In a tense afternoon the focus of attention was not on the 1st XI match at Anglesea Road, which from early in the second innings seemed a losing cause, but Malahide’s struggle to overtake The Hills’ modest total of 108. In the end Malahide crawled over the line to win by three wickets, thereby ensuring that Merrion were guaranteed at least 6th position in the Premier League table. Thus relegation was avoided with a game to play.
A year ago the relegation battle extended into the final round of matches with Merrion, mathematically at least, still in danger of the drop. As it turned out a victory in the final game propelled the team to second in the league. While such heights are beyond us this year, the best that can be achieved is 4th, it will be a more relaxed afternoon next week when Merrion play their final game against The Hills.
With interest shifting from the league standing to the individual performances, the current batting and bowling positions are as follows.
| Senior Batting Averages : Season 2023 | ||||||||
| Name | Mts | Inns | NOs | HS | Average | 100s | 50s | Runs |
| John Anderson | 12 | 12 | 0 |
105
|
41.33 | 1 | 4 | 496 |
| Swapnil Modgill | 12 | 12 | 0 |
86
|
31.17 | 0 | 2 | 374 |
| Samuel Harbinson | 12 | 12 | 1 |
78
|
32.82 | 0 | 2 | 361 |
| Jack Carty | 11 | 11 | 0 |
93
|
23.00 | 0 | 2 | 253 |
| Stephen Doheny | 9 | 9 | 0 |
128
|
28.78 | 1 | 1 | 259 |
Although we await the scores from the final game, the outcome is already clear. Five batters scored over 250 runs [with John Anderson very close to the 500 run mark that normally qualifies for the Leinster averages], but only one other player even scored 100 runs in the season [Dom Joyce – 102]. There were two centuries and 11 half-centuries, none outside of the top five batters. The lack of batting depth has been one of the features of the season with the top five players scoring 76% of the total runs.
A similar picture emerges on the bowling front with only five players taking 10 or more wickets.
| Senior Batting Averages : Season 2023 | ||||||||
| Name | Mts | Overs | Wickets | Runs | 5WI | BBI | Econ | Average |
| Hugh Kennedy | 7 | 45 | 13 | 223 | 0 | 4-41 | 4.96 | 17.15 |
| Muhammed Sinan | 12 | 77 | 17 | 320 | 0 | 3-18 | 4.16 | 18.82 |
| Samuel Harbinson | 12 | 89.4 | 19 | 435 | 0 | 3-15 | 4.87 | 22.89 |
| Tom Stanton | 11 | 81.3 | 15 | 355 | 0 | 3-23 | 4.37 | 23.67 |
| Max Sorensen | 11 | 52.5 | 11 | 304 | 0 | 3-32 | 5.79 | 27.64 |
Two bowlers achieved an average of less than 20 runs per wicket but no one had a scoring rate of less than 4 runs per over. To put this in context only six players in Leinster who bowled more than 50 overs in the season achieved a rate of less than 4. On the batting side, Swapnil Modgill and Sam Harbinson were the fastest scorerswith strike rates of 87.
Only one player, Sam Harbinson, managed to fulfil the role of ‘batting / bowling all-rounder’ on the side.
A full report after the final game.