Carson to miss Edgbaston

Neil Carson, the Waringstown opening bat, who was to have replaced the unavailable Oxford University-based Jason Molins of Carlisle in the Ireland squad for next Wednesday's NatWest Trophy match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, has himself been forced to cry off. And - not for the first time - the national selectors have come up with a (very) Irish solution to an Irish quandary.

Decker Curry, easily the best batsman on the island, apparently has made his peace (following slanging matches about expenses and related matters) with the powers that be, and the said powers apparently were agreeable to make up with the ebullient Limavady man. But not all the national team management were in forgiving mode, so instead of Curry, Carson has been replaced in the squad by Surrey's recent signing, wicket-keeper Andy Patterson.

Trouble is, Patterson is unlikely to oust Alan Rutherford from the 12man squad. So the reserve wicketkeeper, one assumes, will watch from the pavilion, and the most forceful and positive batsman in the land will be left to kick his heels at home; hardly inspired preparation, is it?

Meantime, the ICU will have a further meeting with representatives of Downpatrick CC next week to check out the possibilities of the club still staging next month's match against South Africa, following the recent fire damage to its premises. Two other Northern venues have been short-listed, in case there has to be a change. The South Africans' second match in Ireland, at Castle Avenue on July 12th, is as yet without a sponsor, so no invitation to visit the game has been extended to President McAleese, since her presence (it's thought) would call for the provision of a hospitality marquee.

This will be a busy weekend, with the Royal Liver third round matches on today, and the Lewis Traub League semi-finals tomorrow. And the Leinster Senior League game between North County and Phoenix, originally scheduled for this afternoon, will now be played at The Nevitt tomorrow.