Previews for all today's Open Competitions matches can be found over on the Match Centre, and are here as well if you prefer.
Get involved today - if you have any information on games in your club, please post in the Match Centre for all to know! Details on how to post on the Match Centre can be found here, but in summary, go to cricketleinster.ie, log in using the same details that you have registered with and post on the Match Centre.
Phoenix 1 vs Balbriggan 1 - The planned match between these two last week was not surprisingly a victim of the weather. Bit with Clontarf winning both of their matches in the group, the losers of this one could already be struggling to qualify for the semi finals. Balbriggan's wait for a first Alan Murray win since August 2019 continues and their last win over Phoenix in Phoenix was in August 2014 with Muhammad Farrukh top scoring with 68. Phoenix have lost their last two Alan Murray matches in Phoenix (to Clontarf and YMCA), and last one a home Alan Murray match in June 2018 - against Balbriggan.
Civil Service 1 vs Clontarf 1 - A decent performance by Civil Service last week saw them go down by 22 runs to Clontarf, and there will be some hope of an upset when the sides meet again this week in Civil Service. Clontarf have an astoundiug record against Civil Service in the Phoenix Park, having won 22 matches on the bounce. One thing worth bearing in mind was that the last of those matches was on June 10 1944, the first in the run being September 3 1921.
Pembroke 1 vs YMCA 1 - Pembroke's loss to Railway Union last week means they will probably have to win at least three of their last four matches. After last week's rain off between the two sides, their last meeting in the Alan Murray remains a match in June 2015, when Pembroke won by 6 wickets. YMCA's win over Terenure puts them in a much better position. YMCA do not have a great record in Pembroke though. Four times they have played an Alan Murray match there (2013 onwards), losing to Pembroke twice, Merrion once and The Hills once.
Terenure 1 vs Railway Union 1 - Railway emerged as the stars of the first weekend of Alan Murray cup action after wins over Pembroke and Terenure. They take on Terenure again today, with two wins bringing them to the threshold of qualification for the semis. Terenure's home record in the Alan Murray is pretty awful. In a run going back to June 2015, they have only won one match from eleven played, that win being over YMCA last June.
North County 1 vs Malahide 1 - Like many teams, Malahide and North County had a pretty depressing weekend last week, each having two matches rained off. The sides did give us an entertaining glimpse of what could happen today, with Malahide's tall pace attack of Chase, O'Halloran, Donnelly, Sheridan and Shoebridge causing the North County batting line up to jump around a bit. After last week's rain off, Malahide have still not beaten North County in an Alan Murray match since our records began.
Rush 1 vs The Hills 1 - A great victory for Rush last week, thanks to a 25 ball 52 from Llewelyn Johnson and a 12 ball 23 from Nathan Maguire. It was Rush's first win over The Hills since July 2013, and the first in Milverton since May 2011. The Hills have now lost four matches in a row going back to last season, but have a good record against Rush (ignoring last week), winning their last three Alan Murray matches in Kenure.
Dublin University 1 vs Leinster 1 - No preview, as previous matches this season involving these teams still to be processed.
Merrion 1 vs North Kildare 1 - No preview, as previous matches this season involving these teams still to be processed.
Wexford Wanderers 1 vs YMCA 3 - Three times YMCA have travelled down the M11 to take on Wexford Wanderers 1 since 2011, and three times they have returned with the points. The last time the teams met in the league in Wexford was in a Division 7 match (showing how much the clubs have improved since then), with Dale McDonough top scoring with 31 as YM chased 112 to win by 4 wickets.
Wicklow County 2 vs Pembroke 5 - No preview, as previous matches this season involving these teams still to be processed.
Sandyford 1 vs Civil Service 2 - The two teams try again to get their league season underway after both being rained off two weekends ago. They met twice in 2011, followed by a ten year gap, and another match between them in 2021. But the result was the same in all three matches, with Civil Service winning all the lot.
Swords 2 vs Finglas 1 - The first time Finglas 1 have played against a Swords team, although their 2nds and 3rds have come out of the encounters with Swords in level par. In a tale that will be often repeated over the coming weeks, Division 11 has not quite got off to the best of starts. Swords 2 are top by virtue of a walkover against YMCA last week, but also lost to North County, whilst Fingla have just had the one rained off match.
The Hills 4 vs Swords 3 - No preview, as previous matches this season involving these teams still to be processed.
Clontarf 3 vs Adamstown 1 - Contrasting Division 5 fortunes for these two sides. Adamstown have one win to their belt after beating Rush 2, whilst Clontarf lost their first match to Malahide 3. Clontarf lead the head to head between the teams 3-2, although the last Division 5 match between the pair went Adamstown's way, Adamstown winning by one wicket in September 2017.
Gorey 1 vs Tyrrelstown 3 - The first time the two teams have met in Leinster competitions ,and with Division 13 struggling to beat the weather, neither team really has much form to write about. In league cricket, Gorey 1's leading wicket taker is Khan Khan with 63 wickets at 13.56, whilst their leading run scorer is Umar Khan with 1364 runs at 37.89 For Tyrrelstown 3, top run scorer is Anup Kishen with 414 at 27.6, and leading wicket taker is Arun Reddy Katheri with 33 at 10.79.
Malahide 3 vs Laois 1 - Laois 1 play their first Division 5 match of the season, with Malahide 3 on top of the table after a win over Clontarf 3 and a rained off match. The teams haven't crossed paths since two Division 4 games back in 2011, with Laois winning both. In the match in Malahide, Laois were in big problems at 40-6, before 44 from Jonny Yasin saw them to 121 all out. It was all over at 115-6 before wickets from Clint Wilkie, Louis Hofmeyr and Rashid Mehraj saw the last four wickets fall for five wins to give Laois a one run win. What a match!
Carlow 2 vs Civil Service 5 - The second match league between these two sides already, with Carlow running out convincing winners on April 16th. Daire Dooley took 3-13, his best bowling figures for Carlow 2, and Abdullah Davodzi scored 47 (also his best for Carlow 2) as Carlow chased down Civil Service's 140 for the loss of four wickets.
Malahide 6 vs Castleknock 3 - Malahide 6 are playing their seventh year of league cricket, previously playing between 1996 and 2001. Castleknock 3 are more experienced, playing 2013-2018 and then 2021-2022. But with no overlap between their histories, this is their first meeting. Castleknock are top of Division 16 after beating Knockharley 3, whilst Malahide lost to Swords 3 first time out.
North Kildare 3 vs Lucan 1 - No preview, as previous matches this season involving these teams still to be processed.
Mullingar 1 vs Carlow 1 - Some canny fixture making from Mullingar meant they take the field for the first time this year, having missed all the April rain. They start with a tough one against Carlow 1 who Railway Union 3 first time out. This will be the first time that the 25th (Mullingar) and 26th (Carlow) ranked 1st teams in the province have met, and with Carlow being one of the fastest rising teams in Leinster, Mullingar have a tough one to start. Carlow 2 have played five times in St Finian's College, winning only once.
DLR County 2 vs Lucan 3 - DLR County 2 vs Lucan 3 - Two unbeaten teams meet in Shanganagh Park. DLR's search for a first ever league title has got a decent start - they are currently top of the league, with "only" eleven league matches to go. Lucan are back in third place.. No previous meetings between the teams..
Railway Union 3 vs Pembroke 3 - Railway have already had four matches completed on the field, with two wins and two losses, whilst Pembroke only have a single rained off match to their name. It seems as if their have been dozens of matches between the clubs already this season, but if today goes ahead, it will be the first match since 2019 between these two. There have only been two meetings between the sides in Park Avenuen (in 2019 and 2011), with Pembroke winning both. Pembroke 3 were the leading 3rd team in the province back in 2012 and 2013, but have slipped a bit to 4th. Railway finished a the 8th best in 2022.
Athlone 1 vs Phoenix 4 - Athlone 1 are unbeaten in their first two matches this season, and play their second league match after a win over DLR County 1. Phoenix have lost their first two league matches, and need a win - although Doon is a tough place to turn it around. The only Phoenix team to travel to the Offaly ground are Phoenix 6 who lost to Athlone in 2019 and Athlone 3 in 2022.
North County 6 vs Finglas 3 - A win and a loss so far from Finglas, both to Kilkenny 3. North County have yet to finish a game in the league. North County 6 don't have the best of records in Ringcommons, only winning two of the five games they have played, but beat Mullingar 3 in their last match there, last August.
Bagenalstown 1 vs DLR County 1 - A quiet start to the season for Bagenalstown, who are fielding only one team in the league for the first time since 2003. They lost last week to Tyrrelstown 1 and face a DLR County side today who beat Bagenalstown in both their Middle Cup matches last year. DLR County suffered a defeat to Athlone 1 first up in the league, but bounced back with a big win over Phoenix 4, thanks to the highest scorer in Open Competitions this year so far - Prasad Rudrappa Shivu who hit 84 in that match and 135 runs at 67.5 overall
Clondalkin 1 vs Knockharley 2 - Clondalkin 1 vs Knockharley 2 - Clondalkin start their league season today, whilst their Division 8 rivals Knockharley will be buoyant after a win over Phoenix 4 in mid April. The last five matches between the teams have resulted in wins for Clondalkin, four of them with Clondalkin batting second.
Greystones 3 vs Laois 3 - A win last weekend for Laois 3 over Railway Union 5 to take them to 2-1 in the league. Greystones lost to Civil Service two weeks ago, and are looking for their first win. The three previous meetings (all across 2021 and 2022) have all gone the way of Greystones, with Greystones also being ranked one place above Laois in the rank of 3rd teams (18th to 19th). All would point to a home win.
Kilkenny 2 vs Phoenix 6 - Eight matches have been scheduled so far in Division 17, with half rained off. Kilkenny have one loss to their name, and Phoenix are yet to complete a league match. However the two teams met last week in the Minor Cup, in a match that was closer than it perhaps looks. Phoenix scored 89/5, with Jinu Varghese top scoring with 36. In reply four Kilkenny batters were dismissed for two or less, but Muhammad Yasir Ashraf (24*) and Rana Faheem Riaz (53) saw them home with 21 balls remaining.
Balbriggan 3 vs Clontarf 5 - Two teams with an identical record so far in Division 10 - a loss and a rained off no result, so not the best of starts for either team. Their only previous meeting saw a convincing Whelan Cup victory for Balbriggan, with Kashif Qazi being the star with 53 and 1-7 from four overs. In that match, Clontarf lost five wickets for three runs, one of only three occasions in the last 12 seasons, they have lost five wickets for three runs or less.
Leinster 5 vs Ashbourne 2 - Both teams looks to get their first result of the league season. This is the first meeting between the clubs, although Leinsgter 5 beat Ashbourne 1 by 23 runs in 2017. Anoop Bolledla is the leading run scorer for Ashbourne 2 with 789 runs at 23.21 - he is also their leading wicket taker with 52 wickets at 16.77
Castleknock 1 vs Merrion 4 - No preview, as previous matches this season involving these teams still to be processed.
Adamstown 3 vs Civil Service 4 - No preview, as previous matches this season involving these teams still to be processed.
Adamstown 6 vs Knockharley 3 - A repeat of last week's Russell Sports Trophy match which Adamstown won convincingly by 6 wickets. The two league meetings in 2022 were shared though, so there is hope for Knockharley. Knockharley 3 have now lost their last three completed matches, but have some way to go before any records are broken. Their worst run was nine without a win - from July 2021 to 15 May last year. On the other hand, Adamstown 6 have won their last two, but their record for matches without a loss is five, between June and July 2021.
Dundalk 2 vs Sandyford 4 - No preview, as previous matches this season involving these teams still to be processed.
Tyrrelstown 1 vs Greystones 1 - The first match between the two sides, and both have an identical Division 7 record this season - one rained off match. Greystones' away record has been poor, winning only one of their last nine, (although this is a run that only goes back to last August). Sachin Dev plays his 50th match for Tyrrelstown 1 today.
Phoenix 1 vs Clontarf 1 - Last week's win by Clontarf over Phoenix was the seventh straight Alan Murray win for Clontarf in this fixture, a run going back to July 2014. Looking at Phoenix's last win in 2013, they scored 145/9, primarily thanks to a nine ball 23 at the end from Sadaf Raza. Then a Phoenix bowling attack of Dumisina Magala, Tyler Balogh, Branam Adams, Madus Ahmed, Steve Davis and Andrew Leonard restricted Clontarf to 137/6. The Phoenix bowling attack may have changed, but not everything life does - Eoghan Delany top scored for Clontarf with 59.
Civil Service 1 vs Balbriggan 1 - Last weekend was the second time in a row that an attempt to play an Alan Murray Cup match between these two was rained off - so fingers crossed this week. Back in 2012, the two teams met four times in league and cup, with Balbriggan winning three. Plenty has changed since then, with Balbriggan rising from the 16th best 1st team in the province to the top. Service were 17th best last year, so who knows where they could be in ten seasons time?
Pembroke 1 vs Railway Union 1 - Railway's first Alan Murray win over Pembroke since 2013 grabbed the headlines last week. Can they follow it up with a first win in Sydney Parade (in any competition) since 2017? No player has scored more runs against Pembroke 1 in the Alan Murray than Railway's Kenny Carroll - 236 runs at 59.
Terenure 1 vs YMCA 1 - With Railway Union having won both of their matches in Group B, these two teams cannot afford a slip up if they are to advance to the semis. YMCA were big winners against Terenure last week though, thanks to a 44 ball 100 by Tim Tector. That was the 21st Alan Murray century since the 2011 season, and the first for YMCA since Oliver Gunning in 2018.
North County 1 vs The Hills 1 - Nearly a complete washout in Group C of the LHK Alan Murray Cup last week, with The Hills' loss to Rush being the only match to escape. The Hills have not beaten North County in the Alan Murray since 2014, with the last two matches - in 2015 and 2019 going North County's way.
Rush 1 vs Malahide 1 - Rush wil be buzzing after their win last week, but meet a Malahide team who look to be pretty confident as well. Malahide lead the head to head 3-1, with the highest individual score in those matches being Stephen Doheny with 74 for Rush in June 2018. The best bowling is Alessandro Morris with 3-13 in July 2014.
Dublin University 1 vs Leinster 1 - No preview, as previous matches this season involving these teams still to be processed.
Merrion 1 vs North Kildare 1 - No preview, as previous matches this season involving these teams still to be processed.