It has become a tradition that Leinster travel to Cork for a friendly series after the completion of the Youth Interpros. 2024 was no exception, and Farmers Cross welcomed Brían O’Rourke and his charges for two highly anticipated 50 over fixtures.
Match 1: Wednesday 7th August. This was a classic match that had all the twists and turns of a Stephen King thriller. Leinster got off to a flyer, and at one stage were 185/3, with a massive total looming. Hayden Clinton scored 79, and Aryan Adelkar contributed 42 before a spate of run outs saw the innings subside rapidly. Four run outs in quick succession meant the Leinster turn at bat ended in the 42nd over, with 244 on the board. The pick of the Munster bowlers were Ayan Ullah (2-26 off 6 overs) and Musab Afzal (2-39 off 8.2 overs)
Munster have traditionally found chasing a competitive total challenging, so it was up to our batters to make a good fist of their reply. Losing two quick wickets rocked the MCU batting lineup, and a collapse looked a very real possibility. But young Shayan Malik steadied the ship, and scored 27. At the other end, his Limerick team-mate Ayan Ullah crafted one of his trademark innings to club 91, including 10 fours and a six. Cillian Ross then added 30 in good time, and Hashim Ahsan 22.
Wickets were falling at the other end, and the final phase of the match proved to be a frenetic affair. Needing 18 off the final three overs, Robbie Magee and Chinmay Shinde found themselves in unfamiliar territory- trying to steer the side towards a win. With 9 needed off the last over, the boys fell just short- the match ended in a tie! A fair result from two sides who gave their all in pressing for victory.
Match 2: Thursday 8th August. Leinster won the toss, and elected to bowl. The decision appeared vindicated with the loss of three early Munster wickets. Ayan Ullah, after his score of 91 the day before, was determined to go one better, and duly delivered, with an unbeaten 120 that included 14 fours and 2 enormous sixes. Keeper Hashim Ahsan added a rapid-fire 27 (6×4), Mark Donnelly 25, and Cillian Ross 19. The Munster innings came to a close on 230/7.
The Leinster reply was again anchored by opener Hayden Clinton, who top scored with 86, including 5 fours and a six, before being caught behind by keeper Hashim Ahsan. The Munster attack kept chipping away by taking wickets, until the middle order was shored up by Singh, who scored an impressive 52*. It was not quite enough, however, as the young MCU bowling unit held their nerve to bowl the visitors out for 226, an agonising 4 runs short. The series win 1-0 will provide a lifetime of memories for the boys of Munster.
We caught up with MCU Head Coach Abdul Jabbar Younus after the last match, and he expressed his immense pride in the team’s performance. “This series has been a culmination of ten years of hard work for me as a coach,” he said. “To see the boys step up and deliver in such a crucial series is incredibly satisfying.”
The batting performance was a standout feature of the series, with Ayan Ullah’s exceptional scores of 91 and 120* being particularly noteworthy. Younus praised the entire team’s contribution with the bat, highlighting the crucial partnerships formed by Ayan, Mark Donnelly, Cillian, and Hashim.
The bowling unit was equally impressive, with Chinmay, Musab, Cillian, Ayan, Mark, and Senan maintaining relentless pressure on the Leinster batters. The team’s fielding was exceptional, saving an estimated 30-40 runs each day.
Younus singled out Mark Donnelly for his leadership, stating that he “took the responsibility well and worked well with the team.” Cillian’s fielding efforts were also praised, as he was “unstoppable” in the field.
The coach expressed his gratitude to Ted Williamson for his invaluable contributions and vision over the years. He also acknowledged the unwavering support of the parents and the Munster Cricket Union, and particularly thanked Brían O’Rourke, Head Coach of the Leinster side. “Brían is one of the best coaches in the business, and we are so grateful to him and his coaching team for continuing to bring his team to Cork.”
The series win has undoubtedly boosted the confidence of the Munster U15 squad, and their performance has set a high standard for future competitions.
A big thank you to Cork Harlequins CC for hosting the series and especially to Joe O’Mahony for preparing such fine pitches for both the recent Interpro series, as well as the visit of Leinster for the friendlies just completed.
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