CRICKET: The dissertation in this column recently about the dilemma facing the Irish Cricket Union (ICU) - whether to stage the 2005 ICC Trophy north or south of the Border, meaning Belfast or Dublin - has drawn a response from Louis Hogan, president of Clontarf CC and a former international umpire, writes Karl Johnston

He writes: " . . . the opportunities for promoting cricket and taking it to a wider and younger audience are far greater if the tournament is held in Dublin and I believe that should be a major factor in the union's thinking."

Hogan also queries my suggestion that playing standards are higher in the North. "You state (he writes) that only two Dublin clubs have won the Irish Senior Cup. I should point out that five of the last six winners have come from the north west (the other from Dublin and none from the North (NCU). Does this mean that Derry should be the host venue? Hardly.

"Perhaps a more relevant statistic is that Leinster have won four of the last seven Interprovincial Championships and the North only two, while the north west has not taken the title since 1994."

And, pointing to the success of Leinster sides in the national under-age competitions, Hogan says he cannot agree with my inference that Southern playing standards are lower. Hogan also points to the excellent grounds in Dublin. He continues: "For the first time since the West Indies v Bangladesh World Cup match was staged in Castle Avenue, the ICU has a great opportunity to maximise support for cricket on an all-island basis, but particularly in the South where perhaps lies the greatest potential for drawing in a whole new set of participants. I hope the union is far-seeing enough to take that opportunity which Belfast has had with the European Championship. The next turn should be Dublin's."

Meanwhile, Brian Kelleher of CYM, the Leinster Cricket Union's (LCU) director of coaching, writes about the senior averages, saying it's no surprise to see they are (mostly) topped by overseas players who, he stresses, help to raise playing standards.

Kelleher says: "As one who has been involved with the coaching of home-based players through the LCU elite programme, it was particularly gratifying to see some of these mentioned in recent match results. Although it is some time since either Ronan O'Reilly or Keith Spelman were in a youth squad, Duncan Smythe and John Blakeney (Merrion) and James Flynn (Clontarf) are either recent or current.

"Similarly, in recent weeks we have seen notable performances from current under-19s Richard O'Donnell (Old Belvedere), Kevin O'Brien (Railway Union) and Conor Kelly (CYM), as well as other recent 'graduates' of the youth system such as Conor Armstrong (North County), Carl Hosford (YMCA) and Niall O'Brien (Railway Union)."

Kelleher emphasises he has no trouble with overseas players, but hopes the clubs will use their expertise to help bring on their young up-and-coming cricketers.