Ballina Cricket Club hosts memorable event
Cricket ball and cricket bat.
On Thursday, 18th June, Ballina Cricket Club was delighted to welcome a group from the Castlebar IPAS Centre for a friendly match at Belleek.
In conjunction with Mayo Sports Partnership, which has been instrumental in supporting the club since its foundation in 2023, the match was arranged as part of the Refugee Week celebrations.
Now in its third season in the Connacht Cricket Union Division 1 League, Ballina Cricket Club has grown to include more than 40 members from Ballina and surrounding towns. Home matches are played at the running track in Belleek, affectionately christened the "Ballina Oval" by the players and the club's growing fanbase.
Conditions on the day were far from ideal, with showers forecast throughout. However, everyone was keen to proceed with the planned fixture, and approximately 15 enthusiastic cricketers arrived just as the heavens opened. The opportunity to enjoy some cricket proved too tempting to resist, and, despite the rain, an enjoyable hour of action was played before the conditions eventually became too wet to continue.
The mixed team from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia more than matched the hosts, with some excellent bowling and batting on display throughout.
Pat O'Brien of Mayo Sports Partnership, who is also President of Ballina Cricket Club, said:
"We were thrilled to be able to host the event and give cricket fans the opportunity to use the excellent facilities we have here in Ballina. The club will be hosting an event later in the summer for juniors who are interested in giving cricket a try and discovering just how much fun the game can be. We're very fortunate here in Ballina to have a great mixture of nationalities among our members, all united by a love of the game."
The event highlighted the power of sport to bring people together, creating new friendships and celebrating the diversity that continues to strengthen both Ballina Cricket Club and the wider community.
