Honours should go North

Cricket Weekend preview:  Today is Antalis Senior Cup final day in Leinster with defending champions The Hills taking on North County at Anglesea Road in what is always the biggest occasion of the domestic season in the province.

On current form and taking a look at this year's Leinster stats it is difficult to see how The Hills could possibly live with County.

The Balrothery side have six batsman in their line-up for today's big match with Leinster averages in excess of 40 for the season and three - Andre Botha, Paul Mooney and John Mooney - averaging more than 100 runs per innings in 2006.

With the ball they are just as dominant. Four of their bowlers concede less than 20 runs per wicket and with four Irish internationals on the side they are not short of experience or confidence on the bigger stage.

In contrast, The Hills have nobody averaging less than 20 with the ball and few could argue that their strength lies in their batting.

Bryn Thomas, Michael Lax, Barry Archer and Shaun de Kock are all in good nick this season but they do not have the same depth as their north Dublin rivals and their sole international, Archer, has not played for his country since 2000.

However, let us not forget that on their way to winning this competition last year, The Hills beat North County in the second round and on that occasion it was the bowling that was most impressive for the Skerries side.

Luke Clinton, Joe Clinton, Lax and Archer were all successful that day in Milverton as they managed to defend a reasonably modest total of 235 on what is usually a good surface for batsmen.

The problem for teams playing North County is that even if you get rid of the likes of Conor Armstrong, Botha and Dara Armstrong, it can be a little disconcerting to see players of the calibre of Paul Mooney, John Mooney and Reinhardt Strydom striding to the crease.

And with this being a 60-over competition, there is that bit more time for a side with depth to recover if they lose a couple of early wickets.

As always in this competition, a lot will come down to the sides' ability to handle the pressure of the big day.

We have seen several occasions over the years where the form team has stumbled at the final hurdle for no apparent reason, for example Pembroke losing to The Hills in 1996, Merrion beaten by YMCA in 2002 and Clontarf falling to The Hills this time last year.

Cricket in general is all about building pressure and never is that more true than in an Antalis Senior Cup final. This North County team should have enough belief to overcome those cup final demons but, when the heat really comes on, is any player truly immune from the fear that can invade his consciousness and strip him of all self-confidence? As ever, it will be a fascinating battle and it is no wonder that Antalis continue to sponsor this great competition - this is their 33rd year supporting Leinster cricket, a remarkable commitment.

It is fitting that this year's final will be staged at Merrion CC's Anglesea Road ground in what is their centenary season. One hopes the fact the final involves two north Dublin sides will not affect the size of the crowd that crosses the Liffey to Dublin 4.

There will be no space for cars within the ground but parking is available in the church across the road. Play starts at 11am and ball-by-ball coverage will be broadcast on Dublin radio station NEAR 101.6fm.

NORTH COUNTY: Dara Armstrong (capt), Conor Armstrong, Paul Mooney, John Mooney, Andre Botha, Reinhardt Strydom, Shaun O'Connor, Paddy Martin, Ian Bertram, Ciaran Garry, Terry Richardson. 12th man: Eddie Richardson.

THE HILLS: Bryn Thomas (capt), Michael Lax, Patrick Byrne, Barry Archer, Shaun de Kock, Ian O'Herlihy, Michael O'Herlihy, Robert Hoare, Mark Dwyer, Joe Clinton, Luke Clinton. 12th man: Willie Dwyer.