August 2026

Clontarf CC Hits London & Sunbury: A Whirlwind Five-Day Tour of Cricket, Culture and Community

Five days, three teams, lots of supporters and countless unforgettable moments – Clontarf Cricket Club took London and Sunbury CC by storm for an epic multi-squad tour. From stepping onto the sacred turf at Lord’s to thrilling final-over finishes against our wonderful hosts, here is the complete day-by-day recap of a truly memorable trip.

Before diving into the action, a massive note of thanks must go to everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this trip such a resounding success. At Lord’s, our gratitude goes to Karl McDermott, Eoin Morgan and the London Spirit staff. At Sunbury CC, huge thanks to Chair Colin, Chair of Youth Ian, the Grounds team, the Surplus to Supper catering crew, and all the Sunbury bar staff and volunteers who welcomed us with open arms. We also owe a massive debt of gratitude to Ruth, Andy, Giles and all the youth parents and volunteers for their help with transport, along with all the umpires across our six matches. Within Clontarf CC, special thanks go to our scorers Samuel and Tony, Youth tour organisers Ropu and Jennifer, Senior tour organisers Micky and Samuel, and Social Media team Dave, Éabha, Sophie, Ruth, Tom, and every parent who submitted photos. To the sponsors of the Youth Tour: McKeon Bros., Clevercloggs, City Bin, Brown Brothers Locksmiths & Tasty Options – thank you!! Finally, to all our players, parents, and supporters for playing in a brilliant spirit and making this trip so special.👏

Day One: Lord’s, mascots, and Stumpy on the sacred turf

The tour kicked off with a smooth journey from Dublin to London in a real episode of Planes, Trains & Automobiles. After meeting tour mascot Tarbh and checking in to their hotel, the Youth squad made their way to Lord’s for a Hundred double-header to watch some of the world’s finest players in action.

The rest of the day was a whirlwind of special experiences. Emily, Molly, Hugo, and Dan stepped up as mascots for the coin tosses, several players joined Cricket District for a massive garden cricket session, and others soaked in the atmosphere of the Lord’s Pavilion while snapping selfies with Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone. To cap off an extraordinary opening day, former CCC groundsman Karl allowed the group onto the main Lord’s pitch once the action had ended. Between photo ops and cartwheels, an impromptu game of stumpy broke out on the famous outfield to wrap up a brilliant start to the tour.

Day Two: Sightseeing and arrival at Sunbury

Sunday gave the Youth tour party a chance to recover from the excitement of Lord’s and take in some of the sights of London. Players and supporters spent the morning exploring Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the RAF Museum, Soho, Camden Market, and St. Paul’s Cathedral amongst others. Following an afternoon of sightseeing, a quick coach trip brought the group to their base at Sunbury, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Senior squad to prepare for three action-packed days of cricket.

Day Three: A scorching opening round at Sunbury CC

Cricket officially got underway under hot skies, with all three Clontarf sides taking on their Sunbury counterparts.

In the Girls’ match, Sunbury chose to bowl first, and our team posted a strong total of 134/6 from 20 overs. Lily retired on 45 off just 28 balls, while Hannah retired on 33 alongside a solid contribution from Aysha. The bowlers then delivered a sharp performance in the field, led by Emily’s figures of 2/3 – including a double-wicket maiden. Julia and Robyn grabbed a wicket apiece to secure a fantastic opening victory.

Under a scorching afternoon sun, the Boys kicked off their tour in dominant fashion. Sunbury batted first and set a target of 107/7, restricted by relentless bowling from Neil (2/8), Rory, and Hugo. The run chase was over in a flash as opening batter Oscar smashed an explosive 50 before retiring off just 16 balls. Supported by Freddie and Luke, the team cruised home to an eight-wicket win.

In the Mens’ fixture, Clontarf elected to bat first and posted a formidable 219/9, headlined by a magnificent century from Bilal (106) with key support from Arpit and Rizwan. In reply, Chris led the bowling attack with 4/51 alongside wickets for Amir and Sam, but Sunbury produced a strong chase to seal the win with overs to spare in a brilliant contest.

Day Four: Dramatic chases and an emotional return

Day Four delivered more high-quality cricket, plenty of drama, and a warm homecoming on the pitch. Off the pitch, Clontarf weren’t the only visitors at Sunbury, as the MCC were in town to take on the Sunbury Men’s First XI. We were delighted to be invited to fill a table at the match lunch, where the cheese board was apparently out of this world (according to Samuel). Dick Forrest entertained everyone in the room with jokes, stories, and anecdotes – all while sporting a pink cowboy hat!

In the Boys’ second match of the series, Sunbury came out strong, batting first to post 178/3 despite economical bowling from Neil (0/6 off two overs) and wickets from Hugo and Antares. Dan H top-scored with an unbeaten 29, while Oscar and Hugo chipped in, but the chase eventually fell 62 runs short against a disciplined Sunbury attack.

Our Girls delivered an outstanding all-round performance. Bowling first, Aysha claimed a double-wicket over, supported by wickets from Preet and Hannah, to restrict Sunbury to 108/4. The chase was controlled from start to finish as Lily top-scored for the second match running with a brilliant unbeaten 30, hitting four consecutive boundaries in the 16th over. With Hannah L scoring 29 and Aysha adding 16, our side wrapped up an impressive eight-wicket win.

In the Mens’ game, Sunbury posted 205/8 in the first innings, with James taking 2/41 while Chris and Nathan picked up a wicket each. The innings featured two fantastic catches from Lucy, after an early injury to Sam had seen Andrew take over captaincy duties. Rebuilding the chase, Andrew top-scored with a magnificent 59 – including three sixes and seven fours – on his return to his former home ground, though CCC were eventually bowled out for 138.

Day Five: Hat-Tricks, hard-fought chases, and fond farewells

The final day of cricket brought some incredible individual milestones and some thriller finishes before the team headed for home.

The Boys faced a tough start, losing three early wickets before Freddie anchored the innings, retiring on 29 with five boundaries. Dan H (16*) and Oscar (12) pushed the total to 119/7. In reply, Oscar, Antares, and Ross took a wicket each – with Ross finishing as the pick of the attack (1/25) – but Sunbury chased down the target with seven wickets in hand.

Batting first, the Girls set 106/6 from 18 overs, anchored by Laura’s unbeaten 24 alongside runs from Aysha and Preet. The second innings produced the dramatic highlight of the tour as Molly claimed a spectacular hat-trick, finishing with figures of 3/10. Early breakthroughs from Robyn, a direct hit run-out by Lily, a maiden from Preet, and tight death bowling from Emily, Hannah, and Aysha restricted Sunbury just six runs short of the target to cap off a brilliant series win.

In the Mens’ match, Sunbury set a massive target of 274 before being bowled out by the Clontarf attack, with Arpit taking 3/45 and Chris grabbing 2/52. A special mention goes to James, who captained the side in his final match for Clontarf before returning home to New Zealand. Our men put up a heroic run-chase that went right down to the final over, with Navneet scoring a quality 57 and Chris completing a fine match with 54. Clontarf fell just six runs short in a brave 268-run effort.

To wrap up an unforgettable trip, Micky and Ropu made several presentations to our hosts at Sunbury CC to thank them for their incredible hospitality and tireless work in making the tour possible. It was the perfect ending to a fantastic five days of cricket, camaraderie, and club spirit!

Behind every winning run-chase and historic milestone at Castle Avenue and beyond, there is a dedicated scorer meticulously tracking every delivery! This month, we step into the score box to chat with three of our brilliant volunteers: Lindsey (Youth), Tony (Men’s), and Samuel (Women’s).

Grab a coffee and enjoy the banter as we get to know the folks behind the numbers.

Joining the Scorebox & Finding the Rhythm

DP: “Welcome to the spotlight! How did each of you get sucked into the wonderful world of cricket scoring?”

Tony: “My children started at Friday Night Cricket, and as they progressed into the Youth teams, I was attending more and more games. Wanting to give back, I did the ‘Introduction to Scoring’ course with Stella Downes in 2021. From then on, I was hooked—I actually just scored my 150th game! It starts out mathematical, but you get emotionally involved very quickly.”

Lindsey: “That’s exactly how it started for me, Tony! I have three girls playing youth cricket, so I was at nearly all their matches anyway. I had an interest in scoring but was nervous since I hadn’t done it since school. Taking the plunge was definitely worth it though!”

Samuel: “It’s funny you both mention family, because my route was totally different. When COVID ended my playing days, I started scoring, and Emma asked me to score a Women’s Division 1 match. I was blown away by the teamwork and positivity and now I’m firmly embedded in the Women’s setup and it has become an important part of my social wellbeing.”

Navigating the Chaos

DP: “You cover three distinct sections of the club. What’s the vibe like, and how do you keep a laser focus?”

Samuel: “Cricket can be calm one minute and absolute chaos the next! I successfully navigate the chaos by modelling Stella Downes—always exude calmness and competence. If I stay composed, it’s much easier to maintain focus on the book.”

Tony: “I definitely appreciate that calm, Samuel. That’s why I tend to score from the scorebox—it’s peaceful, has an unobstructed view, and allows us to concentrate without distraction. We learn very quickly that play does not stop and wait for the scorer!”

Lindsey: (Laughing) “Peaceful isn’t the word I’d use for youth cricket, Tony! You constantly have kids coming up asking how many runs they got, or when a batter is retiring so they can get in themselves! You can get easily distracted, so you just have to stay calm and tell them you’ll update them at the end of the over!”

Pen & Paper vs. Digital Tech

DP: “Are you die-hard pen-and-paper purists, or are you fully converted to modern scoring apps?”

Samuel: “I’ll admit it, as an inherently lazy person, I prefer online scoring! It is less effort, more accurate, and gives me time to chat. The nightmare is when technology fails—then you’re making excuses on WhatsApp to the online viewers and begging the other scorer to upload the stats later!”

Lindsey: “I used to be the complete opposite to you, Samuel. Last year I was a die-hard coloured pen purist, terrified of the online world. Then I scored the U17 All Ireland Final online—talk about a baptism of fire! But the app counts the balls faced, which is crucial for youth retirements, so I am officially a convert.”

Tony: “I’m with Lindsey, I’m definitely an online scorer at Castle Avenue now. Everything balances and automatically uploads to Cricket Leinster. But, unlike Samuel, I always record the game on paper scoresheets simultaneously just in case the internet freezes!”

Highlights & Glitches

DP: “What is the single best game you’ve scored, and the trickiest situation you’ve faced?”

Tony: “The best games are those coming down to the last over where everything is at stake. By 7 pm when your heart is in your mouth waiting to record those last few runs, it’s magic! The trickiest? Player identification. Trying to recognise a player through a helmet is tough.”

Lindsey: “My trickiest was definitely that U17 Girls All Ireland Final. I was the only scorer, the system went offline, and a mistake happened during a run-out! Thankfully, Stella Downes helped me get the scorecard back on track.”

Samuel: “Mistakes definitely happen, Lindsey! What people don’t realise is that it doesn’t matter what actually happens on the field; it only matters what the two scorers agree on. If nobody knows what happened, a round of rock, paper, scissors often sorts out what goes into the book!”

Inspiring the Next Generation

DP: “For anyone sitting on the fence about giving scoring a go, what is your top advice?”

Samuel: “Make contact and come sit with me. I will let you drive the live score iPad while I gossip and sample Trish’s charcuterie board!”

Tony: “We have 16 teams and 250 games this year, so we absolutely need more scorers. Come chat with us—just not during an over, as Lindsey knows too well!”

Lindsey: “Exactly, Tony! Just take the plunge and do it. Every time you do it, you’ll get more efficient.”

High-Scoring Thrillers and Cup Semi-Final Success for the Senior Bulls

July proved to be an action-packed month of cricket for Clontarf, with stellar league battles and cup progression across both the men’s and women’s sections. Here is a comprehensive round-up of how our teams fared throughout all matches played in July.

Our M1s experienced a highly competitive month in Premier League action, picking up a hard-fought victory but suffering two tight defeats. The campaign opened with a high-scoring home encounter against North County, where despite putting up an outstanding first-innings total of 338 runs, the visitors managed to chase down the target to claim an eight-wicket win. The team bounced back strongly in their next outing away to Pembroke, showing brilliant resilience to defend their total of 341 and earn a thrilling 19-run victory. The monthly league fixtures concluded on the road against Balbriggan, where a tough run chase saw the side fall short by 50 runs.

The W1s produced a series of dominant performances in the Premier League, securing two convincing victories from three matches. Their run began in confident fashion with a comprehensive 68-run win over Malahide at home. They encountered a slight bump in their next home fixture against Rush, dropping a closely contested game by seven wickets. However, the side responded emphatically in their final league fixture of the month, posting an impressive 215 runs in the first innings before bowling out Balbriggan to secure a resounding 103-run triumph.

Our M2s enjoyed an eventful month across league and cup competitions, highlighting their depth with strong cup progression and hard-fought league performances. They kicked off their schedule with a solid 15-run win over Castleknock in the Tillain Cup. Switching to the Second XI Premier League, they edged out The Hills by five wickets in a high-scoring thriller, before narrowly dropping a nail-biting three-wicket match to Merrion. The squad regrouped brilliant in cup action to secure a spot in the final with a decisive 58-run semi-final victory over Civil Service, before wrapping up the month’s league fixtures with a close four-wicket defeat to Leinster.

The W2s delivered an outstanding month of cricket, building great momentum by winning three consecutive matches after an agonising opening loss. Their month started with a heartbreaker in Division 2, coming up just three runs short against Pembroke. Showing tremendous character, they bounced back in the Junior Cup Semi-Final by claiming a fine 31-run victory over Merrion to advance to the cup final. They carried that winning form back into Division 2 action, securing a comfortable eight-wicket away win against Terenure before finishing the month in style with a polished 21-run home win over Leinster.

Our M3s faced a challenging stretch in Division 6, displaying great fight in two competitive fixtures that went right down to the wire. In their opener away to Rush, the side produced a strong batting display to post 258 runs, but the hosts managed to edge home for a narrow four-wicket victory. A similar pattern followed in their next away trip to Civil Service, where another hard-fought contest saw the opposition hold on for a four-wicket win.

The W3s enjoyed a stellar month of cricket, securing four wins from six matches across league and cup fixtures. They started brightly in Division 3 with a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Phoenix, before sustaining a 25-run defeat on the road to Merrion. The squad rebounded in style in the Minor Cup Semi-Final, producing a sharp away performance to defeat Leinster by seven wickets and secure a place in the cup final. They followed that up with a disciplined 14-run league victory over Balbriggan, and despite a setback against Rush, they capped off the month impressively by bowling out Pembroke for 45 runs to seal a swift eight-wicket home victory.

Our M4s put in a determined effort in their single Division 11 fixture of the month. Taking on North County at home, the side battled hard to set a competitive target of 206 runs, though the visitors eventually managed to reach the mark for a five-wicket result.

Our M5s enjoyed a magnificent month on the pitch, recording three victories across league and cup action. They opened their fixtures with a clinical 71-run win over Finglas in the Minor 2 Cup. Despite a home defeat to Pembroke in Division 17C, the team bounced back with determination in the Minor 2 Cup Semi-Final, bowling out Terenure for 66 runs to earn a commanding 45-run victory and seal a place in the final. They carried that winning form into their final league outing of the month, putting in a fantastic performance on the road to dismiss Merrion for 76 and claim a comfortable eight-wicket win.

Finally, not forgetting our Ladies Social team, who participated in a Blitz at Malahide, competing against teams from The Village, Phoenix & Tyrrelstown. With enough players for two teams, an appearance in the final was guaranteed. However, due to the ‘social’ nature of the event, we’re not sure if anyone was keeping score. Watch this space for the next blitz, and if you’re interested in joining the team, please reach out directly to Zoe.