The Weston Shield presented by Ria Money Transfer concluded with a thrilling final, where the British & Irish XI emerged victorious, defeating the European XI by 45 runs to retain their title. After winning the toss, British & Irish XI skipper Kevin O’Brien opted to bat first, setting a daunting total of 197 runs for the European XI to chase.With a strong batting lineup, the European XI needed to pull off a record-breaking chase to secure the win. Despite a valiant effort from the European XI batters, they fell short, finishing on 152, as wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals.
This year’s expanded Weston Shield was a spectacle, with some of the biggest names in world cricket gracing the tournament. New Zealand legend Ross Taylor, Irish star Kevin O’Brien, and Max O’Dowd, the Netherlands' leading run-scorer in white-ball cricket, provided plenty of entertainment to fans.
The event began with a high-octane match between the European XI and British & Irish XI, the two teams who had competed in the inaugural Weston Shield in 2024. It was the European XI who got off to a strong start with a comfortable win.
The standout team on Day 1 was the Asian XI, who won all three of their matches. The European XI and World XI had mixed results, winning one and losing one, while the British & Irish XI struggled, losing all three games on the opening day. However, they made a spectacular comeback, winning five straight games ultimately qualifying for the final.
The drama continued on Day 2, with an epic clash between World XI and Asian XI, where the World XI won by just a single run. Sadly, this marked the last victory for the World XI, who lost all their remaining games, including one abandoned due to rain. The Asian XI also faced a tough patch, going on a four-game losing streak but recovered strongly to finish their campaign with a 4-game winning streak. But it wasn’t enough to reach the final as the European XI and British & Irish XI had put together strong campaigns to secure their spots.
In the final, William Smale set the tone early with a blistering 9-ball fifty, finishing with 89 runs. Nils Priestly added his own contribution, scoring 85 runs. The European XI had a chance for revenge, but the British & Irish XI were simply too strong, led by their icon player Kevin O’Brien, and they retained their title.
The tournament featured several unforgettable moments and individual feats. Day 3 saw the Asian XI chase down a daunting 183 under lights, marking the joint-highest successful chase at Cartama Oval. On Day 4, Younas Ahmadzai of the Asian XI reached the magical three-figure mark, the only century of the tournament. Haroon Arshad picked up a hat-trick, thrilling fans with his dramatic performance. Oliver Davidson of the British & Irish XI made history by becoming the first bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in the Weston Shield.
Perhaps one of the most exciting games of the tournament was Match 7, where European XI and British & Irish XI faced off in a thrilling clash that saw a total of 400 runs scored, including a record-breaking 51 sixes — the most ever in an ECN game.
Several players stood out with their stellar performances. The Ria Money Transfer Top Run Scorer award went to William Smale of the British & Irish XI, who amassed an impressive 421 runs. He was also named the MVP of the Tournament and ended the event with the most Fantasy Points (1103). On the bowling side, Julius Sumerauer was the Top Wicket Taker, claiming 18 wickets. He was closely followed by his teammate Tommy Sturgess, who also took 18 wickets but had a superior economy rate.
We would like to extend our gratitude to our partners Ria Money Transfer, Dream 11, HCL Software, Andalucia, RADO, Micro, and Victorinox for their continued support of the Weston Shield.
With the Weston Shield now concluded, the action shifts to the European Cricket League 2025.