Niall Walsh has had a busy off-season, but a very productive one. His work on the club statistics from the past 12 years has produced some interesting figures and has made them openly available for general viewing. We shall now highlight some players who have significant landmarks within their grasp this season.

Please do note that these figures only cover the past dozen years and so for players such as Charlie Kavanagh it is not a career encompassing list, but more a snapshot. For those players who made their debut within this time period, you are very fortunate that your entire career will be covered.

First up is the wickets taken category. First up because I’m an egotistical b’stard and am exceptionally proud that I top this list. But this isn’t about top or bottom; it is about realistic targets for 2016 and chances to reach notable landmarks.

Wickets

350 wickets – Craig Senior needs 20 to reach this mark.

250 wickets – Bill Whaley needs another 38 wickets, whilst Club Captain Paul Lawson needs 48 having only just passed 200 last season.

200 wickets -Faran Khan is just 13 shy, and Justin Doherty needs just 23. Niall Walsh is 40 short which would see him reach 200 and qualify for the bowling trophy and Richard ‘The Wiz’ Hastie is on exactly the same mark.

150 wickets - Fiachra Tucker is just four wicket short of 150.

100 wickets - Harry Balbirnie will be celebrating this landmark with three more victims, whilst Graham McDonnell needs 10. Paddy Halpin requires 13 whilst JJ Garth will be the youngest to 100 if he claims 17 this season. Ryan Hopkins needs 18.

50 wickets - Sugata Gupta first wicket this season will be his 50th. Stephen Roughan needs just 2 more and young Ben Crowley will be searching for 3 wickets to reach this mark. Achmat Carr is 8 short, as is Josh Little. Sean Bromfield needs 9 and Cathy Murphy has 40 so far.

Andy Balbirnie is the leading run scorer for the past 12 years with 3,670, but is currently on the injured list and unlikely to add to his total. This gives Theophilus Lawson a chance to record the one run he needs to equal Andy, but also to score the 331 needed to reach 4,000.

Runs

4,000Andy Balbirnie needs 330 and Theophilus Lawson needs 331.

3,500Craig Senior needs 149.

3,000Barry McCarthy is unlikely to get the 329 needed to reach 3,000 due to his county commitments with Durham.

2,500Graham McDonnell needs just 39 and Lorcan Tucker, when he returns from his DUCC season, needs 118. Paddy Halpin will be searching for at least 240 runs, whilst Sean Smith will be looking for 351.

2,000Ryan Hopkins requires just 75 runs for a reason to celebrate (as if he needs one).

1,500Grahame Toomey may be planning to spend more time on the sidelines than on the field, but if he does get to play just 8 runs will see him get to 1,500. Grahame is another player whose career outstrips these figures and it is safe to assume he had far more than 1,500 already. Jack Balbirnie needs 12 runs for the same target and Bill Whaley is another whose total must exceed these numbers, but 21 runs is needed. Colin Kavanagh definitely has a lot more than the 1,448 recorded here, but will be pleased to get the 52 required.

1,000Club Captain Paul Lawson needs 27 runs for 1,000 and Gary Baugh needs 30. Ben Sisinni’s knees need more than just runs, but 46 runs will see him at 1,000. Conor Dwyer is another player whose appearances have been limited by fatherhood but 47 would be welcome. David McCarthy is just 50 short and one good innings will see him there. James Cresswell is 107 short and will be as enthusiastic as ever to get them. Guy Chilton doesn’t make too many weekend games, but a good T20 campaign could see him get the 114 needed. Gordon Clarke will be looking for a more successful year than Nottingham Forest and 116 runs will seal it. Ed Dwyer promises to make more appearances this term and 160 runs will allow him a self-satisfying Budweiser. Fourth’s skipper Stephen Willis is 162 short and our own Ashwin Kailasa needs an additional one, that is, 163.

Next we move onto the most unwanted category, that of ducks. It is very tight at the top and Philip Byrne will be hoping one or more of the chasing pack can catch and pass his Club topping 20 ducks.

Ducks

20Philip Byrne.

19Stephen Willis; Emmet Whaley; Paddy Halpin.

18Kevin Ryan.

17Brian Bannigan.

16Harry Balbirnie.

15Peter Marshall; Kieran Vulker; Stuart McDonnell; Lorcan Tucker; Colin Kavanagh.

In the past dozen years only two players have recorded more than two centuries. Neither will be in Pembroke colours this season, with Danny Barclay now in Greystones and Andy Balbirnie injured.

Ten players have scored two tons, but some are no longer with the Club having either retired or moved. Southern Africans Olivia Anderson and Gary Burrows, plus retiree Peter Davy and possible retirees Steve McCarthy and Michael Byers all have twice passed 100. Ricky Mann moved to the UK and Lorcan Tucker has been lent to DUCC for the start of this season. Brother Fiachra Tucker will be looking to add to his tally as will Graham McDonnell and Sanil Gupta. A further 23 Pembroke players have scored a century.

Fifties by their very nature as easier to score and at least 100 players have scored more than one in the past 12 years. Top of the list is injured Andy Balbirnie with 27 fifties to go with his 4 centuries. This list only includes players likely to play this season.

21Theophilus Lawson

15Graham McDonnell.

14Craig Senior.

12Lorcan Tucker; Paddy Halpin.

10Shovan; Sean Smith.

Next, highest scores from the past 12 seasons; each player only having one entry.

Again only current players are included.

219Robin Kelly

147Graham McDonnell

139*Steve McCarthy

132Lorcan Tucker

115Craig Senior

So there we go, some additional motivation, as if any was needed. Enjoy the chase, but remember they are only figures and your give them all up for a cup final win!!

If you are not mentioned here, or would like to know more of your statistics, do get in touch; craig@cricket.ie