Fantasy League table
The 2013 season is underway. The sun is now starting to tease us with its promise of a good summer. April fulfilled its prophecy of in like a lion and out like a lamb. Cricket has been played and those who did appear in April will be hoping that they can start to shed some of the layers in May.
The advent of computerised scoring is leading a revolution in communicating results to everyone. The LCU Live Scores Centre is a joy enabling everyone to follow their favourite teams, players, leagues. Full scorecards allow the OCC to keep tabs on starring lists, but more importantly allow us to discover which individuals are shining brightest. The “just-for-fun” Fantasy table returns, listing players by the points they earn. There is no account taken for how high a league you play, we just assume that you are playing against your peers in whatever league you appear. The great and the good mix it up with the rest of us, the hoi polloi.
Points System
The points system remains unchanged from last season. Points are earned for appearances, runs scored, wickets taken, catches held, stumpings snaffled. Bonus points are available for 50’s and 100’s (with the bat), five and most unlikely, ten wicket hauls. All players are entered as you only have to appear on a score sheet to register points.
Total Players and Points
Even at this early stage, a total of 771 players have graced the playing fields of Leinster, and more incredibly 35,619 fantasy points have already been scored.
Overall Points
If this were the Grand National we are only just crossing the Melling Road for the first time with a long way to go, but a clear front runner has already emerged from the overall points total. Bagnelstown’s Imran Muhammad has in his two games amassed 244 points and has a 35 point lead over Wexford Wanderer James Redmond (209 points). Imran’s 8 wickets (also a leading score) and 54 runs seems to trump James’ 4 wickets and 99 runs. Manoj Jacobs, who ran well over the course last season, of Swords is in third with 196 points whilst the top 5 are filled out by Pembroke’s new boy who enjoyed his return to Merrion, Jeremy Dunleavy (188 points) and Phoenix’s A. Joseph (181 points).
Wicket takers
Leading the wicket takers is overall point leader Bagnelstown’s Imran Muhammad (8), but chasing him down are six players each with 6 wickets. Regular wicket taker of many years Nicky Jago of R&SPU, A. Joseph of Phoenix, P. Arkadi of Civil Service, another name from 2012, R. Nair of Dundrum, F. Sarfraz of Longford and R. Gorvin of Dublin University.
Runs
Runs are traditionally hard to come by in April, but it hasn’t stopped some people. J. Anderson of Merrion and E. Ahmed of the Titans of Terenure are the only two to register centuries and also both are top of the run scorers with 118 and 117.
Joji Matthews of Dundrum is the only other player to have over 100 runs albeit in two innings. Wexford Wanderer James Redmond has scored 99 for fourth place and in fifth, Manoj Jacobs of Swords has 96 runs.
Catches
Hands are cold and not yet used to 5.5 oz of leather and cork flying off bats and catches can be at a premium. However some players have been training all winter and even some playing in the heat of UAE. R&SPU’s (and Leinster Lightning) captain Kevin O’Brien has been leading from the front with 4 catches in his first game, but Adnan Khan of Dublin University has matched this. Seven players have three catches and 24 have taken two.
Stumpings
Six Stumpings have been recorded with J. Cassidy of YMCA the only person with two. The other four victims have been down to the lightning reflexes of: D. Ryan , Greystones; J. King, Bagnelstown; H. Whelan, Clontarf and; P. Byrne, R&SPU.
Appearances and P. Unregistered
Thirteen players have already appeared three times and in all there have been 946 player/games. Paul Reynolds’ favourite player, P. Unregistered has already made 3 appearances, with 39 runs and 1 wicket whilst turning out for Merrion and Leinster.
It is good to see that over the five categories there are 15 clubs mentioned and players from all levels. Newcomers Longford who didn’t take long to make their mark, relative newcomers, Greystones and Swords, to established so-called Senior clubs, R&SPU, YMCA, Clontarf, Terenure Titans, Merrion, Phoenix and Pembroke.
If any player would like to know his or her (for men’s cricket only) own Fantasy score, please send an email to craig@cricket.ie and ask nicely. It is hoped that the Fantasy table will be updated weekly, but if a week is missed we ask for your patience. It’s a marathon, not a sprint (nor snickers).