Knockharley finish best of the rest behind dominant Hills

Knockharley enjoyed a solid 2026 campaign in the Leinster First Team League, finishing second behind runaway champions The Hills after a season in which they produced enough quality to separate themselves from much of the chasing pack.

They were never really able to reel in the eventual champions, but second place still represented a respectable return and underlined the progress being made.

They also secured their first trophy in 19 years as they clinched the Tillain T20 Cup in emphatic fashion, strengthening their quest to be included in the 2027 Alan Murray Cup.

Brandon Kruger was the standout performer and enjoyed an exceptional all-round season. He topped the batting aggregates with 539 runs at an average of 53.90, passing fifty five times and finishing with a best of 83 not out. His influence was even greater with the ball, taking 26 wickets at just 14.15, including a five-wicket haul, to complete a superb campaign.

Sayed Zubair was another consistent contributor with 438 runs at 33.69, while Don Retty added 336 at 37.33. Daneyaal Janjua made a significant impact despite limited appearances, scoring 286 runs at 47.67, including an unbeaten century, and striking 20 sixes.

Muhammad Nawaz and Mubeen Ali also provided useful support, helping give Knockharley a batting line-up with reasonable depth.

The bowling unit was one of their major strengths. Kruger and Syed Mehdi both claimed 26 wickets, while Kashif Ali took 22 at 18.23. Ahmed Kayani was particularly miserly, taking 19 wickets at 18.11 while conceding just 3.25 runs per over, and Jack Condie added 14 wickets. Aabis Mirza also impressed with 11 wickets at 17.91, including a superb six for 17.

That spread of wickets meant Knockharley were rarely dependent on one bowler to make breakthroughs. Ultimately, The Hills proved too strong over the course of the season, but Knockharley could take plenty of satisfaction from finishing second.

They showed they have enough batting and bowling depth to compete strongly at this level, and with a little more consistency there is no reason why they should not be among the leading contenders again in 2027.

KNOCKHARLEY – TOP 10 BATTERS

1. Brandon Kruger – 539 runs, average 53.90, HS 83*, 5 fifties  
2. Sayed Zubair – 438 runs, average 33.69, HS 71*, 2 fifties  
3. Don Retty – 336 runs, average 37.33, HS 51, 1 fifty  
4. Daneyaal Janjua – 286 runs, average 47.67, HS 100*, 1 hundred, 1 fifty  
5. Muhammad Nawaz – 277 runs, average 21.31, HS 60, 1 fifty  
6. Mubeen Ali – 268 runs, average 29.78, HS 63*, 1 fifty  
7. Ehtesham Ahmed – 150 runs, average 16.67, HS 36  
8. Kashif Ali – 132 runs, average 22.00, HS 50*, 1 fifty  
9. Sumit Singh – 105 runs, average 26.25, HS 41*  
10. Tayyab Rashid – 89 runs, average 14.83, HS 44  

KNOCKHARLEY – TOP 10 BOWLERS

1. Brandon Kruger – 26 wickets, average 14.15, BBI 5-22  
2. Syed Mehdi – 26 wickets, average 24.19, BBI 4-26  
3. Kashif Ali – 22 wickets, average 18.23, BBI 4-24  
4. Ahmed Kayani – 19 wickets, average 18.11, BBI 5-19  
5. Jack Condie – 14 wickets, average 18.29, BBI 3-42  
6. Daneyaal Janjua – 13 wickets, average 23.69, BBI 3-25  
7. Aabis Mirza – 11 wickets, average 17.91, BBI 6-17  
8. Ehtesham Ahmed – 10 wickets, average 23.30, BBI 3-28  
9. Sumit Singh – 6 wickets, average 27.50, BBI 3-39  
10. Ahmad Nasiri – 1 wicket, average 32.00, BBI 1-32