P Johnston, P Reynolds, A Hussein, MacDonnell, Dockrell, Rule, KEN TAYLOR(!), Lawlor(!) etc, etc.
Renno's Review 2008
League - At last, a return to the promised land of Senior 2. For any club with aspirations, the 2nd XI has to be playing at Senior 2, otherwise the gap between 1sts and 2nds is just to big to be meaningful. Just what the 2nds have been doing for the last three seasons, I'm not sure, but anyway that is behind us now. The league was won on the back of some dogged batting and determined bowling. Off the top of my head, I don't think 300 was passed at all, but in Rathmines especially, 250 was passed every time it needed to be. The two losses were against a good Civil Service side in Rathmines, and then on the mat in North Wicklow, a surface that Leinster players always seem to be rubbish on. The league position was established in the first half of the season, and although rain ruined the lap of honour, there were no real causes for alarm.
Cup
- The one disappointment of the season. All players want to play in a cup final on ones own ground. Thus year was the year to do it. All was going well after wins against North Wicklow and Rush, with a semi final away to Laois standing in the way of that final. However, the worst display of the season ended up with a good old fashioned stuffing, leaving Clontarf to beat Laois in the final.
Tillain Cup (20 overs) - Cup
- The highlight of the entire season. Much has been written about Gary Lawlor's innings - refer to the report below if you want to read more. It remains one of those moments that will live me for ever. The rest of the 20 over campaign was pretty satsfying as well. A routine win in North Wicklow was followed up by the beating of the top three teams in Senior 2 - Railway Union and Merrion and then North County in the final. The stuff that dreams are made of.
Review
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Only one player (Pete Johnston) averaged over 30 in last year's disasterous campaign. This year there were nine. And that is where the difference was. Johnston, Reynolds, Lucas, Hussein and MacDonnell all passed 200 runs, and with plenty more contributing, runs were never a problem.(NB: Bizarrely I have managed to overlook the massive contribution of Ken Taylor. In the league he scored 145 runs without being dismissed, and added to this with 50 runs in the cup without being dismissed. Just shy of the 200 run mark, but if the Tillain Cup run was included (a disaster for Ken with 45 runs at 15), he finished with a season average of 80 - apologies to Ken for the oversight!) Most of the sides put out had nine or ten batsmen, and Rob Kenealy won the first game of the season against North County with the bat as well. With the ball, the simple things were done pretty well. Malcolm Rule was the top wicket take with 16 (the lad will go far), and Kenealy, Dockrell, Hussein and MacDonnell all got double digits. 36 players used in total, but the spine of the side played in most of the games. Roll on Senior 2.
September 6th - A fitting end to the season, as the 2nds final league match at home to Rush was rained off (See photos on home page). The 2nds are defintitely promoted, but whether the Senior 3 title has been secured is not 100% guarenteed. If Civil Service manage to refix a couple of games over the next two weeks, they may still be able to take top spot. Confirmation will not be known until the end of the month. 2nd team averages, and a general review of the season will appear here over the next few weeks.
June 16th
- Some poweful hitting from Mssrs Storey and Johnston propelled Leinster into the semi finals of the Tillain Cup. 53 from Pete Johnston, 35 from Dave Lucas and 24* from Justin Storey helped LCC to 156-4 from 20 overs. In reply the pick of the bowlers were Asif Hussein (2-12 from 3) and Rob O'Connor (1-22 from 5).
May Bank Holiday weekend - No reports, since I had the temerity to take a week's holiday during the season. However two excellent run chases, anchored by Gavin Gilmore (95) and Raza ur Rehman (110*) against Rush (and putting on 220 for the 5th wicket in the process) and Calum Paterson (47), Rob Miley (61) and Gavin Gilmore again (65*) against Phoenix, saw the 2nds win their third game on the trot this season. The excellent batting though, seemed to mask some inadequacies in the bowling department
RHB, RFM, DOB: --/--/--