Ireland men return for cup battles

CRICKET NEWSIRELAND SKIPPER William Porterfield continued his purple patch with the bat yesterday as he marked his County Championship debut with a half-century for Gloucestershire against Warwickshire.

It was his innings of 69 at Stormont in Ireland's Friends Provident Trophy victory over the same opposition that persuaded Gloucestershire to give Porterfield a run in the first team, and he rewarded their decision by making 63 on the first day of the Division Two clash.

Opening the batting with New Zealand Test player Craig Spearman at Gloucester, Porterfield settled in to his steady opening role as his partner went after the Warwickshire attack.

Porterfield took advantage of a little luck in the morning session, dropped by Ant Botha at square leg on 20, to make it to lunch on 33 not out, with Spearman unbeaten on 90 as Gloucestershire reached 133 for no loss at the break.

The 23-year-old from Derry enjoyed a second life after lunch when wicketkeeper Tony Frost failed to gather a nick. And when Spearman went five short of his century, Porterfield kept his head to bring up his 50 with a fine cover drive, hitting eight boundaries off his 128 deliveries.

He even had time to hit Christopher Woakes for a six, and had moved to 63 before Frost made no mistake second time around to catch behind off James Anyon.

Meanwhile, Ireland players return from Friends Provident Trophy action this weekend for the quarter-finals of the Antalis Leinster Senior Cup.

Defending champions Clontarf have included Alex Cusack in their side for the trip to Rathmines to take on a Leinster side that will be without former Ireland captain Jason Molins, who is unavailable.

Former Scotland player Dom Rigby has been in handy form for Clontarf this season, and it was his unbeaten 88 that helped his side to a comfortable, eight-wicket victory over CYM in the first round of this competition.

Leinster received a bye into the last eight, and they will need New Zealand pro Keeley Todd to show the kind of form he did in his last knock, a stunning 173 not out in their Irish Senior Cup win away to CSNI, if they are progress to the semi-finals.

Railway Union welcome back Kevin O'Brien and Thinus Fourie for their home tie with Phoenix at Park Avenue.

O'Brien's brilliant 93 off 75 balls brought Ireland to within one run of beating Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge last Monday, and it will worry Phoenix that a day earlier World Cup skipper Trent Johnston was hitting CYM for an undefeated 168 and is averaging 77 with the bat this summer.

With five Ireland players in their ranks today, and with pro Trent Copeland having settled in well in Sandymount, Railway look one of the favourites to end Clontarf's hold on the trophy.

North County could easily wear that tag also, having knocked Railway out in the semi-finals of the DGM League last weekend. Andre Botha returned from injury with a century and a typically frugal seven overs for just 11 runs in that game, and he is joined by Ireland team-mate Reinhardt Strydom in a side that look too strong for a visiting YMCA.

The Hills, winners of the competition in 2005 and 2006, travel to Anglesea Road to play last year's beaten finalists, Merrion, in tomorrow's other tie.

FIXTURES

SATURDAY: Antalis Leinster Senior Cup Quarter-finals (11.0): Leinster v Clontarf, Rathmines; Merrion v The Hills, Anglesea Road; North County v YMCA, Balrothery; Railway Union v Phoenix, Park Avenue.

MONDAY: WM League - Section B (12.30): CYM v YMCA, Terenure; Old Belvedere v Pembroke, Cabra; Phoenix v Munster Reds, Phoenix Park.