The 2024 Isle of Man Cricket Association league season got underway at the weekend.   

This year sees the introduction of a new format to the fixtures, with the association introducing T10 which will see the Isle of Man participating in the European Club Network at both club and national levels.   

The T10 midweek competition will run from the end of July.  

Another new introduction is both a weekend and midweek T20 format until June, before the longer format matches – 40, 35 and 30-over fixtures – for the Premier League, Division One and Division Two respectively.  

This weekend saw the opening round of T20 fixtures across the three leagues and Peel put down an early marker with a 10-wicket win against Valkyres at King William’s College.  

After winning the toss Peel chose to field and, after the westerners made early inroads into the Valkyres batting line-up, reducing them to 15 for 3, the latter were all out for 79. Akkie Van Den Berg and Kieran Cawte both picked up three wickets.  

Peel quickly wrapped up the innings in the seventh over, with Ollie Webster smashing 67 from only 32 balls including five sixes.  

Cronkbourne enjoyed a narrow 12-run home win against Crosby after winning the toss and chosing to bat. Harishankar Radhakrishnan’s near run-a-ball 43 proved decisive in Cronkbourne’s 135 from their 20 overs.   

Crosby lost opener Jamie Brown without a run on the board and lost their last three wickets for only three runs. Isle of Man under-19 bowlers Nathan Williams and JJ Griffin each picked up three wickets in a close finish.  

In the first division, Cronkbourne’s second team enjoyed a comfortable win against Peel thanks to a century partnership from Jake Turner and Stuart Clegg for the seventh wicket.  

Turner’s unbeaten 68 came from 45 balls including two sixes, while Clegg hit 73 from 30 balls including six sixes. Ollie Quinn picked up five wickets as Peel were bowled out for 83.  

Ramsey won a high-scoring game against Crosby at Ramsey Grammar School, with Giles Scott’s 50 from only 28 balls in vain as Michael Webber hit 93, including nine sixes as Ramsey reached the target in the 19th over.  

Valkyres are the pace setters in the T20 Weekend Division Two league after a win against Castletown.   

Valkyres wicket keeper Syed Muhammad Naqvi’s 66 proved decisive in their total of 147, despite Castletown opener Mike Haywood’s (35) and late order runs from Ben Crellin (20) and Elliott Butler (17).   

In the division’s other game, Finch Hill seconds beat Cronkbourne’s thirds by 27 runs. Finch Hill batted first and Steven King was the top scorer with 42 as Cronkbourne set a target of 119, with Theo Helfrich picking up three wickets.   

Helfrich was also top scorer with 19 in Cronkbourne’s reply, although they were all out for 91 in the 20th over.  

SIMON CRELLIN