CRICKET/Weekend preview: You would almost feel sorry for Leinster CC captain Mark Jones. Apart from having to play three games over the long weekend, a total of up to 20 hours of cricket, he finds himself heading up a team seriously lacking in experience at senior level.
Having come bottom of Section B in last year's WMK League, Leinster lost a couple of players during the close season, not least wicketkeeper Ian O'Herlihy (to The Hills).
Jones himself will be taking the gloves this year, a prospect he is not particularly relishing, and Leinster are also without a professional as Donovan Lentz, who the club thought was coming back from South Africa for another season, will not now be making the long trip north.
Negotiations are underway to employ the services of an unnamed Indian player, but Jones is "not too confident" of a positive outcome.
Coupled with the fact the injured Rob Henson (broken foot) and David Lucas, who damaged his knee in a skiing accident, are also unavailable, Jones is staring into a challenging few days for his team.
On the plus side, however, they do welcome back JP O'Dwyer after a year in Australia and also Matt Brownie, who has returned to live in Ireland after a stint back in his native New Zealand.
After playing Pembroke in the 45 Overs League in Sydney Parade on Saturday, Leinster will kick off their Irish Senior Cup campaign with a preliminary-round match against YMCA at Observatory Lane.
YM, who return to this competition after a one-year suspension, have all their usual suspects in place again this year and also welcome back their pro Wayne Murray from the Eastern Cape.
They have also done their fair share of poaching over the cooler months and have named Paul Beacroft (who has joined the club from Phoenix) and Ehtesham Ahmed (from North Kildare CC) in their starting 11 for Sunday's cup match.
Elsewhere, in another ISC match on Saturday, Merrion host Old Belvedere at Anglesea Road while in the 45 Overs League, Rush play Clontarf at Kenure and Malahide travel to CYM.
The Village will have their new South African acquisition, Johan Botha, who is fresh from defeat in the final of the Pro20 Cup in Centurion earlier this week.
Botha has been named as an overseas player in the Ireland team to play Yorkshire in the C&G Trophy in Stormont on Tuesday.
On Sunday, CYM make the trip to Inch to take on the favourites, North County, while The Hills, who have started well in this competition, play Railway Union in Milverton.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
SATURDAY - Irish Senior Cup (preliminary round, 12.30): Merrion v Old Belvedere. 45 Overs League (12.30) Section A: Rush v Clontarf. Section B: CYM v Malahide. Section C: Pembroke v Leinster.
SUNDAY - Irish Senior Cup (preliminary round, 12.30): Leinster v YMCA. 45 Overs League, Section B: North County v CYM. Section D: The Hills v Railway.
MONDAY - 45 Overs League, Section A: Clontarf v Merrion. Section C: Leinster v Old Belvedere.
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