History_The_Noughties

The new millennium started on a high note with the 1st XI recording a third League-Cup double in 2000. The double-winning captain was Ronan O’Reilly. In 2001 the 5th XI won the Minor Cup their second trophy in four years. 2003 was a barren year and it seemed the club was entering a period when it would be difficult to fill teams, particularly in the early part of the season. In 2003 the 1st XI won the league title and in 2004 again won the Cup with the 4th XI also winning the Cup that year. In 2005 the 1st XI won the 45 Overs League the equivalent of the old Wiggins Teape, the 2nd XI won the YMCA Salver and the 5th XI the Minor Cup again. 2006 again saw a treble of trophies, the 2nd XI won the Tillain Cup and the 3rd XI and 5th XI won their respective leagues.

2005 saw the demise of Clontarf Ladies Cricket Club as a separate identity when both clubs voted to amalgamate into one club.

In 2007 the club appointed Rod Hokin a young Australian as coach. His appointment ushered in a remarkable period for the 1st XI in particular but also for the club as a whole. In 2007 the 1st XI won the double of Cup and League, 2008 saw them win the Cup again but finishing fourth in the League when bad weather had a huge effect on the number of matches with no result and in fact only completing 11 out of 12 matches, both years under the captaincy of Greg Molins and then in 2009 the League/Cup double was again won this time under the captaincy of Joe Morrissey. So in three years they could have had, with a bit of luck, a hat trick of doubles of Cup and League, heady stuff indeed. In 2007 the 4th XI won the League and in 2008 and 2009 the 2nd XI won the Cup. It’s hard to say what caused this glut of victories but it is fair to say that the coach has had a great influence on the mental attitude of players within the club.

Alex Cusack and Andrew Poynter, a nephew of the great Deryck Vincent, won their first Irish caps in 2007. Alex eventually became one of three players to be contracted as Ireland Players.

In 2009 the ladies won their first trophies since 1998 when they won the League and Cup, thus becoming the first ladies team of Clontarf Cricket Club to win a trophy.

International Ground

Castle Avenue had been an international cricket ground since the mid ’60s. Among the touring sides that have graced our club were the 1967 Indians, the 1968 and 1993 Australians, and the 1980 and 1995 West Indians. Some of the greatest players in the history of cricket have played in Castle Avenue. No one who saw them will ever forget Malcolm Marshall bowling (down the hill in bad light at terrifying pace) or Allen Border bat.

One of the biggest crowds ever accomodated on the ground gathered on 21 May 1999 when Castle Avenue hosted the only World Cup match played in Ireland to date. In preparation for what was the biggest day in the history of the club, all available resources were deployed to ensure that the ground was ready and looking its very best. Everyone from the President, Fergus Carroll, down took a hand at some point or other. The organization of match day itself was overseen by an energetic committee under the direction of Keith Lewis and was a triumph. The one thing that could not be controlled was the weather. Happily, it was dry for the most part – although cold – and the match was finished within the day. For the record, West Indies easily disposed of Bangladesh. The ground looked wonderful on television; everything went off as planned; we all felt as proud as punch; and at the end of the day, there was the almost surreal sight of the great Vivian Richards – by then retired – sashaying up the Clontarf Cricket Club bar with that inimitable gunslinger walk of his.

That Castle Avenue ever saw the day was due more than anything else to four people: Paddy Cody; Bertie Shaw; Podge Hughes and Karl MacDermott. For almost half a century, these four groundsmen have laboured in succession to produce the wickets and the outfield that have made the ground officially designated by the ICC as the premier venue for international cricket in the Republic of Ireland.

In 2010 Clontarf was again the venue for a televised game this time Ireland v Australia and, as in 1999, the ground was transformed by having stands erected on three sides to accommodate a crowd of almost 4000 people. This time the weather was kinder and the spectators were treated to a wonderful game where the Irish in reply to Australia’s 231were 80 for no wicket but were eventually beaten by 39 runs. Alex Cusack in this game took 2 Australian wickets, both bowled, for 38 runs in 8 overs and scored 30 runs in the Irish Innings.

Umpires

Clontarf has made a contribution to umpiring in Leinster of which the club can be proud. The late Bob Smith was one of the founder members of the Leinster Cricket Umpires’ Association and was its leading light in its early days. His brother Jeff was also a stalwart umpire as was the late Cecil Dixon. In more recent times, Louis Hogan was a very distinguished international umpire. Other Clontarf members who have donned the white coat include Alan Tuffery, Peter Thew, David Walsh and Tom Byrne. Dickie Spence had shown every sign of developing into one of the country’s leading umpires prior to his untimely death.

Off the field

Clontarf Cricket Club has also made its contribution to the game on the administrative side. Bobby Brophy, Tom Prior and Enda McDermott have been Presidents of the LCU. Enda McDermott also had the honour of being President of the ICU in 1998. But the outstanding administrative role has been played by Evans Dexter who was President of the ICU in 1995, of Clontarf Cricket Club in 1971-2 and of the Football Club in 1991. This last double is unique: Evans is the only person to have been president of both Castle Avenue clubs. It only remains for him now to assume the one presidency that has so far eluded him: that of Ireland itself.

Likewise, Clontarf has been fortunate in its internal administration. There has been continuity and stability on the executive committee and an orderly succession to the presidency on a two-year term basis. Most of all, the club has had the services of three fine honorary secretaries over the last twenty years: Robert Ellis, Keith Lewis and the incumbent Stella Downes. There is no more vital position in any club than that of honorary secretary and it has been Clontarf’s good fortune to have had three persons of such outstanding ability at the helm over such a long period of time