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Clontarf 1 vs Phoenix 1 - The 2023 LHK Alan Murray Cup starts in a new early season slot. Clontarf have won this title four times this century, whilst Phoenix go back to 200 for their last win. Clontarf have dominated this fixture, winning the last six Alan Murray matches between the sides.
Balbriggan 1 vs Civil Service 1 - After winning last year's Premier League, the next thing on the Balbriggan list may well be improving their not great record in the Alan Murray. Eight wins in 38 matches since their debut in 2013 isn't great, and their last win in the competition at home was a 6 run win over YMCA back in June 2016. Civil Service will be looking to build on the experience of last year's competition, where they lost in matches against North County and Merrion.
YMCA 1 vs Terenure 1 - The 2012 champions host the 1995 champions in Claremont Road. In the six meetings since the 2011 season, the head to head in the competition is 4-2 in YMCA's favour, but with all those matches being won by the home side, YMCA are favourites.
Railway Union 1 vs Pembroke 1 - Railway's last win over Pembroke in the Alan Murray Cup was back in 2013, with fifties from Kenny Carroll and Patrick Conliffe. Since then, Pembroke have won the last four, although the sides haven't met since 2019. Pembroke last lifted the trophy in 2008, Railway in 2006.
Malahide 1 vs Rush 1 - Rush set out once again in their quest to win the Alan Murray for the first time. They have a tough start, away to the 2019 champions, Malahide. Rush did beat Malahide back in 2018, thanks to a Stephen Doheny 74, but overall Malahide lead the head to head 3-1.
The Hills 1 vs North County 1 - The Hills haven't beaten North County in the Alan Murray since 2014, when 52 from pro Tim Affleck saw County home by 1 wicket. The last two matches (in 2019 and 2015) have seen big North County wins, and both matches were in The Vineyard, setting for today's match. The Hills are the reigning champions, whulst North County's last win was back in 2010.
Dublin University 1 vs Merrion 1 - Dublin University make a rare appearance in the Alan Murray Cup, and their young side will fancy their chances of advancing in the competition. Merrion won the fifth of their 21st century titles in 2021, and interestingly haven't played a single match in College Park since our detailed records began in 2011.
Leinster 1 vs North Kildare 1 - The one previous meeting between these two in the Alan Murray resulted in a thumping 10 wicket win for Leinster, as Gareth Delany and Arslan Anwar chased down North Kildare's 63 in 3.4 overs. But North Kildare won last year's home Championship clash, and travel to Rathmines with hope. North Kildre's last win in Observatory Lane was a Division 3 match back in 2014, when 50s for Mark Topping and Tom Satchwell, coupled with 5-48 from Neil Vorster saw them beat Leinster 2 by 31 runs.
North County 5 vs Finglas 2 - This weekend sees the first four matches in the 2023 GS Cricket Junior Cup Group B. Finglas 2 of Division 13 enter this one as favourites over North County 5 of Division 14. The teams met three times in 2022, with Finglas 2 winning all three. Neither team has won a T20 compeitition in their history, with North County 4 being runner up in the Junior Cup last year.
The Hills 5 vs Clontarf 7 - With both of The Hills 5's Minor 2 Cup Group A games against Mullingar veing rained off two weeks ago, The Hills definitely need a win today. These two were due to meet in a Division 20 match last week - but like so many others it fell victim to the rain. Another two teams have never experienced the joy of winning a T20 Cup final.
Pembroke 3 vs Greystones 1 - The start of Group B of the LHK Insurance YMCA Salver sees Pembroke 3 of Division 6 take on Greystones 1 of Division 7. Pembroke 3 won the Salver way back in 2001 (a year they also won Middle A) and they can't be ruled out of similar exploits this year. This is a repeat of a 2018 fixture which saw Pembroke squeeze home by 2 runs, Rehan Ali's 55 for Pembroke, trumping John Fitzsimons 67* in reply for Greystones.
North County 3 vs Clondalkin 1 - The first match in LHK Insurance Middle Cup Group A. North County started their league season with a good 6 wicket win over Swords 1 two weeks ago, whereas Clondalkin 1 don't start their league season until May 6. The two Division 8 sides last played in 2020, where two matches in the YMCA Salver resulted in two narrow wins for Clondalkin.
Tyrrelstown 1 vs Athlone 1 - Tyrrelstown 1 (Division 7) play Athlone 1 (Division 8) in Group C of the Middle Cup. Athlone 1 have experienced T20 success before, but that was in 2021's Russell Court Trophy, several rungs down the ladder from the Middle Cup. In two league meetings last year, each side had a big win when playing away. Athlone's Pradeepkumar Halakeri is currently the third highest wicket taker in the Open Competitions, with six wickets at 6.50.
Merrion 3 vs Knockharley 1 - No preview, as previous matches this season still be processed.
Terenure 4 vs Pembroke 5 - No preview, as previous matches this season still to be processed.
Castleknock 2 vs North Kildare 3 - No preview, as previous matches this season still to be processed.
Swords 5 vs Adamstown 8 - No preview, as previous matches this season still to be processed.
Malahide 3 vs Clontarf 3 - Both teams have had an aborted start to the season, with their dfirst matches being rained off. This match will go some way to deciding bragging rights as to who is the third best 3rd in the province and who is the fourth. Malahide won the last match between the teams - the YMCA Salver final in 2021. However, Clontarf won the seven previous encounters, including their last league game, a Division 5 clash in 2016. The star of that game was Clontarf's Andrew Vincent, with 103* - the first of his four (so far) hundreds in Leinster Open Competitions.
Lucan 1 vs The Hills 3 - Lucan 1 have played six games since 2014 against The Hills 4 (winning four), but this is the first against The Hills 3. Neither has completed a league match yet, so not too much form to go on. Lucan's Chirag Nagavekar is the leading wicket taker in Open Comps so far this season with 8 wickets at 8.38, but those wickets for Lucan 2 and 3, and it remains to be seen whether he is going to play in this match, which would only be his second for Lucan 1.
Rush 3 vs Tyrrelstown 2 - A rained off match for Tyrrelstown 2 last week means that both teams are looking to start their Division 11 season today. A first ever meeting between the two teams. This is only the second ever match between the clubs in the Open Competitions, with the last one being a Minor 2 Cup game between Rush 4 and Tyrrelstown 1 back in 2016.
Adamstown 7 vs Mullingar 3 - Only one previous meeting between the teams - a 2021 Division 16 match, which saw Shreyas Rajesh take 5-15 for Adamstown, as Mullingar were bowled out for 60 on the way to a 171 run defeat. Both teams have struggled since that point, so this one takes place is Division 17.
Phoenix 3 vs Adamstown 2 - No preview, as previous matches this season still to be processed.
Ongar 2 vs Carlow 3 - No preview, as previous matches this season still to be processed.
Adamstown 6 vs Swords 3 - Swords 3 stand on top of the (very) early Division 16 table after a 42 run over Malahide 6 a fortnight ago, whilst Adamstown 6 are starting their season. Swords won Division 17 last year with Adamstown only two places "above" them, so despite them being in different leagues last year, there isn't much between them.
Kilkenny 2 vs Phoenix 6 - The first games in Group A of the Just Property Minor Cup, as Divisoiom 17 sides Kilkenny 2 and Phoenix 6 face off in Castleblunden. The last time a team from Phoenix won a T20 trophy was back in 2007, when the 4ths won the Whelan Cup. One previous match between the teams, when a 42* from Rahul Mahajan saw Phoenix home by 6 wickets in 2021.
Clondalkin 2 vs North Kildare 5 - No preview, as previous matches this season still to be processed.
Civil Service 4 vs Laois 2 - No preview, as previous matches this season still to be processed.
Wicklow County 1 vs Ashbourne 1 - The 38th and 37th ranked 1st teams in the province go head to head in Bray. Whilst Wicklow County won all four Division 8 matches between the teams in 2018 and 2019, they received something of a shock last season, when the Division 9 match saw Ashbourne win by 221 runs, Wicklow COunty being dismissed for an amazing 16. Vipin Baby took 5-3 and Vikas Panse 4-13, as numerous records were broken. It was Wicklow County 1's lowest total (their 2nds also made 16 in 2017), and the fourth lowest total in the Open Competitions since detailed records began for the 2011 season.
Athlone 2 vs Greystones 3 - No preview, as previous matches this season still to be processed.
The Hills 5 vs Clontarf 7 - The second match of a double header between the sides today. For a preview of the match, see the first game.
Tyrrelstown 4 vs Naas 2 - No preview, as previous matches this season still to be processed.
Sandyford 2 vs North County 4 - Sandyford kicked off their Whelan Cup campaign last week with a good away win to Swords. Sandyford are at a disadvantage - they play their cricket in Division 12, whereas North County are top of Division 11, after a win against Swords 2 three weeks ago. Expect North County to improve their hed to head record of 5-3.
Pembroke 3 vs Castleknock 1 - Pembroke 3's second game of the day sees Castleknock 1 make the visit. Pembroke look to have the edge. They have won the last three matches between the teams, and play a division above Castleknock - Division 6 as opposed to Division 7.
Clontarf 1 vs Civil Service 1 - The format of this season's Alan Murray sees some teams travel between their two matches. On top of that, a team's confidence in the second match will depend much on how the first game went. Clontarf should beat Phoenix in their first game, and Civil Service will do well to stop them making it two from two. Clontarf's leading Alan Murray run scorer since 2011 is Andrew Poynter with 1719 runs at 44.08. Leading wicket taker is Joe Morrissey with 58 wickets at 18.78 (6.81 runs per over)
Balbriggan 1 vs Phoenix 1 - Balbriggan have a decent record against Phoenix, sharing the ten matches played between them since 2014. But in the Alan Murray, Phoenix have won the last three, with Balbriggan's last win being back in 2014. For Balbriggan, their leading Alan Murray wicket taker is Duane Harper (27 at 22.07, economy 8.09), whilst their top run scorer is Connor Fletcher with 421 at 22.16. For Phoenix, their table toppers are Adam Chester (436 runs at 16.15) and Ben White (38 at 16.58, economy 6.86)
YMCA 1 vs Pembroke 1 - Pembroke's last Alan Murray Cup win over YMCA was way back in 2015, when a 78* from Theo Lawson overcame YM's 154-6. That was in Sydney Parade though, and Pembroke have lost their last two Alan Murray Cup matches in Claremont Road - in 2014 and 2012. Pembroke's leading performers in the Alan Murray - Theo Lawson with the bat (1145 at 32.71), and his brother Paul Lawson with the ball (63 wickets at 17.14, econoomy 6.81). For YMCA, the equivalents are the same person - Ireland allrounder Simi Singh - 44 wickets at 11.59 (economy 5.43) and 816 runs at 48.
Railway Union 1 vs Terenure 1 - We have to go back to 2014 to find the last Alan Murray match between these two teams. Dave Langford-Smith scored 87 as Terenure scored 145/3 - enough to win by 11 runs as Stephen Moreton took 4-29 for Terenure. Over the seasons since the start of 2011, Langford-Smith is the leading Terenure run scorer in the Alan Murray with 310 runs at 44.29, whilst leading taker is James Smith with 15 wickets at 30.87 (economy 8.37). For Railway Union the leading performers are Pat Collins (23 wickets at 8.57 and an economy of 5.47) and Kenny Carroll (1362 at 48.64)
Malahide 1 vs North County 1 - Four times the sides have met in the Alan Mirrsy since 2011, and four times North County have walked away with the spoils (two of those matches being in Malahide). In the last match (June 2018), Malahide's Jimmy Newland hit his highest score for Malahide - 69. Malahide's leading performers in the Alan Murray are Newland (25 wickets at 19.76, economy 6.85) and Fintan Mc Allister (747 qt 29.73), whilst for North County, the top dogs are Terry Richardson (45 wickets at 12.76, economy 6.52) and Eddie Richardson (677 runs at 21.84)
The Hills 1 vs Rush 1 - The last five meetings between the teams have all gone the way of The Hills, and to find the last Rush win,. we go back to an Alan Murray Cup game in 2013, when a 23 ball 61* from Shahid Iqbal saw Rush win by 7 wickets with nearly seven overs to spare. Max Sorensen is The Hills' leading Alan Murray run scorer (since 2011) with 958 runs at 29.94, whilst their leading wicket taker is Naseer Shoukat with 38 wickets at 21.47 (economy 6.98). For Rush, the leading wicket taker and run scorer is the same person, and something of a surprise. Stephen Doheny has 862 runs at 37.48 (no surprise) but also 25 wickets at 19.24 (economy 7.18)
Dublin University 1 vs North Kildare 1 - Two league natches are all we have to look out in the historical archive of Trinity vs North Kildare matches of the 21st century. The league games in 2016 and 2017 resulted in thumping wins for the students, with George Dockrell incredibly taking 3-2 in successive years to bowl North Kildare out for 49 in 2016 and 63 in 2017.
Leinster 1 vs Merrion 1 - The last eight matches between the teams have resulted in Merrion wins, whilst we go back to 2017 for the last Alan Murray match - also a Merrion win with Jamie Brown scoring 76* for Merrion. John Anderson is Merrion's leading Alan Murray run scorer with 1076 runs at 32.61, with Tom Stanton leading the wickets with 41 at 20.37 (economy 6.33). For Leinster, the leading run scorer and wicket taker are the same person - Joey Carroll with 1051 runs at 42.04 and 66 wickets at 12.20 (economy 6.2)