It was a disappointing start to Limerick’s Premier T20 League campaign which kicked off on Monday against Cork Harlequins and UCC in Cork. After a handful of losses in the league and National Cup competitions, the T20 league offered a chance for some Senior silverware. Skipper Prasad Hegde was tasked with a tricky test against Cork Harlequins in the first of two games. 

After a rampant start from Quins with the bat, the Shannonsiders fought back well to stem early momentum in the middle overs,first change seamer Usman Khan was the pick of the bowlers with 4-27 from his four overs. Spin options in the form of Sarfraz Ramay and Anvesh Bogavelly worked well afterward, with Bogavelly in particular picking up three wickets but a late charge by the Quins middle order allowed them to set a target of 166.

Unable to negotiate the new ball, a capitulation of sorts occurred with the score 11-6 inside the power play, a poor batting performance was capped off with a score of 62 all out as attention turned quickly to the UCC encounter.

RESULT| MCU Premier T20 League.

We lost to Cork Harlequins by 103 runs today.

Cork Harlequins 1: 165-8 off 20 overs.

Usman Khan 4-27

Anvesh Bogavelly 3-12

Limerick 1: 62 all out off 14.2 overs.

Usman Khan 16

Shozab Ali Taj 15

Having lost the toss and been put into bat, Hegde rung the changes to the batting order and was offered a better start from his openers. Sourabh Teke’s cameo of 18 from 15 balls included 3 lovely boundaries with keeper Sumukh Venaktesh playing a more conservative innings to anchor the batsmen around him. Partnerships started but were never really consolidated by Limerick but a late flurry from Ramoji Alla meant he top scored with 31 from just 14 balls (3x4s, 2x6s) on his team’s way to 142-9 at the end of the 20th over. 

A great start by Limerick with the ball had UCC in a spot of bother at 30-3 after 4 overs. Hegde had opening bowler William Shields to thank for this whose early spell of 3-22 from three overs had the first changers bowling at the middle order. Partnerships developed for the fourth and fifth wicket which brought the game out of sight as the target was chased down with three overs to spare.

RESULT| MCU Premier T20 League.

We lost to UCC by 5 wickets yesterday.

Limerick 1: 142-9 off 20 overs.

Ramoji Alla 31*

Sumukh Venkatesh 20

UCC 1: 143-5 off 17 overs.

William Shields 4-22

Ajay Hari 1-34

                                           * * *

Limerick’s 2nd XI were involved in a close battle at the Mardyke on Saturday where Division One holders Cork County salvaged a two-wicket victory in a tense affair. 

Despite the loss of early wickets for the visitors, who lost the toss and were put into bat, Sumukh Venkatesh and Sarfraz Ramay put together a solid rearguard for the fourth wicket as the game began to ebb and flow. After Venkatesh’s dismissal, contributions from Sathya Prabu (15), Mohit Malik (21*) and Shoaib Zazai (22) got Limerick to a respectable 167. 

It was a frenzied response from the hosts with the bat who despite a match winning second-wicket partnership, played the innings in a T20 style and were close to paying the price. The introduction of Sarfraz Ramay brought Limerick back into the contest with an amazing spell of 7-29 from 8 overs. A remarkable piece bowling which got Limerick within two wickets of winning from an unlikely position. It wasn’t enough as County got over the line inside the 24th over but a resilient Limerick in the field pushed their opponents all the way.

RESULT| MCU Division One.

We lost to Cork County by 2 wickets yesterday.

Limerick 2: 167 all out of 37.3 overs.

Sumukh Venkatesh 50

Shoaib Zazai 22

Cork County 2: 168-8 off 24 overs.

Sarfraz Ramay 7-29

Mohit Malik 1-16

                                           * * *

The final league game for the men’s teams took place on Saturday afternoon as Limerick’s 4th XI travelled to Tralee to take on County Kerry at the Oyster Oval. 

Skipper Ramji Lakshmanan won the toss and elected to bat in near-perfect conditions, unfortunately wicket-keeper Vinaykumar Nagaraju was caught and bowled for 5 from 12 balls but a superb 58-run partnership between Chandra and Borghare for the second wicket set Limerick up for a a brilliant innings. Chandra went on to make 63 from 62 and his middle order batsmen amply supported, most notably with the half century of Monish Pawar whose 50 from 37 balls displayed 4x4s and 3x6s as the away side sailed to their highest score of the season of 285. 

The opening bowlers blitzed the Kerry top order with a procession of wickets in the middle order also. Parth Borghare’s all round performance delivered a 5-wicket haul with Shravan Chandra equally delivering a man of the match performance with his four wickets inside 2.3 overs ending the game with a hat-trick and Kerry succumbing to a total of just 32 runs.

RESULT| MCU Division Three.

We defeated County Kerry by 235 runs today.

Limerick 4: 285 all out of 34.2 overs.

Shravan Chandra 63

Monish Pawar 50

County Kerry 5: 32 all out off 13.3 overs.

Parth Borghare 5-8

Shravan Chandra 4-10

It was to be mixed emotions for the 4th XI over the weekend as their T20 cup game against Nenagh ended in defeat on Monday afternoon in Adare. A short total of 113 meant Nenagh only had to score at a run a ball in their chase which they managed to do with just over three overs to spare. 

RESULT| MCU Division 3 T20 Cup.

We lost to Nenagh by 5 wickets yesterday.

Limerick 4: 113-7 off 20 overs.

Muhammed Ammar 25

Pavan Prajapati 16

Nenagh 3: 114-5 off 16.4 overs.

Waqar Ahmed 2-26

Shravan Chandra 1-20

                                           * * *

Limerick’s women’s side were back in action also at the weekend where they hosted an in-form County Galway side in Adare on Saturday afternoon. Skipper Saadia Mahmood made a number of changes from the side’s last game with inclusion of debutant Apurva Thorat. 

Limerick had to make do with a number of key batters with the absence of Sana George, Holly Westmoreland and Katy Hewison for this encounter. The Shannonsider’s struggled to get into double figures but fought valiantly to make a respectable total of 46, setting a target of 47 for their opponents to chase. 

It was a struggle to get a breakthrough against a skillful opening pair from Galway who maneuvered their way towards the total, unfortunately for the home side the opening wicket never came to catalyse some momentum with the visitors attaining their target just shy of the tenth over. Nonetheless, a good learning curve from a relatively inexperienced Limerick side who will look to bounce back in their upcoming games.

RESULT| MCU T15 Women's Superleague.

We lost to County Galway by 10 wickets today.

Limerick W: 46 all out off 13.3 overs.

Sanjana Shashikumar 6

Snigdha Sibi 5

County Galway W: 47-0 off 9.5 overs.

Saadia Mehmood 0-6

Sindhusha Chandu 0-11

                                           * * *

Limerick’s U15 side were looking to make it two from two in the league after a comprehensive display against County Galway in late April. 

They hosted Cork County in Adare on Sunday afternoon in a T30 contest where skipper Ayan Ullah was forced into bat after losing the toss. Opener Chinmay Shinde nestled his side into the game with a well-made 41 from 61 balls and his third-wicket stand of 74 with the Ullah (35 from 33) allowed a solid platform for the remaining batters. 

County brought themselves back into the game with a flurry of wickets after drinks before a crucial 34-run partnership for the final wicket between Arham Ullah (20*) and Behroz Khan (14) got Limerick to 163. 

Limerick showed great energy in the field from the outset and earned themselves two run outs in the form of Robert McCutcheon and Yousaf Ramay respectively as they made their way through the partnerships. Ullah delegated the bowling options around with each seamer and spinner doing a great job in bowling some tight lines as well as picking important wickets. The visitors were 56 runs shy of their total when McCutcheon picked up the final wicket of the game to make it two wins from two in the U15 league.

RESULT| MCU U15 League.

We defeated Cork County by 56 runs today.

Limerick U15: 163 all out off 30 overs.

Chinmay Shinde 41

Ayan Ullah 35

Cork County U15: 107 all out off 22.3 overs.

Yousaf Ramay 2-20

Robert McCutcheon 1-0

                                           * * *

Limerick’s U13 side also enjoyed another resounding victory against the Cork County Tigers in Ballyneety on Saturday, defeating their opponents by 8 wickets. Skipper Yousaf Ramay won the toss and elected to bowl. 

He offered the new ball to Arham Ullah whose opening spell brought three wickets and shifted the game in his side’s favour. Ramay was economical with the new ball from the other end, creating pressure and chances. The bowling was shared amongst the rest of the team with each player getting a couple of overs to attack the opposition.

County’s total of 90 was easily chased down by Limerick with a little over 8 overs to spare. With the score at 26-2 inside the third over, two responsible knocks from Faizan Chaudhry (30, 3x4s, 0x6s) and Yousaf Ramay (32*, 3x4s, 0x6s) steered their side to another comprehensive victory.

RESULT| MCU U13 League.

We defeated Cork County by 8 wickets yesterday.

Cork County U13: 90 all out off 25.3 overs.

Arham Ullah 3-18

Atharvan Alagesan 2-6

Limerick U13: 91-2 off 11.4 overs. 

Yousaf Ramay 32*

Faizan Chaudhry 30*

                                           * * *

A quieter agenda for Limerick next weekend, it will be just the 2nd XI in action whose T20 campaign will commence in Tralee on Saturday afternoon. First up for Mehmood will County Kerry at a 10am start, followed immediately by the challenge of Nenagh at 1.30pm with games elsewhere deciding who makes the final four of the competition, LImerick will be looking to renew success for the Division One T20 Cup, having won the title in 2023.