# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Need for Speed
Inaugural Find a Fast Bowler competition for girls in February
Cricket Leinster's Find a Fast bowler competition has been running since 2006 when Terenure's Darren Nicol became the first winner. It was begun when there was a shortage of fast bowlers in the boys' and men's game; this was a way to find raw talent and encourage out and out fast bowlers. The same could be said about the women's game now so Cricket Leinster see this new competition as a way of identifying and encouraging potential fast bowlers.

"What you tend to see in the girls and women's game in this province is a sacrifice of pace for accuracy. This works well in most cricket until you get to the top level, and then the accuracy isn't enough, you need something else to be a top bowler - swing, pace, turn, something to set you apart," says Cricket Leinster Women and Girls' Development Officer Isobel Joyce.

"We are running two fast-bowling masterclasses on February Tuesday 16 th in Merrion Cricket Club. Developing fast bowlers can get training and tips from arguably Ireland's fastest bowler David Delany, and from Senior Women's Internationals pacer Orla Prendergast.

"Later in the week, any female between the ages of 13 and 21 who is not a member of the Ireland Senior or Academy squad can enter the Find a Fast Bowler competition which will take place in Merrion on Thursday the 18 th where the adjudicators will decide who will win a €150 voucher. "

An illustrious panel will be observing the entrants. Former Ireland captain Miriam Grealey will be looking for the type of fast bowler she remembers from back in the day, bowlers like Sue Bray and Barbara McDonald. Ed Joyce will be joining her, no doubt with the added interest of trying to find a future star for his Ireland team. The panel will be rounded out by former winner of the men's edition of the competition, David Delany, who will have seen some of the entrants earlier in the week.

"We are looking for bowlers to try to bowl as quickly as they can," emphasised Isobel. "It's not about accuracy or change-ups, it's not about having the perfect technique or action, we're looking for potential and a desire to get the ball down the other end in the shortest time possible. All of the other skills can be taught once the pace is there."

To sign up for one of the two fast bowling masterclasses, follow the links below:

Fast-Bowling 1 - https://buytickets.at/cricketleinster/466803

Fast-Bowling 2 - https://buytickets.at/cricketleinster/466806

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Inaugural Find a Fast Bowler competition for girls in February Cricket Leinster's Find a Fast bowler competition has been running since 2006 when Terenure's Darren Nicol became the first winner. It was begun when there was a shortage of fast bowlers in the boys' and men's game; this was a way to find raw talent and encourage out and out fast bowlers.

# data[].attributes.body
The latest in our S&C mini-series:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Matthew Ford shoulder stability and strengthening

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Every Hannah Darlington wicket | Rebel WBBL|06

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Hitting over the top Masterclass
Shillington and Doheny share their expertise
The last of the Masterclasses for 2020 took place in Railway Union on the final Sunday of lockdown. Once again, the weather played ball and just under 30 players from across the Leinster girls U15, U17 and U19 programmes were lucky enough to get some insight into how to hit over the top from two top-level players and coaches.

Cricket Leinster were lucky enough to have Clare Shillington and Stephen Doheny lead the session. Shillington is best known for her attacking batting style, hitting spinners and seamers over the top alike, while Stephen Doheny is known for his excellent technique and good footwork, so the players were given a taste of all aspects of hitting over the top including footwork drills, power hitting and ball position.

Clare Shillington working with the Leinster Girls

Shillington, who coaches in Pembroke Cricket Club, says the masterclasses have been really well received.

"The girls have really enjoyed the sessions. Something different and some new voices talking and teaching things they might never have heard before is a great idea. It helps to just open up the players' minds to new things," she added.

Doheny enjoyed coaching the girls and was impressed with the talent on show.

Stephen Doheny speaking to the group

"It felt like the girls were really listening and keen to work hard," he said, "it was a pleasure coaching them". He tweeted after the session: "Enjoyable afternoon with all the very talented @LeinsterYouth girls!... Look forward to seeing these girls putting in big performances next Summer".

In the new year, Cricket Leinster hope to see a return to training for all of our squads, covid-restriction dependent. This would include resuming more regular winter training while also looking at running a few more masterclasses and Easter Camps.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Shillington and Doheny share their expertise The last of the Masterclasses for 2020 took place in Railway Union on the final Sunday of lockdown. Once again, the weather played ball and just under 30 players from across the Leinster girls U15, U17 and U19 programmes were lucky enough to get some insight into how to hit over the top from two top-level players and coaches.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Leinster Girls Continue to Learn From the Best

Masterclass Series with International Stars

The sun finally came out this past weekend for the first in Cricket Leinster's series of masterclasses. Players from our U15 and U17 girls' panels were invited to sign up to learn from some of the province's best players and coaches in specific aspects of the game, and the initiative was met with great enthusiasm.

Refixed from the previous weekend due to poor weather, the first of these masterclasses took place on Saturday in a sun-soaked Merrion CC where Australia-born Celeste Raack along with home-grown talents Harry Tector and Gareth Delany introduced 20 spin-hopefuls to off-spin and leg-spin.

Every player was taught the basics of both types of spin and given the opportunity to try them out. Some of the attendees already bowl spin; they had the chance to try some more advanced skills and speak to the mentors about what they could add to their games and how to improve.

"It's a big issue within the girls and women's game in Ireland that we have a huge amount of medium-pace seam and swing bowlers and very few spin bowlers. This has the knock-on effect that competition at the higher levels for spinners is low and it also means there are not enough spinners playing in the club game and that the batters, then, have very little opportunity to learn how to bat against spin," explains Leinster Women and Girls' Development officer, Isobel Joyce. "We then have the situation where young international players are going to tournaments and facing top level spinners without having the tools to play them effectively.

"I think it's a catch 22 situation. We don't have many adult spinners and so young girls have nobody to emulate and there are also not many coaches of women's teams teaching it. It's certainly not my expertise and that's where I came up with the idea of running this masterclass. When there are so few spinners playing cricket at any level in Leinster, we don't learn to watch the ball from the hand and understand what different things spinners do, and so when you get to higher levels, you really have no idea how to play it."

Joyce hopes it will have been an eye-opening experience. "Best case scenario, a number of the girls take up spin bowling and the ones that already do bowl it, stick with it. If that doesn't happen, then at least the players now know what the types of spin are and how to recognise it so it can at least help them with their batting."

It was a privilege to have such high-profile talents delivering the sessions. "The last year has been huge for both Harry and Gareth, so for them to be so willing to give back to young players coming through really says something about the attitude of those guys and the clubs they come from - YMCA and Leinster respectively.

"Celeste is doing great work with the girls in her club, Merrion CC, and she is always happy to help out with pretty much anything I ask her. Added to that is her incredible love for legspin bowling, so we were very lucky to have her teaching the girls because that kind of passion really comes across to kids."

Fielding Masterclass at Malahide last Sunday

The weather played ball again on Sunday and there were great conditions for the second masterclass in Malahide - diving and sliding with Fintan McAllister and John Anderson. Fintan McAllister is Development Officer for Dublin City and is renowned for his fielding coaching in particular, while Anderson was capped 26 times for Ireland, retiring in 2018, captained the Leinster Lightning for two highly successful seasons and has been one of the best fielders in the domestic game since he first came to Ireland in 2005.

After a number of demonstrations run by Fintan and carried out by John, the girls were thrown in the deep end and asked to "be brave and give it a go".

"It's rare that you get to give diving and sliding a go when the grass is a good bit longer and the outfield so soft, so fair play to the girls for showing the enthusiasm and coming out on a cold day in November to throw themselves around," said McAllister.

"I'm seeing a real change in attitude from the younger girls around cricket these days. It used to be that only a few girls in any team were willing to dive around the place, now it's something they expect from themselves and something they enjoy being taught and doing," remarked Isobel. "It shows the growing awareness of what's expected of them but also the changing attitudes around what's appropriate or 'right' for a girl or woman to be doing," she added.

Next up in the masterclasses is hitting over the top with former Ireland International Clare Shillington and Ireland Wolves and Leinster Lightning top-order batsman Stephen Doheny.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Leinster Girls Continue to Learn From the Best

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Masterclass Series with International Stars The sun finally came out this past weekend for the first in Cricket Leinster's series of masterclasses. Players from our U15 and U17 girls' panels were invited to sign up to learn from some of the province's best players and coaches in specific aspects of the game, and the initiative was met with great enthusiasm.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Girls U13, U15 and U17 Mid-Term Clinics

As Level 5 hit, plenty of people's plans had to be cancelled, but outdoor cricket training in pods no greater than 15 for people of school-going age was still allowed. So for the first time during the Halloween break, Cricket Leinster ran two, two-day camps for our U13, U15 and U17 squads - one northside and one southside. This enabled players to travel as short a distance as possible to attend their camp. This was done, of course, with strict adherence to health and safety guidelines and in line with the rules of the current lockdown.

For the first two days, our U13, U15 and U17 girls were invited to attend sessions held in Merrion Cricket Club, while the following two days were held in Ringcommons Cricket Club on the northside although poor weather meant that the last day of camp was moved to the following weekend. Our huge thanks to both clubs for facilitating these sessions.

Usually we would run these camps indoors due to cold and wet weather but this year that wasn't possible. Training outdoors did not deter the girls who were delighted to be back playing some cricket. They worked on some fundamental skills focusing on technique in catching, bowling and batting as well as learning how to do the 'army roll' diving technique. We hope not too many car interiors were ruined by mucky, wet passengers!

Our aim was to make sure that players thought about their game and tried different things in the winter months which is the ideal time to make technical changes if those are needed. It was also to keep the players engaged with cricket and with each other in the winter months and indeed, during covid times.

Once restrictions are lifted, Cricket Leinster hopes to return to normal programming for winter indoor sessions but in the meantime, we will continue to think outside the box to ensure our youth players can continue to develop their cricket skills.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As Level 5 hit, plenty of people's plans had to be cancelled, but outdoor cricket training in pods no greater than 15 for people of school-going age was still allowed. So for the first time during the Halloween break, Cricket Leinster ran two, two-day camps for our U13, U15 and U17 squads - one northside and one southside.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
All of the best catches | ICC Women's T20 World Cup

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Top 10 moments from the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020

# data[].attributes.body
Here are some highlights from one of the closest games in the competition: https://youtu.be/Z-yVC9HmwGo

# data[].attributes.body
Here is a series of video for you to do some cricket specific fitness and strength and conditioning done at home: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZhIQsTOmuDd1m5HCOuOQJ7nUgtLmSlSm

# data[].attributes.body
Here's our playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZhIQsTOmuDdfj48dlVRotc61ok--9NRK