Northern Knights (cricket team)

Last updated

Northern Knights
Northern Knights (cricket team) logo.png
Personnel
Captain Mark Adair
CoachSimon Johnston
Owner Northern Cricket Union of Ireland
Team information
ColorsNavy and Red
Founded2013
Home ground Stormont Cricket Ground, Belfast
Capacity7,000
History
Inter-Provincial Championship  wins0
Interprovincial One-Day Trophy  wins2
Interprovincial Twenty20 Cup  wins1

Northern Knights is a first-class inter-provincial cricket team in Ireland.

Contents

The team participates in the Inter-Provincial Championship, Interprovincial One-Day Trophy & Interprovincial Twenty20 Cup.

The team represents the Northern Cricket Union of Ireland, which in turn covers most of eastern and southern Ulster and parts of western Ulster.

History

In 2013, Cricket Ireland formed a three-day Championship, 50 over Cup and 20 over Trophy featuring teams from Leinster, the North and the North West. The NCU team would be known as the Northern Knights. On 8 April, they announced Eugene Moleon as their coach and Gavin Rogers as his assistant coach. [1]

The Knights lifted their first trophy, the Inter-Provincial Cup, in that debut season. A surprise final day victory by the North West Warriors over Leinster Lightning ensured the Knights won the title by a single point. [2]

Up to and including the 2016 Inter-Provincial Championship, the matches were not given first-class status. However, at an International Cricket Council meeting in October 2016, first-class status was awarded to all future matches. [3] [4]

In January 2016, Simon Johnston, then head of Waringstown Cricket Club, was appointed head coach of the team, replacing Eugene Moleon. [5]

In would be 2019 before the Knights silverware drought came to an end. The team won 3 of their 6 Inter-Provincial Trophy games in a rain-affected season which was enough for captain Gary Wilson to lift the trophy. [6]

Following Wilson's retirement, Harry Tector took over captaincy duties for the 2021 season. [7] He was succeeded by Mark Adair in 2022. [8]

2023 was the most successful year in the team's history as they completed a List A and T20 double. [9]

Honours

Inter-Provincial Cup - (List A) - 2 titles
Winners: 2013, 2023
Inter-Provincial Trophy - (T20) - 1 title
Winners: 2023

Current squad

NameNationalityBirth dateBatting styleBowling styleClubNotes
Batsmen
Paul Stirling Cricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 3 September 1990 (age 35)Right-handedRight arm off-break North Down
James McCollum Cricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 1 August 1995 (age 30)Right-handedRight arm medium Waringstown Vice-captain
Ross Adair Cricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 21 April 1994 (age 31)Right-handed Slow left arm orthodox CIYMS
Morgan Topping Cricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 25 March 1999 (age 26)Right-handedRight arm off-break Waringstown
Cade CarmichaelFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa*3 August 2002 (age 23)Right-handedRight arm medium Instonians
All-rounders
Mark Adair Cricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 27 March 1996 (age 29)Right-handedRight arm fast-medium CIYMS Captain
Jordan NeillCricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 3 March 2006 (age 19)Right-handedRight arm medium-fast CSNI
Ruhan Pretorious Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa*2 March 1991 (age 34)Right-handedRight arm medium-fast Woodvale
Adam LeckeyCricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 25 September 2006 (age 18)Right-handedRight arm medium CSNI
Wicket-keepers
Neil Rock Cricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 24 September 2000 (age 24)Left-handed- Rush
Ben Calitz Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 6 July 2002 (age 23)Left-handed- CIYMS
Bowlers
Tom Mayes Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa*4 January 2001 (age 24)Right-handedRight arm medium-fast North Down
Matthew Foster Cricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 15 January 2000 (age 25)Right-handedRight arm fast-medium CSNI
Matthew Humphreys Cricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 28 September 2002 (age 22)Right-handed Slow left arm orthodox Lisburn
Harry DyerCricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 15 March 2006 (2006-03-15) (age 19)Right-handedRight arm off-break CSNI
Adam KennedyCricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 22 October 2003 (age 21)Right-handedRight arm fast-medium CIYMS
Cian RobertsonCricket Ireland flag.svg  Ireland 19 September 2002 (age 22)Right-handed Slow left arm orthodox Instonians
Source: [10]

Grounds

References

  1. ↑ Ireland, Cricket. "Coaches announced for Inter-Provincial Series - Cricket Ireland". www.cricketireland.ie. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  2. ↑ Easdown, Craig (22 September 2013). "Warriors beat Lightning to give RSA Inter-Provincial Cup to Northern Knights". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "Ireland domestic competition awarded first-class status". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  4. ↑ "Ireland's Inter-Provincial Championship awarded first-class status". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  5. ↑ Ireland, Cricket. "Interview with New Northern Knights Coach Simon Johnston - Cricket Ireland". www.cricketireland.ie. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  6. ↑ Callender, Ian (18 August 2019). "Knights lift T20 crown". Irish Cricket Archives. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "Tector honoured to secure Northern Knights captaincy". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 30 March 2021. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Mark Adair takes over captaincy of Northern Knights". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 31 January 2022. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Morton, Johnny (8 September 2023). "Northern Knights complete historic Inter-Provincial Cup and Trophy double". News Letter. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  10. ↑ "2023 FC+LA+T20 match individual most matches for Northern Knights". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
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