North Leinster the pick

CRICKET/Weekend previews: Looking through the teams for this weekend's packed schedule in the Regional Challenge, it is difficult to see how anyone is going to beat North Leinster, even if they are missing players.

Five of the Ireland team that lost to Northants in the C&G Trophy last week have been named in the 12-man North Leinster squad for the games against the NCU on Saturday and the North West on Sunday.

North Leinster welcome back Trent Johnston, Paul Mooney and Greg Molins, who were absent from their narrow win over the Southern XI in the last round. Making room for them are Conor Armstrong, who is unavailable because of work commitments, Eoin Morgan (thigh injury) and Luke Clinton, who moves to 12th man for the Saturday game.

For Sunday, Mooney will be rested on the request of Ireland coach Adrian Birrell ahead of Ireland's two-game series against the West Indies later this month.

Each side in the competition will play two games, with the Southern XI entertaining the North West in College Park on Saturday and the NCU in Park Avenue on Sunday. Southern skipper Peter Davy returns to the side to bolster the batting, which will be spearheaded by Carl Hosford, whose century in the last round made life uncomfortable for the North Leinster dream team.

In that game, it was felt the Southern XI could have done with another spinner to partner Richard Hastie, and so with Stewart Taylor of YMCA unavailable and Merrion's Damien Poder overlooked by selectors, Cork County all-rounder Stephen Hickey comes in to the team to tweak a few off-breaks.

The North West have quite a weak side down with them, with Bobby Rao, who is 50 this year, called into the breach once more. Rao, who played four Test matches for India against the West Indies and Australia back in the late 1970s, has been bowling his leg-spinners well for Strabane this year and has been selected on the back of his four-wicket haul against Bready in the North West Senior Cup last week.

They take on the Southern XI on Saturday on the very slow and low pitch at College Park, and they might just have the bowling attack to exploit it with six recognised spinners in the side, including the up-and-coming Trevor Britton of Bready.

Of the two northern sides, the NCU look the more impressive, with Andy White and Kyle McCallan now the experienced heads in a side packed with young talent.

Barring disaster, though, North Leinster should have too much fire-power for both sides, while the game of the weekend could be in Park Avenue on Sunday with the Southerners taking on McCallan's NCU boys.

NORTH LEINSTER: Andre Botha (North County, capt), Jason Molins, Jeremy Bray, Thinus Fourie (all Phoenix), Trent Johnston, Greg Molins (both Clontarf), Barry Archer (The Hills), Paul Mooney, John Mooney, Daragh Armstrong (all North County), Naseer Shaukat (Rush), Luke Clinton (The Hills).

SOUTHERN XI: Peter Davy (Pembroke, captain), Carl Hosford (YMCA), Dominick Joyce (DU/Merrion), Conor Mullen (Railway Union), Kevin O'Brien (MCC/Railway Union), Joe Morrissey (Merrion), Bruce Koch (Cork Harlequins), Ian O'Herlihy (Leinster), Stephen Hickey (Cork County), Emmet Whaley (Pembroke), Roger Whelan (Railway Union), Richard Hastie (Pembroke).

NORTH WEST: Peter Gillespie (Strabane, capt), Brian Allen (Brigade), Trevor Britton (Bready), Gordon Cooke (Brigade), Martin Deans (Strabane), Mark Gillespie (Strabane, Sunday only), Trevor Hamilton (Bready), Jordan McGonigle (Donemana), Simon McMichael (Limavady), Stephen Ogilby (Cheshire League), Bobby Rao (Strabane), Johnny Thompson (Glendermott).

NCU: Kyle McCallan (Cliftonville, capt), Brian Baguley (Muckamore), Jonathan Bushe (Waringstown), Ryan Haire (North Down), Mark Hutchinson (Bangor), Gary Kidd (Waringstown), Dale Mullan (Downpatrick), Michael Scott (Waringstown), David Simpson, Greg Thompson (both Lisburn), Andrew White (Instonians), Mark Williamson (Bangor), Gary Wilson (Belfast Harlequins).