Inter-Provincial Trophy

The Inter-Provincial Trophy is a Twenty20 cricket tournament between the four leading cricketing provinces of Ireland. The tournament was first held by three provinces in 2013, across venues in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. A fourth province, Munster Reds was added in 2017.

Inter-Provincial Trophy
Countries Ireland
AdministratorCricket Ireland
FormatTwenty20
First edition2013
Latest edition2019
Tournament formatDouble round-robin
Current championNorthern Knights
2020 Inter-Provincial Trophy

History

Background

The Ireland cricket team have had huge success recently on the international level which has boosted the popularity of the game in the country. They had earned the reputation of a giant killer after upsetting teams like Pakistan and Bangladesh (2007 Cricket World Cup), and England (2011 Cricket World Cup). Their good performances in major international tournaments meant that Cricket Ireland openly started bidding for Test match status to the International Cricket Council.[1] Nevertheless, one of the main stumbling road blocks for Ireland from getting to play the pinnacle of the game was a lack of a first-class cricket infrastructure at home, among other things. As early as August 2011, Cricket Ireland announced plans of a domestic first-class tournament.[2] In January 2012, Cricket Ireland announced the ambitious 'Vision 2020' plan which announced the establishment of a first-class structure by 2015 and achievement of Test status by 2020. It also began work on a cricket academy to find talented players across the country and improving grass-roots cricket in the country. For the first time professional contacts, with central, A, B, and C were established. Plans for Test status were established partly to stem the flow of their star cricketers moving away to England in hope of playing Test cricket such as Ed Joyce, Eoin Morgan and Boyd Rankin.[3][4][5][6][7][8] According to Richard Holdsworth in an interview with Setanta Sports, CI are pleased with the strategic progress that had been made as of November 2012.[9] In December 2012, Ireland got a $1.5m boost as increased funding from the ICC to establish elite domestic competitions in the country.[10]

Format

The tournament is held as a double round-robin format with each team playing each other twice, once at its home ground and the other leg away.

Teams

According to Richard Holsworth's interview to Setanta Sports, three teams would initially participate in the tournament, Leinster, Northern and North West, representing the three historically strongest provincial unions in Irish cricket, as Munster and Connacht Unions were considered still quite far away from fielding a competitive team for provincial tournaments.

They were also given a separate limited overs brands or names familiar to supporters of the systems in England and Australia, Leinster Lightning, Northern Knights and North West Warriors.[11][12] Munster were added for the 2017 season, choosing to play under the name Munster Reds.[13]

Team First season Titles
North West Warriors 20131
Leinster Lightning 20135
Northern Knights 20130
Munster Reds 20170

Competition placings

2013 to present

SeasonWinnerSecondThirdFourth
2013Leinster LightningNorthern KnightsNorth West Warriors
2014North West WarriorsLeinster LightningNorthern Knights
2015Leinster LightningNorth West WarriorsNorthern Knights
2016Leinster LightningNorth West WarriorsNorthern Knights
2017Leinster LightningNorth West WarriorsNorthern KnightsMunster Reds
2018Leinster LightningNorthern KnightsNorth West WarriorsMunster Reds
2019Northern KnightsLeinster LightningNorth West WarriorsMunster Reds

All-time records

(Correct to 3 August 2014)

Highest innings totals

ScoreTeamOppsVenueDate
192/5 (20)Leinster LightningNorth West WarriorsBready CC21 July 2013
177/4 (20)Leinster LightningNorthern KnightsPembroke CC21 June 2013

Lowest completed innings totals

ScoreTeamOppsVenueDate
78 aoNorth West WarriorsNorthern KnightsPembroke CC21 June 2013
86 aoNorth West WarriorsNorthern KnightsBready CC21 July 2013
92 aoNorth West WarriorsLeinster LightningBready CC21 July 2013

Most career runs

RunsInningsPlayerTeam
1946Nigel JonesNorthern Knights
1877David RankinNorth West Warriors
1716Andrew PoynterLeinster Lightning
1547James ShannonNorthern Knights

Highest individual scores

ScorePlayerForOppsVenueDate
77Nigel JonesNorthern KnightsLeinster LightningComber16 July 2013
73David RankinNorth West WarriorsNorthern KnightsBready CC6 July 2014

Most runs scored in a season

RunsInningsPlayerTeamSeason
1334Nigel JonesNorthern Knights2013
1134Pat CollinsLeinster Lightning2013

Most career wickets

WicketsMatchesPlayerTeam
116Peter EakinNorthern Knights
106Eddie RichardsonLeinster Lightning
107Andrew WhiteNorthern Knights

Best bowling in an innings

BowlingPlayerTeamOppsVenueDate
4-0-22-4Peter EakinNorthern KnightsNorth West WarriorsBready CC6 July 2014

Most wickets in a season

WicketsAveragePlayerTeamSeason
94Eddie RichardsonLeinster Lightning2013

Highest partnerships for each wicket

WicketP/ShipPlayer 1Player 2TeamOppsVenueDate
1st119Stuart ThompsonDavid RankinNorth West WarriorsLeinster LightningBready CC6 July 2014
2nd82Jason MilliganDavid RankinNorth West WarriorsNorthern KnightsBready CC6 July 2014
3rd70Nigel JonesLee NelsonNorthern KnightsLeinster LightningComber16 July 2013
4th58James ShannonLee NelsonNorthern KnightsNorth West WarriorsComber16 July 2013
5th70Andrew McBrineJonathan ThompsonNorth West WarriorsNorthern KnightsComber16 July 2013
6th51*Kevin O'BrienJohn MooneyLeinster LightningNorth West WarriorsBready CC21 July 2013
7th32Stuart PoynterStephen MoretonLeinster LightningNorthern KnightsComber16 July 2013
8th21Lee NelsonShane GetkateNorthern KnightsNorth West WarriorsComber13 July 2014
9th14Barry McCarthyFintan McAllisterLeinster LightningNorth West WarriorsBready CC6 July 2014
10th18Andrew McBrineGareth BurnsNorth West WarriorsLeinster LightningPembroke CC21 June 2013

Seasons

See also

References and notes

  1. ICC to consider Ireland's bid for Test status ESPN.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2013
  2. Ireland plan first-class structure ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 9 March 2013
  3. Ireland unveil Test cricket vision CricketEurope4.net. Retrieved 9 March 2013
  4. CI reveals ambitious plans aimed at receiving Test status Sky Sports. Retrieved 9 March 2013
  5. Ireland map out path to Tests ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 9 March 2013
  6. Ireland's Boyd Rankin retires to play Test cricket for England Cricket Country. Retrieved 9 March 2013
  7. Ireland calls for Test status to 'halt exodus' ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 9 March 2013
  8. Rankin retires, Holdsworth calls for Test status Archived 12 April 2013 at Archive.today irelandcricketwebbly.com. Retrieved 9 March 2013
  9. Cricket Ireland happy with progress of strategic plan Archived 9 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine Setanta Sports. Retrieved 9 March 2013
  10. Ireland receive $1.5 m boost from ICC ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 9 March 2013
  11. North-West announce shortlist for name Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 9 March 2013
  12. NCU confirm team name for 2013 Interpros Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 9 March 2013
  13. "Munster boost for inter-pro series?". CricketEurope. Retrieved 7 January 2017.


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