as a force at this level, and they have finished as a mid table Division 6 side every year since their entry in 2013. There is no real reason why anything will be different this year. There will be some brilliant victories, some awful defeats, and another solid season. We'll go for 5th.
When sides have been massively consistent every year, it is difficult for these preview to predict anything different. Rush 2 have finished in the equivalent of between 2nd and 4th in Division 6 every year since 2011. The club is moving in the right direction, and undoubtedly improving. But then the standard is improving everywhere, and clubs need to improve massively to break out of their consistency. In our eyes, the crucial games will be with the other "top" teams, Railway Union 3 ( who Rush haven't played in recent years), North County 3 (Rush are 2-2), and Adamstown 1 (who Rush are 0-1). So without a historical advantage over their top opponents, it is difficult to see a promotion season. We're predicting 4th.
Each season we end up predicting that Adamstown 1 will do well, which is just as well as they have improved their league position every year since they entered the league. Can they keep on going? If they improve on last year's 45th place, they will be promoted again, and it is a definite possibility. But to do that, they are going to have to beat the top sides, such as Railway Union 3 and North County 3 - and that doesn't look a given. So another improvement, but third place and not promotion.
North County 3 were the best third team in the province in the not too distant past, but currently are down on their luck. Last year's first attempt at being promoted back to Division 6 resulted in narrow failure, but the money is on them succeeding this year. They have a good record against most other teams, and to be honest, we just have a feeling! Runners up spot.
And that just leaves our prediction for champions, and for the second time today, it is a team from Railway Union. Railway Union 3 will benefit for the same reason as their 4ths in Division 10. They are playing ten places lower than they were last year, after taking the place of Railway 4ths in the league structure. And last year they finished mid table in Division 5. So to put it frankly, there is not much chance of them coming anywhere apart from top of Division 6!
The first match of the season is a crucial one, with Castleknock 1 playing Longford 1 on Sunday.