Cricket Weekend previews: The introduction last year of the Inter-Regional Challenge - or, if you prefer, the rebirth and revitalisation of the original interprovincial championship which began in 1966 - was a purposeful step by the Irish Cricket Union (ICU), even if Munster cricket was virtually ignored.
Still, a new-style all-island senior representative competition (though the format, for no good reason, included a series of two-day matches) was to be welcomed.
Alas, appalling weather badly affected the series; in the event, the title went to the Southern XI, who had one win, two draws and one no result from their four matches, to finish ahead of the North West Cricket Union (NWCU).
So, with the Met Eireann people sounding less than ecstatic about the prospects, it's to be hoped that this season's opening round today and tomorrow will fare better.
Given good conditions, this year's competition has a great deal of appeal. The re-introduction of a North Leinster XI has allowed the Southern XI to include Munster players, and even if some down south may regard this as a mere sop, the fact remains that Ted Williamson and Bruce Koch, both of Munster Reds, are getting a well-deserved chance this weekend; Williamson must be especially pleased, having been totally ignored since his sole Ireland appearance in 1998.
With teams which look evenly enough matched there should be some hard-fought contests over the weekend. Today has the Southern XI and North Leinster taking on the NWCU and the Northern Cricket Union (NCU) at Rathmines and Milverton, respectively, while tomorrow brings the Southern XI and North Leinster facing the NCU and NWCU at College Park and Malahide, respectively.
The NWCU side looks especially strong, with the return to the representative scene of the enigmatic Decker Curry and the experience of the likes of skipper Peter Gillespie, Mark Gillespie, Gary Neely and Richard McDaid. And the impressive rising stars in the team include William Porterfield, Andrew Riddles, Johnny Thompson and Boyd Rankin.
The Southern XI, the reigning champions, also look strong, captained by Michael Lax, backed up by players like Peter Davy, Richard Hastie, Dom Joyce and Emmett Whaley. John Blakeney has had to cry off today's side. Meanwhile, wicket-keeper/ batsman Niall O'Brien, first fully-capped by Ireland last year, is also included, taking a weekend break from his duties with Kent.
UMPIRES:
SATURDAY: Leinster Senior League Section A: At Anglesea Road: M Russell, L Fourie. Middle A League: At Castle Avenue: N Adams, L Hewson; At Kenure: R Stapleton, A Tuffery. Senior 2 League: At Sydney Parade: P Thew, B Noone; At Park Avenue: P Byrne, E Gilmour. Senior 3 League: At Balbriggan: T Byrne, J Connolly.
SUNDAY: Middle A League: At Park Avenue: D Thompson, G Lyons; At Kenure: B Gailey, D Walsh. Senior 2 League: At Rathmines: J Bristow, S Moore. Senior 3 League: At Terenure: N Parnell, L Hogan; At Sydney Parade: C Colleran, M Sheridan.
SOUTHERN XI (Saturday): M Lax (CYM, capt.,) K O'Brien (Railway Union), P Davy (Pembroke), R Hastie (Pembroke), C Hosford (YMCA/Dublin University), D Joyce (Merrion/Dublin University), B Koch (Munster Reds), N O'Brien (Railway Union), E Whaley (Pembroke), R Whelan (Railway Union), T Williamson (Munster Reds). 12th man: K Carroll (Railway Union). Sunday: Kenny Carroll replaces Dom Joyce and Stuart McDonnell (Leinster) takes over as 12th man.
NORTH LEINSTER XI: J Molins (Phoenix, capt.), B Archer (The Hills), Conor Armstrong, D Armstrong, A Botha (all North County), J Bray (Phoenix), J Mooney, P Mooney (both North County), G Molins (Clontarf), E Morgan (North County), N Shaukat (Rush). 12th man (Saturday): L Clinton (The Hills); 12th man (Sunday): P Byrne (The Hills).
NORTHERN CRICKET UNION SQUAD: A White (North Down, capt.), B Anderson (Cliftonville), J Bushe (Waringstown), R Coetzee (Belfast Harlequins), R Eagleson (Carrickfergus), R Haire (North Down), D Heasley (Lisburn), D Kennedy (North Down), A McCoubrey (Essex), G Morrison (Lurgan), J Stevenson (Instonians), P Tate (Downpatrick), S Wells (Instonians). Manager: A Rutherford; Coach: K McCallan.
NORTH WEST CRICKET UNION SQUAD: P Gillespie (Strabane, capt.), M Gillespie (Strabane), W Porterfield, A Riddles, J McGonagle (all Donemana), G Neely, J Thompson, G Montgomery (all Glendermott), D Curry, R McDaid (both Limavady), B Rankin (Bready), B Allen (Fox Lodge).
RESULT: Leinster Senior League Section B: At Castle Avenue: Dublin University 211 for 8, 50 overs (C Hosford 63, D Joyce 39, J Warman 38 no, A Cusack 3 for 42), Clontarf 105 for 2, 25 overs (T Fourie 72 no). Dublin University won on faster run-rate.
