Waringstown all-rounder Graham Hume will miss the tri-series in the Netherlands due to visa issues and has been replaced by Fionn Hand.

Leinster Lightning extended their lead at the top of the T20 table with a 6-wicket win over Munster.

It’s been a great start to the season for Strabane Women, who followed up their nail-biting Premiership win over Newbuilding, with a hard-fought cup win on Sunday, as Emma Doherty and Nicola Mullen led them to a 9-run victory over Coleraine.

The draw could have been kinder to Donemana, whose only win in the famous tournament came when they beat Limavady back in 2000. They are the last team from the North West to make the final, losing to Leinster way back in 2009.

The Magheramason side have a tough tie on Saturday as they take on a Phoenix side that has Irish internationals Shane Getkate and Tyrone Kane in their midst, as well as talented performers in left-arm spinner Amish Sidhu and hard-hitting captain Adam Chester.

Josh Manley's four-wicket burst, aided by a fine all-round effort from Liam McCarthy and a hard-hit 49 by Ollie Metcalfe led Munster Reds to a 4-wickets win over Leinster Lightning at Sydney Parade.

Lorcan Tucker lit up his first game as Ireland captain with a sparkling half-century - his second in successive innings - but was again on the losing side at Clontarf yesterday as Pakistan eased home by six wickets to claim the T20 international series 2-1.

The only senior game to beat the weather was at Sandel Lodge where Newbuildings just about weathered another storm to clinch a 15-run (DLS) win over Coleraine.

There have been a few late changes for the two interprovincial matches scheduled this week.

The draws have been made for the quarter-finals of both the NW Senior and Sammy Jeffrey Cups.

Qualification for the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup begins this week with Indonesia playing host to Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa.

Ireland are set to tour Pakistan for a series next year.

LORCAN TUCKER top scored with 51 in another impressive batting display by Ireland at Clontarf yesterday but it wasn’t enough to prevent Pakistan winning by seven wickets and levelling the three-match T20 international series.

There was no shortage of excitement in the Leinster Senior Cup with Dublin University and Railway Union ousting out 2023 finalists The Hills and Clontarf, while Phoenix won a remarkable game against Merrion.

There were wins for Waringstown, Lisburn, Muckamore, North Down and Woodvale in the NCU Premiership.

It was a day of few shocks as seven of the eight seeded sides progressed to the quarter-finals with Glendermott flying the flag for the Championship after an emphatic win at Killyclooney.

Andy Balbirnie scored a superb 77 from 55 balls to set up a stunning five-wicket victory over Pakistan at Clontarf last night that gives Ireland a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three T20 international series.

Ruhan Pretorius starred as Woodvale beat Lisburn, there were runs for Nikolai Smith as Instonians overcame North Down, while Waringstown had an easy win against Muckamore.

The draw has been made for the last eight of the Schools Cup.

Their last senior cup success came in 2020, but with Andy McBrine available after being left out of Ireland’s T20 squads, they will certainly be among the favourites for the cup.

It’s been a stop-start to the year for Fox Lodge with postponements, but it promises to be a busy weekend for the Ballymagorry side with home back-to-games against Coleraine in the cup and their rearranged league clash with Strabane.

Fox Lodge captain Hannah McLaughlin lifted the first silverware of the new season as her side chased 126 to beat Bready by six wickets in the T20 Charity final.

It’s been a successful start to the season for Bready and new captain Ian Young, but they have suffered an injury blow ahead of their senior cup clash this weekend against Bonds Glen.

Paul Stirling will be taking the chance to fine tune his seam bowling options for next month’s T20 World Cup when Ireland take on Pakistan at Clontarf in the first of a three-match series.

The North West Warriors collected their first points of the season after they beat the Northern Knights in a last over thriller at Stormont yesterday evening.

Jeremy Martins took five wickets and Cameron Rowe scored a rapid half century as Fingal thumped Dublin City. There was no play in the other scheduled game due to the ongoing students protest at Trinity.

International call-ups mean there's a very youthful look to the Northern Knights squad for the two games this week against the Warriors at Stormont.

JOSH LITTLE will miss the three-match T20 international series against Pakistan that starts at Clontarf on Friday and Ireland will also be without their star paceman for the tri-series featuring Scotland and the Netherlands that follows in The Hague.

A twelve team tournament in 2026 is not keeping pace with the growth of women's cricket.

A 2-1 series win for Austria against Denmark in the first women's matches between the two countries.

The NW Warriors have named a 13-man squad for this week's two matches against the Northern Knights.

Ed Joyce's T20 philosophy has brought enough success to suggest that Sunday was a blip rather than an indictment on the squad as a whole.

Ireland Women's loss to Scotland, the need for rejuvenation at the top, and why is nobody interested in the interpros?

LAURA DELANY could not hide her disappointment and dismay in Abu Dhabi as Ireland lost to Scotland by eight wickets in a do-or-die semi-final of the T20 World Cup Qualifier, and missed out on a place in the tournament proper.

UAE push Sri Lanka close in the semi-final of the Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier.

There were wins for Railway Union, Rush, and North Kildare in the Championship, while there was no play in the Cork County versus The Hills match.

Stephen Doheny scored a century as Merrion beat Balbriggan, Reuben Wilson took four wickets to help Clontarf crush Leinster, while Ben White and Jack Lalor starred as Phoenix beat Malahide.

Neil Rock admits he is leaving his comfort zone this season after joining NCU Premier League champions Instonians in one of the high-profile signings of the winter.

Tim Tector's 69 helped Leinster Lightning chase down 191 to beat the Northern Knights by five wickets to go top of the T20 Trophy table.

Ireland will play Scotland tomorrow for a place in the T20 World Cup finals this autumn after beating the Netherlands by 54 runs in Abu Dhabi last night to finish top of Group B with a 100 per cent record.

Scotland and the UAE are the only associates still in contention for the women's T20 World Cup.

Munster Reds beat NW Warriors in a five overs rain-reduced game.

Paul Stirling's second half century in two days ensured defending champions Northern Knights sealed maximum points with a 99-run win over Munster Reds in a very one-sided contest.

Andrew Balbirnie's powerful unbeaten 81 led Leinster Lightning to another bonus point win, as they chased 148 to beat NW Warriors by seven wickets inside 13 overs.

Happy birthday Cork County - they turn 150 this season.

The All-Ireland Youth competitions were the brainchild of Wesley Ferris of the Mid-Ulster Cricket Group. They evolved in a similar manner to the Irish Junior Cup, and neither the ICU nor the constituent unions were involved initially in the organisation of games.

Eimear Richardson helped secure Ireland’s place in the last four of the T20 World Cup Qualifier with miserly spell of 3-8 last night  as her side saw off minnows Vanuatu by nine wickets at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi.

The penultimate round of group stage matches sees the elimination of three teams confirmed

Waringstown were in the silverware in 2023, and after a busy close season, they looked to be even stronger for 2024, and will no doubt be at the business end of the various competitions.

It promises to be an exciting, historic season for Muckamore who are celebrating their 150th anniversary. Skipper Neil Gill is at the helm as the club return to the topflight.

There’s been a bit of activity at the champions, but although they have lost some key players, they look to have filled the gaps with quality players.

CIYMS are always in the trophy mix and it's expected to be the same this campaign.

It was a fabulous event at Cork Harlequins on Monday evening when the Youth Academy was launched, featuring two very special guests- Ireland Internationals Sophie MacMahon and PJ Moor.

The Scotland squad has been named that will take part in the forthcoming T20 Tri-Series against Netherlands and Ireland.

Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis compiled their third century partnership together in Abu Dhabi yesterday to set Ireland on the way to a comfortable 56-run victory over Zimbabwe in Group B of the T20 World Cup Qualifier.

Former ICC chief executive David Richardson was appointed to the Board of Cricket Ireland at the Annual General Meeting on Sunday.

A fine all-round performance from Kathryn Bryce helps Scotland beat USA, with Thailand and UAE also picking up wins.

Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis sizzled with a 130-run, opening partnership to help Ireland post their fifth-highest total in women’s T20Is.

There were opening day wins for North County, Rush, Railway Union and The Hills in the Championship

Pembroke and Balbriggan won convincingly, while Leinster edged out Merrion.

Incoming Cricket Ireland President Stella Downes gave credit to her late father for instilling a love of cricket as she accepted the honorary role at the Cricket Ireland Annual General Meeting.

Wins for Netherlands, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka today in Women's T20 World Cup qualifying.

An eight wicket win over hosts Botswana secures the four team women's T20I tournament.

EIMEAR RICHARDSON showed her experience in Abu Dhabi yesterday as Ireland began their T20 World Cup qualifying campaign with an ultimately comfortable six-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates.

CIARA METCALFE was born too early. If the 45-year-old was in her prime and available to partner fellow leg-spinner Cara Murray, then Ireland would be a shoo-in not only to reach the T20 World Cup finals but to win this month’s qualifying tournament in Abu Dhabi.

T20 World Cups have never been happy hunting grounds for Ireland’s women cricketers. In four previous tournaments they have lost all 17 of their games but there are great hopes for this year’s tournament, to be staged in Bangladesh in September.

Cricket Ireland has today announced a new structure for its international and elite domestic scorers.

Cricket Ireland has today released its umpire and match referee panels for 2024.

Ireland Women bounced back from their loss to Scotland with a morale boosting four-wicket victory over the USA in their second and final warm-up game of the T20 World Cup qualifiers.

Ireland will play their first Test match on home soil for more than six years this summer after the confirmation yesterday that a five-day match against Zimbabwe will go ahead in Belfast on July 25-29.

Ireland's Test against Zimbabwe this summer has been confirmed for Belfast in July, but six planned white-ball matches against the same opponents have been scrapped.

Malahide have confirmed that Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin is joining them from The Hills.

Deryck Vincent revisits the controversial visit of a South African based side to Ireland in 1969.

Every now and again something happens, or takes place, which would warm the cockles of your heart.

It may only be a seven team Premiership, but it will certainly be ultra-competitive, and Phoenix aim to be right in the mix. Adam Chester is in the driving seat as they hope to mount a title challenge.

Ireland Academy lost the opening match of their three-game series against Guernsey by 63 runs at KGV on Friday.

Cricket Ireland are expected to confirm next week that this summer’s Test match against Zimbabwe will go ahead, after scrapping plans to cut the Belfast showpiece to balance the books.

Dave Richardson will join the Board of Cricket Ireland with his appointment to be confirmed at next week's AGM.

Jay Shelat spent five weeks with the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) as their main analyst in what he describes as a “development opportunity which exceeded all expectations”.

Ireland veterans have lined up a mouthwatering itinerary for the season ahead that includes clashes with both England and Australia in Dublin.

Cricket Ireland has named its four-member International Umpires Panel for 2024 – featuring two new appointees, Aidan Seaver and Johnny Kennedy.

CJ van der Walt will once again be in the hot seat as he leads Carrickfergus in the top flight of the NCU.

It's the turn of 2022 NCU Premiership champions Lisburn, who have a new captain in Neil Whitworth who has taken over the reins from Callum Atkinson. There are three new faces at Wallace Park including international Mark Adair.

Hands up, who thought it was an April Fool when word broke of the news that the supposedly cash strapped Cricket Ireland organization had gone and purchased two brand new Teslas in the region of 100k euros? Madness - both the decision and the band behind the song lyrics. Talk about not reading the room.

When the end came, it came quickly. Not planned, not even considered in advance.

A look back to 1999 and 2000 when the World Cup came to Ireland, and Clontarf did the double.

Holders Derriaghy have been given a bye into the second round of the National Cup.

The draw has been made for the opening round of the 2024 Irish Senior Cup with 29 teams battling it out to lift the Bob Kerr Trophy.

Deryck Vincent on the tremendous work carried out by Pat Bracken.

A look back to 1998 has the author in a Detention Centre, scoring a record century and experiencing mixed fortunes in the Irish Senior Cup.

Can it really be 30 years since Ireland took those first unsure steps on to the world stage, at the ICC Trophy in Nairobi?

A Bridge Too Far, Girl Power, Dead Certa, and Grounds for Optimism.

There was much to celebrate in Ireland's eighth place finish at the Under 19 World Cup, with impressive performances against their peers, culminating in a win over New Zealand.

The win was the first by any Ireland cricket team against the Black Caps in 50 attempts, and it also delivered the highest finish by an U19 side at the biennial tournament in 11 campaigns, dating back to 1998.

Ireland Under 19's finished their World Cup campaign on a high with a 41-run DLS win against New Zealand that ensured an eighth place finish.

Harry Dyer claimed 4-35 to give Pakistan a major scare at the U19 World Cup before Ireland succumbed to a three-wicket defeat in the Super Sixes at Potchefstroom.

Ireland suffered a 201-run hammering by favourites India in their final Group A match at the U19 World Cup but are still well placed to reach the Super Sixes second stage of the tournament.

KIAN HILTON top scored with a classy 90 as Ireland again impressed at the U19 World Cup in Bloemfontein before losing to Bangladesh by six wickets in a pivotal Group A match. 

Reuben Wilson led a dominant all-round bowling display in Bloemfontein that enabled Ireland to ease to a seven-wicket victory over the USA in their opening match of the U19 World Cup.

Nathan Johns talks with Ireland U19 opening bowler Reuben Wilson ahead of the World Cup opening match against the USA on Friday.

Sometimes we take ourselves and our sport too seriously. I am not advocating a frivolous attitude to our games, far from it, but sometimes there are more important things than a stick and ball game. 

Ireland lost the first of their two official warm-up matches on Sunday as they were beaten by 27 runs against Zimbabwe in a game curtailed by rain.

Zimbabwe gained revenge for Sunday's loss as they earned a 38-run win over Ireland in the second game of their Under 19 World Cup warm-ups.