THE AIB sponsored Interprovincial Championship begins this weekend, under a new format that should make for more meaningful, competitive cricket.

Two significant changes have been made. First, there are fewer teams, with the Leinster and Northern Cricket Unions being represented by just one team each and a Development Squad being involved later in the summer. Secondly, the amorphous declaration games of old have been replaced by straight 50 over contests.

After some distinctly ordinary interprovincial cricket in recent seasons, the reduction of the number of sides participating should help improve standards. In the past, too many players turned up with the notion, often justified, that they were merely making up the numbers. The selectors knew their side and you'd have to perform miracles to upset that equation.

Unfortunately, this problem remains, to some extent. A player with aspirations to making the international team will have a maximum of four opportunities to impress.

The Leinster and Irish skipper, Alan Lewis, would like to see his provincial side play more cricket and to enjoy a higher profile in general. If, for practical reasons, the interprovincial competition cannot be extended, he'd like to see the Leinster team's fixture list increased by games against quality touring sides. If such matches clashed with club duties, he'd hope that `team Leinster' would take automatic precedence.

Of course, certain players find it difficult to put province or country before club.

Justin Benson's position in this regard presents a thorny issue. Benson is clearly in an invidious position. Although qualified by birth as an Irish player and expected to play for his province, the LCU registration committee deems the former Leicestershire batsman an overseas' player to prevent Malahide from hiring another quality professional.

Benson is employed by Malahide CC, who understandably would have liked his presence in their side for today's game at Rush. Likewise Leinster would like him to help them out against the NCU. In the end, Benson has made himself unavailable.