Jake Egan top scored for North West Warriors in their final game of the week at the T20 Festival in Stormont but it was rendered redundant by a stunning last four balls hit to the boundary by Liam McCarthy off Graham Hume.

“Full credit to Liam, he hit them well. It’s not often Humey misses his lengths but it was good from Liam. The wicket was dying on the third day,” was Egan’s summing up of what he described as a “tough loss”.

After making his debut for Northern Knights, against the Munster Reds at the end of 2023, Egan was a regular for his province last year but was told, in a phone call, that he would be playing for Warriors this season.

“That’s all it was and that was me on my way, but I’m enjoying it. It’s different accents to the boys in Belfast but we’ve been playing some decent cricket so hopefully we get a few wins in the next couple of weeks.”

Not only is it Egan’s first season with Warriors, he also has a new club. After two years with Carrickfergus, he moved to CIYMS and this promises to be the biggest weekend of the season so far for the Belmont club.

On Saturday, it is a battle to secure their top six place in the Premier League ahead of the mid-season split against sixth place Civil Service North, and on Sunday it’s a trip to Malahide for the Irish Cup quarter-final. Many would say, confirming their place in the top six would be the more important game but Egan has no doubts.

“Definitely the Irish Cup game for sure. We are getting the bus down to Malahide on Sunday morning. I don’t know too much about them but we are playing well enough and I’m pretty confident to get a result,” says Egan.

With just four points (one win) separating teams fourth (CIYMS) to seventh (North Down) in the league, however, the last two matches before the split are just as important, although Egan admits the top three have been in a different class this season, so far.

“We need a good win on Saturday to ensure our top six place and avoid that relegation place. It’s a lot more enjoyable playing top six cricket after the split,” he says, after experiencing the pain of relegation last year and a meaningless final six games in 2023 when Carrickfergus were safe from the drop. But the top three have been playing some good cricket and dominating.”

Egan was born and raised in Perth, in Western Australia, where the played for Bayswater-Morley, the alma mater of Marcus North and, further back, left arm pace bowler Bruce Reid. The top order batter took the decision at 19 to use the Irish passport route, courtesy of his mum who was born in Galway, to experience cricket here and it’s been a case of so far so good.

“I used the agency (World Sport Exchange) to find me a club and I had two enjoyable years at Carrick. I ended up back in Australia, in Sydney, at Randy Peats (on the Cricket Ireland Overseas Scholarship programme) which was good fun at the end of 2023. Unfortunately, I got injured last year so missed a few games and we got relegated. I was already playing with the Knights so had to move clubs and have really enjoyed my time at CI.
So how does Egan sum up his season so far?

“I’ve had a few good starts. A hundred against Muckamore, 128 in the Irish Cup (against Bready), a 60 against Woodvale but the good thing about CI is that there are loads of people who can can contribute so when I miss out there others stepping up. Overall, I feel I’m playing well but still leaving a bit out there but happy enough so far.”

However, his aim is still to go up a level with an Ireland place still his dream.

“One hundred per cent,” Egan insists. “I captained the Ireland Academy last year until I injured my quad so missed the third one-dayer and the four-day game but was in the leadership group.

“I try and dominate any game I play and control what I can control and the rest will take care of itself.  There are lots of good players in the Ireland team and others coming through which is good because you don’t want to win a cap just because there is no-one else. So it’s good to have that competition, it makes you work and train harder and that’s all you want."