ADAMSTOWN
- Captain: Sidharth Biju
- Overseas professional: Prasanth Prabhu
- Head Coach: Olag Sivanantham
One of the growth and success stories of not just Leinster, but Irish cricket in recent years is Adamstown Cricket Club, who have grown from small roots to be one of the biggest clubs in Ireland.
Head Coach Olag Sivanantham explained their incredible story, and how Adamstown are looking to competing in the First Team League, just one rung of the ladder away from Premiership cricket.
"It's another big year for the club as we move forward and continue to grow. Overall we are fielding 28 teams, 11 men's sides, 16 youth, and a women's team, so we are expecting this to be a big year.
"As far as our flagship first XI side is concerned we will continue to play in the recently formed First Team League in Leinster that is starting to grow in stature and attract a lot of interest and competition. We will also participate in the Alan Murray T20, Leinster Senior and National Cups, so that's a huge year for the club. We reached the quarter-finals of the National Cup last year and we would like to do even better this year.
"We are building a team for the future, so that's very much our theme for the year. Our focus is very much on youth, so you could have the first team having as many as eight under-19 players. The team will be led by Sidharth Biju who is in the Ireland pathway and is only 17. he led very well and has great attributes and is continuing to learn and grow as a cricketer.
"Our professional is Prasanth Prabhu. He has played in India, is an wicketkeeper batsman and should be an excellent addition to the team.
"Dinesh Anthony was our leading run getter last year and will continue to feature in the team. Nithin Padmaprabhu is a superb all-rounder who consistently delivers will be another mainstay. Another two under 19's from last year will be Arvind Olag, who is a leg-break bowler and all-round batsman, as well as medium-pace all-rounder Nithin Namburu.
"Also in the squad are Shreyas Rajesh is a very stylish batsman, while Yuvraj Shah is a left-handed top-order batsman. Aryan Adelkar is a really talented batting all-rounder, while much is expected from wicketkeeper batsman Niranjan Muthu. Jaivir Singh Oberoi was very much in the mix for the Ireland youth squad who is an off-break bowling all-rounder, as was Angad Bawa, while Shavron Biju is our highly rated and talented pace bowler who we hope will continue to do well in the first team.
"Shavron Biju, Angad Bawa and Jaivir Singh will all clearly benefit from having spent nearly three months off-season to improve their game at the Adamstown Academy, which runs 365 days of the year. The Academy is helping to produce all these homegrown talents, who are all coming through our pathways and contributing at the highest level."
Adamstown are undoubtedly a club that are growing players together and this ethos will stand them in good stead long-term, clearly built on very solid foundations.
