European Cricket League (“ECL”) is the Champions League of European cricket. Founded by Daniel Weston, Roger Feiner, Frank Leenders and Thomas Klooz and hailed as a cricketing equivalent of the UEFA Champions League, the second-staging - ECL21 - will be played in May and June in Spain.
European Cricket League is delighted to announce CIYMS Cricket Club as Cricket Ireland’s representatives at ECL21.
CIYMS (Church of Ireland Young Men’s Society) is based in Belfast, Northern Ireland and won an historic domestic treble in 2019, including the Sunday Independent All-Ireland T20 Cup, which paved their way to qualification for ECL20 which had to be called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With a much-coveted place at ECL21 on the line, the Belfast-based side won a decisive play-off match against YMCA Dublin in September. CIYMS captain Nigel Jones led by example with bat and ball, while test spinner James Cameron-Dow claimed a remarkable hat-trick in an exciting 15 run victory.
Captain Jones, Allen Coulter, Cameron-Dow, Mark Adair, Chris Dougherty and Jason van der Merwe are all likely stalwarts for the club again in 2021. Adair and Cameron-Dow have both recently starred for Ireland, who of course have full ICC member status. Adair, in particular, impressed with six wickets at Lords on his test debut against England. CIYMS have signed South African Murray Commins for the coming season, who has aspirations to play for Ireland once completing residency requirements.
Cameron-Dow - a canny spinnerOver the last decade, further international stars have worn the CIYMS colours with pride, including Kiwi Craig McMillan, South African test batsman Rassie van Der Dussen and countryman Justin Kemp.
“After the disappointment of ECL20 not happening, we are all really looking forward to this exciting new challenge,” said CIYMS chairman Richard Heasley.
“Over the last decade we have collected a number of league and cup trophies within the Northern Cricket Union and of course completed a magnificent treble at national level in 2019. We are thrilled to be invited to take our chance on the international stage and meet the best in Europe at ECL21.”
We welcome CIYMS from Ireland to the 2021 European Cricket League.
