Northern Knights
Personnel
CaptainMark Adair
CoachSimon Johnston
OwnerNorthern Cricket Union of Ireland
Team information
ColorsNavy and Red
Founded2013
Home groundStormont Cricket Ground, Belfast
Capacity7,000
History
Inter-Provincial Championship wins0
Interprovincial One-Day Trophy wins2
Interprovincial Twenty20 Cup wins1

Northern Knights is a first-class inter-provincial cricket team in Ireland.

The team participates in the Inter-Provincial Championship, Interprovincial One-Day Trophy & Interprovincial Twenty20 Cup.

The team represents the Northern Cricket Union of Ireland, which in turn covers most of eastern and southern Ulster and parts of western Ulster.

History

In 2013, Cricket Ireland formed a three-day Championship, 50 over Cup and 20 over Trophy featuring teams from Leinster, the North and the North West. The NCU team would be known as the Northern Knights. On 8 April, they announced Eugene Moleon as their coach and Gavin Rogers as his assistant coach.[1]

The Knights lifted their first trophy, the Inter-Provincial Cup, in that debut season. A surprise final day victory by the North West Warriors over Leinster Lightning ensured the Knights won the title by a single point.[2]

Up to and including the 2016 Inter-Provincial Championship, the matches were not given first-class status. However, at an International Cricket Council meeting in October 2016, first-class status was awarded to all future matches.[3][4]

In January 2016 Simon Johnston, then head of Waringstown Cricket Club, was appointed head coach of team replacing Eugene Moleon.[5]

In would be 2019 before the Knights silverware drought came to an end. The team won 3 of their 6 Inter-Provincial Trophy games in a rain-affected season which was enough for captain Gary Wilson to lift the trophy.[6]

Following Wilson's retirement, Harry Tector took over captaincy duties for the 2021 season.[7] He was succeeded by Mark Adair in 2022.[8]

2023 was the most successful year in the team's history as they completed a List A and T20 double.[9]

Honours

Inter-Provincial Cup - (List A) - 2 titles
Winners: 2013, 2023
Inter-Provincial Trophy - (T20) - 1 title
Winners: 2023

Current squad

  • Players with international caps are listed in bold.
Name Nationality Birth date Batting style Bowling style Club Notes
Batsmen
Paul Stirling Ireland3 September 1990Right-handedRight arm off-breakNorth Down
James McCollum Ireland1 August 1995Right-handedRight arm mediumWaringstownVice-captain
Ross Adair  Ireland 21 April 1994 Right-handed Slow left arm orthodox CIYMS
Morgan Topping Ireland25 March 1999Right-handedRight arm off-breakWaringstown
John Matchett Ireland22 July 1997--CIYMS
Cade Carmichael  South Africa 3 August 2002 Right-handed Right arm medium Instonians
Jason van der Merwe  South Africa 28 December 1991 Right-handed - CIYMS
Jake Egan  Australia 20 June 2003 Right-handed Right arm off-break Carrickfergus
All-rounders
Mark Adair Ireland27 March 1996Right-handedRight arm fast-mediumCIYMSCaptain
Tyron Koen South Africa25 October 1997Left-handedRight arm medium-fastCIYMS
Ruhan Pretorious South Africa2 March 1991Right-handedRight arm medium-fastWoodvale
Wicket-keepers
Neil Rock Ireland24 September 2000Left-handed-Rush
Bowlers
Tom Mayes South Africa4 January 2001Right-handedRight arm medium-fastNorth Down
Josh Manley IrelandRight-handedRight arm fast-mediumLisburnLoaned out to Munster Reds[10]
Matthew Foster Ireland15 January 2000Right-handedRight arm fast-mediumCSNI
Matthew Humphreys  Ireland 28 September 2002 Right-handed Slow left arm orthodox Lisburn
Theo van Woerkom Ireland26 July 1993Right-handedSlow left arm orthodoxCIYMS
Jacob Mulder Ireland11 August 1995Right-handedRight arm leg-breakCIYMS
Cian Robertson  Ireland 19 September 2002 Right-handed Slow left arm orthodox Instonians Transferred to North West Warriors[11]
Source:[12]

Grounds

References

  1. ↑ Ireland, Cricket. "Coaches announced for Inter-Provincial Series - Cricket Ireland". www.cricketireland.ie. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  2. ↑ Easdown, Craig (22 September 2013). "Warriors beat Lightning to give RSA Inter-Provincial Cup to Northern Knights". Cricket Ireland. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "Ireland domestic competition awarded first-class status". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  4. ↑ "Ireland's Inter-Provincial Championship awarded first-class status". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  5. ↑ Ireland, Cricket. "Interview with New Northern Knights Coach Simon Johnston - Cricket Ireland". www.cricketireland.ie. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  6. ↑ Callender, Ian (18 August 2019). "Knights lift T20 crown". Irish Cricket Archives. Retrieved 8 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ↑ "Tector honoured to secure Northern Knights captaincy". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 30 March 2021. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Mark Adair takes over captaincy of Northern Knights". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 31 January 2022. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Morton, Johnny (8 September 2023). "Northern Knights complete historic Inter-Provincial Cup and Trophy double". News Letter. Retrieved 8 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ↑ "Northern Knights Squad Named For Rario IP20 Festival At Pembroke With Returns For Ireland Duo Paul Stirling And James McCollum | Northern Cricket Union". northerncricketunion.org. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "Robertson transferred to Warriors". www.cricketeurope.com. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  12. ↑ "2023 FC+LA+T20 match individual most matches for Northern Knights". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 9 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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