Jersey Performance and Development Manager Lee Meloy is back in Ireland, helping the Northern Knights ahead of a busy two weeks with back-to-back T20 Festivals.

It's the third year that the affable Meloy has been involved, having missed out last year due to the pandemic.

"I'm delighted to be back in Belfast. Obviously with the Covid situation that has been going around the world things haven’t been easy for anyone, so I wasn’t able to travel over last year and continue what I’ve been doing since 2018, which has been a fantastic opportunity for me.

Lee Meloy

"Getting out of my comfort zone in Jersey and experience a new environment and style of coaching. With where I am now with the team it’s about coming in and adding value, and with these back-to-back T20 Festivals happening it’s given me an opportunity to come over for two weeks and help the guys prepare.

"We are looking forward to competing hard and winning games of cricket, and we are ultimately out to win the competition. "

It's a busy season for Jersey at all levels, with the men due to host the World Cricket League, as well as participate in La Manga in the T20 European finals.

Their Under 19s will also be Spanish bound, after a late switch of venues.

"There is a busy season planned with the main one being the ICC World Cricket League in September in Jersey. As things stand it’s still going ahead in September. There’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes as there’s a lot of countries from all around the world due to visit the island and we want it to be as safe for them as possible, as we don’t want to put on anything that has risk so that’s obviously important.

"We are looking too at the Under 19 World Cup Qualifying tournament that has been moved from Scotland to La Manga in September. It’s going to be a really good opportunity for our young lads who have worked really hard for a number of years to prepare for this. We are delighted that it’s being played. There was a fear that there was going to be a generation of young cricketers who wouldn’t have that experience of trying to qualify for a World Cup which is a huge part of our player pathways on the boys side.

"The men are also due to go down to La Manga for the T20s along with Germany, Italy and Denmark and we believe the top two go forward to the World Qualifiers that we were in back in 2019. Neil McRea and his team are prepping hard behind the scenes and a few of the lads have managed to get over to the UK to play their cricket there to help them.

"All in all, it looks like a long and busy season ahead, extended by all those ICC tournaments."