CRICKET: Ireland continued their build up to this week's ICC Trophy with a game against the Northern Ireland-based professionals at Comber yesterday. The quality of the opposition was much higher than that provided last week by the MCC and the pros won with five wickets and 10 balls to spare.

The game told us nothing that we didn't already know - the Irish batting has more depth than its bowling. Boosted by the return of Middlesex's Ed Joyce, playing for the first time for his country since the ICC Trophy against Canada in 2001, Ireland reached 259 for 9 in their 50 overs. Joyce didn't disappoint. He scored a fine 52 off 56 balls. Skipper Jason Molins scored 50 off 51 balls, before retiring, while Jeremy Bray made 42, before he too retired to the pavilion.

On a good track and fast outfield, it was always going to be tricky to defend. Trent Johnston and Adrian McCoubrey both bowled with good pace early on, and Johnston was rewarded with the wicket of Godbole, caught at second slip by Botha, with the total on 15. Khurysia and Baguley then added 111 for the second wicket and from that point, Ireland were always coming second. Khurysia made a classy 126 not out.

The Irish will have benefited from this test in the lead-up to Friday's first game against Bermuda in Stormont.

Meanwhile, on the domestic front Leinster CC's disappointing season to date continued with defeat to Pembroke at Rathmines on Saturday. Batting first, the Broke reached 217 thanks mostly to Peter Davy's 74 and 45 from Andy Northcoate. It was a reasonable total but one that Mark Jones's team would have been confident chasing. However, Pembroke's opening bowlers Alan Eastwood (5-26) and Emmet Whaley (3-34) thought otherwise, doing most of the damage in reducing Leinster to 105 all out.