Cricket Weekend preview: This is a crucial weekend for Ireland's cricketers. Following the disappointment of an eight-wicket defeat to champions Hampshire in Castle Avenue last Sunday, their C&G Trophy hopes depend a lot on what happens over the next couple of days.
Coach Adi Birrell is still confident of winning four or five out of nine games in this competition so one victory (against Gloucestershire tomorrow or Glamorgan on Monday) will be the least he'll be hoping for this weekend.
They will have learned a lot from the Hampshire game, and with overseas player Shahid Afridi expected to make it to Bristol from Pakistan in time for the start tomorrow, Ireland will almost be at full strength.
Afridi missed the first game as he had to stay in Karachi with his sick daughter but it is thought he will join the squad today and will more than likely open the batting with Jeremy Bray in the morning.
Off-spinner Andy White is out with a wrist injury but with Saqlain Mushtaq (the other permitted overseas player) and Kyle McCallan named, skipper Trent Johnston will not be short of slow-bowling options.
White is replaced in the 12-man squad by medium-pacer Paul Mooney, who has recovered from an injury that kept him sidelined for pre-season activities.
Gloucestershire have had a good start to the C&G Trophy, beating Middlesex by six wickets at Bristol last weekend. Captain Jon Lewis ripped through the top order, ending with 4-14 off 10 overs, as they bowled out the Lord's-based team for just 95.
Australian Ian Harvey, who played against Ireland for Yorkshire last year, will be a crucial wicket again this time, but with the likes of Craig Spearman, Alex Gidman and Steve Adshead also likely to be in the batting line-up, every wicket will be prized.
The better opportunity for an upset might come the following day in Cardiff; Glamorgan suffered a 10-wicket defeat to Essex in a rain-affected match last Sunday and have looked far from convincing in the early County Championship exchanges.
As ever, skipper Robert Croft will be a key man. He had a tough 2005 season but will likely open the innings and bowl 10 overs of his usual probing off-spin. Both games gets underway at 10.45am.
Meanwhile, the domestic league season gets underway today with the Leinster 45 Overs League, sponsored by Dublin Grass Machinery. There will be an interesting fixture at College Park, Civil Service CC playing their first senior match since 1944. The Phoenix Park side have been in strong form in the lower ranks and were invited to take part in the DGM League this year before resuming life in Senior 2 for the bulk of the season.
Coincidentally, the last senior game they played was against Dublin University, and they take on the students again today in a match they'll feel they can win.
Trinity are rebuilding under Sri Lankan captain Thivanka Kodikara, and Civil Service's talent and team spirit should see them register a long-awaited senior victory.
Elsewhere today, Old Belvedere play the Munster Reds in the Mardyke, North County entertain Merrion at Inch and Rush face Railway Union at Park Avenue.
Tomorrow, defending champions Clontarf play Leinster at Castle Avenue, CYM host Phoenix in Terenure, Malahide take on The Hills in Milverton and YMCA play Pembroke in a Sandymount derby at Claremont Road. All games start at 12.30.
IRELAND (squad): T Johnston (capt), J Bray, D Joyce, E Morgan, A Botha, P Gillespie, K McCallan, D Langford-Smith, P Mooney, A McCoubrey, S Afridi, S Mushtaq.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE (squad): J Lewis (capt), C Spearman, P Weston, M Windows, C Taylor, A Gidman, I Harvey, S Adshead, M Hardinges, M Ball, J Averis, C Greenidge, S Kirby.
GLAMORGAN (squad): R Croft (capt), M Cosgrove, A Wharf, M Powell, N Peng, D Hemp, M Wallace, R Grant, A Davies, D Cosker, S Jones, R Watkins.
