Time was when petrol rationing was encouraged by the posters asking the question - "Is your journey really necessary?" The unfortunate Bangladesh cricketers would be forgiven for posing the same query to themselves, in the wake of their rain-destroyed visit to Ireland.
After the three abandoned matches in the North West, the trend set at the start of the week continued at Rathmines on Saturday, as the rain bucketed down on the saturated pitch. It was evident from early on that no play would be possible, so match number four was duly abandoned, without a ball being bowled.
So the selectors had all the time in the world to pick the Ireland A side for today's match in Cork which is due to start at 11.00 at The Mardyke - weather permitting, of course. Ted Williamson (Pembroke) and Greg Molins (Carlisle), troubled by knee and groin injuries respectively, were unable to prove their fitness, as their clubs' matches were also rained off, but have been included anyway.
Only five of the team - Kyle McCallan, Ed Joyce, Keith Spellman, Gary Neely and Paul Mooney - were involved in last Thursday's Provincial X1 which lost to Bangladesh at Malahide. The presence of Mark Barriscale, who is playing for UCC at the moment, and Peter Coleman, Cork County's accomplished wicket-keeper, will boost local interest, while Williamson, of course, is also from the southern capital.
The squads for the NatWest Trophy away game against Warwickshire on June 23rd and for the upcoming Triple Crown campaign in the Edinburgh district were also announced, and YMCA's Angus Dunlop resumes as captain in both instances. Jason Molins has been included in the NatWest 12-man squad, but stands down for the Triple Crown series.
Neil Carson of Waringstown and the Armagh seamer Paul McCrum have been added to the party for the Scottish competition, which will be staged between June 30th and July 2nd.
In the North-West Senior Cup quarter-final at Beechgrove on Saturday skipper Stephen Smyth hit another century, as Brigade eased past junior club Crindle by 349 runs. Smyth scored a handsome 169, including 19 boundaries and 6 sixes.
