While figures will be updated at the end of the season, it is interesting even at this point to see the breakdown of players who have played in Open Competition for Merrion this season.
Up to the first week in August, 88 players had donned the Merrion [although only some got their new kit in time]colours this year. It is unlikely that this figure will increase before the end of the season. As might be expected this is well down on the numbers from a time before Covid.
Only 11 players who took part in 2011 are still playing today and only a handful more are still members or involved in the club in any meaningful way. Player retention is not just an issue for the youth section.
Looking at the 2021 season the following is a rough breakdown by age group.
| Players | Matches | Ave M/P | |
| Youth [U19] | 26 | 109 | 4.19 |
| University [U23] | 9 | 35 | 3.89 |
| Independent [U30] | 20 | 139 | 6.95 |
| Work / Family [U40] | 19 | 153 | 8.05 |
| Mature [40 plus] | 14 | 57 | 4.07 |
Excluding the existing youth players, only 23 players [37%] came through the club youth system. It also would appear that very few players moved as an adult to Merrion from another club – by my estimate only 3.
In the Womens’ section Covid has not had the same impact and the number of players has actually increased over the past two years as the number of teams has risen to three. In 2021 there were 36 players who turned out for one of the Women’s teams.
Sixteen of the players are from our youth section and another eight played for Merrion as youth cricketers.