Irish League Senior Cup Season 64

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This Season’s Draw
At last count 51 of the 81 teams accepted our invitation. This means the top 32 ranked sides of those who accepted were included the draw. Apologies to the 19 of you who didn’t make it, but all are eligible to enter this season’s Senior Plate.

In the draw are seven team from One Day 1.1; 12 from the second tier; and the remaining 13 from the third. We have three of four previous winners: Ballingeary Lakers; Shaktar Senseless; and the #1 ranked holders Jolly Boys Of Peckham. Two-time winners, Chesney Champions, appear to be focusing elsewhere this season, we wish them luck in whatever that is. We have just one newbie: FPCC Ireland.

Welcome to them and good luck to everyone.

Note: Rankings used are as of the start of the season.

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Top Quarter
There are no tier one sides in the first quarter of the draw, but six from the second tier, five of them ranked in the top twenty at the end of last season. One time winner, Shaktar Senseless, seem to have a clear path to the quarter finals whereas All Leeds Aren't We would have a much tougher task to beat two out of three of Vegas Venoms, Corleone and kato xi to reach the same point.

Round of 32
#019 Vegas Venoms ( One Day 2.1 ) vs. #010 All Leeds Aren't We ( One Day 2.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 3-2-1]
Vegas Venoms won by 5 wickets

• A dry wicket provided Vegas spinners Amaresh Rastogi (3-18) and Renelle Knibbs (3-25) a platform to show off their skills.

#017 Corleone ( One Day 2.2 ) ) vs. #016 kato xi ( One Day 2.2 ) ) [Senior Rivalry: 7-8]
kato xi won by 6 wickets

• A slow wicket gave Bart Copeland (4-15) the platform to show of his skills.

#011 Shaktar Senseless ( One Day 2.1 ) vs.#035 Hunslet Parkside C.C. ( One Day 3.2 ) [Senior Rivalry: 4-2]
Shaktar Senseless won by 4 wickets

• close one! Shaktar squeaked into round two with two balls to spare.

#031 Weston Super Mud CC ( One Day 2.1 ) vs.#033 Blwe Scavengerz ( One Day 3.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 1-1]
Blwe Scavengerz won by 28 runs

• Jean-Paul de Vrij (72*) and Gerald Vink (3-17) propelled the Scavengerz forward to round two.

Round of 16
#019 Vegas Venoms ( One Day 2.1 ) vs. #016 kato xi ( One Day 2.2 ) ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-4]
kato xi won by 36 runs

• WoW! Iain O'Nolan (4-7) proved to be the Venoms antedote. Nuff said.

#011 Shaktar Senseless ( One Day 2.1 ) vs. #033 Blwe Scavengerz ( One Day 3.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 17-7] [Senior Cup Rivalry 2-0]
Shaktar Senseless won by 7 wickets

• This was the teams third meeting in the Senior Cup and a third Senseless victory. Spinner Sarran Medwynter (3-20) contained the Scavengerz batters with the help of Hector Crawford (1-23) and Stephen Wafula (1-37). Openers Simon Adamson (78) and Belinda Clark (63) put together a stand of 131 to set up the winning reply.

Quarter Final
#016 kato xi ( One Day 2.2 ) ) vs. #011 Shaktar Senseless ( One Day 2.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 4-4]
Shaktar Senseless won by 15 runs

• Abraham Orengo (89) and Belinda Clark (86*) built the winning 200 total on a flat wicket. Then three wickets in overs 6-11 from Medwynter (1-43) and Walil Kaleel (2-41) seemed to stem the flow of runs from kato xi.

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Second Quarter

Round of 32
#003 Ballingeary Lakers ( One Day 1.1 ) vs. #006 The Hurlutown Partnership ( One Day 2.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 3-0-1]
#020 kilkenny ( One Day 2.1 ) vs. #037 Marching On Together ( One Day 3.4 ) [Senior Rivalry: 8-2]
#013 Applewood Crossing ( One Day 1.1 ) vs. #012 Rebel Spinners ( One Day 3.4 ) [Senior Rivalry: 2-2]
#023 Balls Deep ( One Day 3.1 ) vs. #014 The New Originals ( One Day 2.2 ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-0]

There are two clashes between the top-ten ranked qualifiers in the quarter, previous winners Ballingeary Lakers play tier two but sixth ranked Hurlutown Partnership; and our own Applewood Crossing player higher ranked division three side Rebel Spinners. Of note are two other division two sides, The New Originals and kilkenny, are hoping to provided opposition to winners of these games in round two.

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Third Quarter

Round of 32
#038 Dunbrody CC ( One Day 3.2 ) vs. #030 Royal Eleven ( One Day 2.2 ) [Senior Rivalry: 7-9]
#005 Donna's Kebabs ( One Day 1.1 ) vs. #022 The WaddiWallas ( One Day 3.4 ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-0]
#027 Billericay Bluebirds ( One Day 3.3 ) vs. #028 Chester Ducks ( One Day 3.3 ) [Senior Rivalry: 7-0]
#002 Save the Rhino ( One Day 1.1 ) vs. #018 Justhititfor6 ( One Day 1.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 17-5]

Top tier Save the Rhino and Donna's Kebabs will be expecting to meet in the quarters assuming the Rhino can get by the other division one team, Justhititfor6 in their opener. Royal Eleven are the only division two team but Billericay Bluebirds; Chester Ducks; and The WaddiWallas are all higher ranked division three sides.

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Bottom Quarter

Round of 32
#004 Cork City Cobra's ( One Day 1.1 ) vs.#001 Jolly Boys Of Peckham ( One Day 1.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 5-8] [Senior Cup Rivalry: 0-1]
#024 Celtic Wolves ( One Day 3.2 ) ) vs.#036 Ella XI ( One Day 3.3 ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-0]
#034 Blazing Dragons Cricket Club ( One Day 2.2 ) vs.#025 Spinney Wanderers ( One Day 3.3 ) ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-0]
#029 FPCC Ireland ( One Day 3.2 ) vs. #026 Woodlands CC ( One Day 2.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 1-0] [Senior Plate Rivalry: 1-0]

The bottom quarter has a big clash in the first round between One Day 1.1 rivals Cork City Cobra's and holders Jolly Boys Of Peckham. One of tier two Woodlands CC and Blazing Dragons Cricket Club will be hoping to provide quarter final opposition to the winner. Unless of course one of the four tier three teams can spring a surprise.