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The Northern Cricket Union (NCU) has selected their first Women's squad for the summer programme, which includes four matches against North West Women and a three match tour to Cornwall, England, in August.
The NCU Women's programme commences with two T20 fixtures, at Laurelvale Cricket Club on Friday 28th June, with the first game starting at 11am.
NCU Women's Squad
Naomi Matthews (Captain)
Amy Benson
Alison Cowan
Hannah Grieve
Jennifer Hanna
Charlotte Lyons
Molly Mathers
Staci Maxwell
Beth McCrea
Susi Morrison-Keates
Cara Murray
Nikki Niblock
Tim Simmonite, the NCU Womens' Head Coach said, 'the squad have trained hard over the course of the winter and early summer in preparation for the 2019 season. We are looking forward to the challenge that the upcoming matches against the North West will bring us'.

So Ed what of the predictions I gave on Saturday night for the Cups in Ireland on Sunday (distracted due to the Golf and the Carom Billiards tournament in Holland and the start of one in Belgium) so only getting in touch now
Irish Senior Cup
Bready vs Phoenix. Home Win. NO
CIYMS vs Merrion. Away Win. NO
Clontarf vs Carrickfergus. Away Win. YES
Leinster vs Strabane. Home Win. YES
Malahide vs Waringstown. Away Win. YES
North Down vs CSNI. Away Win. YES
Pembroke vs The Hills. Home Win. YES
Rush vs Instonians. Home Win. NO
Irish National Cup
Ardmore vs Killyclooney. Home Win. YES
Ballymena vs Fox Lodge. Away Win. YES
Cregagh vs Derriaghy. Away Win. OFF
Laurelvale vs Templepatrick. Away Win. YES
Limerick vs Railway Union. Away Win. YES
Midleton vs St Johnston. Home Win. YES
North Kildare vs Balbriggan. Away Win. YES
Terenure vs Downpatrick. Home Win. YES
IRISH CUP MATCHES 5/8 results right
IRISH NAT CUP MATCHES 7/7 results right with 1 to come
Result of the Irish Cup was defo Instonians win v Rush followed by Pembroke v The Hills but Waringstown and Leinster nearly gave their supporters and me a slight scare.
The Result of the National Cup was Midleton beating St Johnston in a run fest and some entertaining matches in this round and the bowlers being put to the sword.
But a massive well done to all the ground staff at all grounds considering the amount of rain we have recently and thankfully all DLS Sheets were printed so no forefits.
PS Well done to the NCU Website on the reporting of the Womens Matches in the region and well done to Staci Maxwell on her writings. Did E-Mail her re the scorecards but she said it was only summeries they cover since then have E-Mailed all clubs in the top flight but no response so far so if anyone on here can help with this please.

The Northern Cricket Union (NCU) has announced a squad, sponsored by PwC, for the Under 14 Cricket Festival at Kings College, Taunton.
NCU Under 14 Squad
Mohamed Aahil
Sam Allister
Ashton Clark
Tom Crothers
Harry Dyer
Rory Ellerby
Ryan Hunter
David Kane
Jude Keates
Adam Leckey
Finn Lutton
Ryan Matthews
Carson McCullough
Sam Topping
Tour Party Manager: Uel Graham
Coaches: Callum Atkinson and Mike Grossett
Fixtures
Monday 22nd July: NCU Under 14 v Northamptonshire
Tuesday 23rd July: NCU Under 14 v California
Wednesday 24th July: NCU Under 14 v Cornwall
Thursday 25th July: NCU Under 14 v Cheshire
Friday 26th July: NCU Under 14 v Barbados
Commenting on the tour, Uel Graham said, 'This will be the fifth consecutive year that NCU Under 14's will have experienced the festival. It has been a pivotal part of the NCU junior pathway programme. The intensive and challenging playing programme of five consecutive days of 50 over per side cricket together with the experience of staying onsite at Kings College provides our juniors with great opportunities for personal development as well as the cricket aspect.
When we reflect on some of the players who have gone to this festival in the early years, they affirm that this experience greatly helped their all round development. Some of these players are now excelling at national and regional age grades as well as representing their clubs in the Premier League and being involved in the Emerging Knights programme.
With the support of PwC, we are delighted that another squad will gain a similar experience next month.
This festival has also provided NCU coaches with the opportunity to develop their skills and expertise whilst networking with other first class county and international coaches.
Our Under 11 boys and Women's tours to Cornwall later in the summer, together with Cornwall Cricket Board's involvement in our own NCU Festival based at Campbell College are direct outcomes from relationships built at this festival'.

The Northern Cricket Union (NCU) has announced their Under 15 squad, sponsored by PwC, for the Inter-Provincial Series (50 over and 20 over), and a 30 over game fixture against a touring South African Academy.
Five of the Inter-Provincial Series games are based in the NCU, with games at Holywood Cricket Club and Campbell College School, where the visiting teams are staying. The rest day on Thursday (4th) is to coincide with Ireland's Second One Day International against Zimbabwe, at Stormont.
NCU Under 15 Squad
Matthew Cherry
Ashton Clark
Matthew Daly
Rory Ellerby
Matthew Halliday
Adam Kennedy
Adam Ly
Ryan Matthews
Carson McCullough
James Rose
Zak Solomon
Sam Topping
Michael Waite
Lead Coach Callum Atkinson said, 'over the past eight months, both our Development and Performance groups continued to improve individually and collectively through the efforts they have put in. Credit has to go to all the players, parents and organisers. Wayne Hughes, Colin Stewart and I, are excited to see what this group can accomplish during the busy summer schedule starting this Sunday at Fox Lodge, in our first Inter-Provincial fixture'.
Fixtures:
Sunday 23rd June: North West, in the Cricket Ireland Inter-Provincial Series (Fox Lodge CC) 12 noon (50 overs)
Tuesday 25th June: South African Touring Academy (Holywood CC) 12 noon (30 overs)
Cricket Ireland Inter-Provincial Series
Monday 1st July: Munster (Campbell College) 12 noon (50 overs)
Tuesday 2nd July: Cricket Leinster (Holywood CC) 11am (50 overs)
Wednesday 3rd July: North West (Campbell College) 10am (20 overs)
Wednesday 3rd July: Munster (Campbell College) 2.30pm (20 overs)
Thursday 4th July: REST DAY
Friday 5th July: Cricket Leinster (Holywood CC) 10am (20 overs), followed by the Tournament close at Campbell College.

Irish Senior Cup 16th June
Bready vs Phoenix. Home Win
CIYMS vs Merrion. Away Win
Clontarf vs Carrickfergus. Away Win
Leinster vs Strabane. Home Win
Malahide vs Waringstown. Away Win
North Down vs CSNI. Away Win
Pembroke vs The Hills. Home Win
Rush vs Instonians. Home Win
Irish National Cup 16th June
Ardmore vs Killyclooney. Home Win
Ballymena vs Fox Lodge. Away Win
Cregagh vs Derriaghy. Away Win
Laurelvale vs Templepatrick. Away Win
Limerick vs Railway Union. Away Win
Midleton vs St Johnston. Home Win
North Kildare vs Balbriggan. Away Win
Terenure vs Downpatrick. Home Win
Some tricky matches and we will see how they pan out

Both sickening, demoralising and sad to hear that some warped individuals appear to glean some kind of twisted satisfaction destroying our local cricket pitches, don't they realise the beautiful game is open and welcoming to the whole community, regardless of class or creed?
After all, in an era before yet never forgotten, our forefathers laid down their lives for the privilege...
Thoughts, of a fallen soldier..

Bugler's trumpet, splits the early dawn
troops rally, mount charges,
no dilly-dally, timidity, nor benevolence
within satan's jaws, we must ride

Onwards onwards, galloping hooves plunder
betwixt bullets and cannonball,
comrades in arms, swords drawn, cold steel
frontline decimated, bloody is war

Second row, third, unrelenting onslaught
reverberates, bugler's shrill horn,
override sickening thud, steed hitting ground
or ghastly shriek, another brother slain

Foe's penetrating lead, lodged deep in chest
blown from saddle, gargling blood,
I lay in muddy ichor, instant pain, battle shock
feel life's vitality, slowly ebbing away

White light glistens above, becalms my fear
sound of clear, trickling water,
immersing turgid noise of enemy gunfire
visions of verdant homeland, emerge

The jay and lark, sing a mellifluous tune
whilst I fish in the stream, a youth,
carefree days, trout leap, evading false fly
tell them at home, big fish got away

Blackthorn hedge, where dainty fairies play
surround, freshly mowed fields,
light summer shower, aroma, sweet petrichor
vixen with cubs, leveret takes heel

Welcome canopy of oak, initials carved in bark
teenage sweethearts, Sally my love,
and there's Ma & Pa, familiar wave as they call,
' time to come home son, supper's on stove '

(petrichora pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather.)

Border league fixtures
12th June
Monaghan v Portadown,
Dungannon v Clogher,
Victoria v Waringstown

Cooke Collegians CC are disappointed at the damage caused to our ground in the past month. Our vision is to provide facilities and a welcoming environment for cricketers of all abilitiesand all backgrounds. As such we are probably one of the most diverse clubs in the country. These incidents are a direct attack on our values and we will do everything in our power to ensure that we continue to provide those facilities now and into the future.
To help achieve this club members have worked tirelessly in conjunction with Belfast City Council to repair the damage and we are delighted that no fixtures have been impacted to date.
2019 is a special year for CCCC as we celebrate the 20th year since our formation. The key event will be on Sunday 30th June with a fixture against an NCU presidents XI combined with a number of cultural event which will celebrate the richness of our membership. We look forward to enjoying that as a club and with the wider cricketing community

Well, even if the rain is spoiling our game across the water, the World Cup is living up to expectations, just a shame Ireland aren't there slugging it out too, bet we'd have caused a few upsets?
Who ya backing?
The 2019 cricket World Cup
is mighty craic, who'll win
anyone's guess?
England, India, Australia
can really whack it,
South Africa in a mess

Bangladesh fighting like tigers
Windies are Gayle force,
Sri Lanka wobbling,
Afghanistan, almost knocked
them of course

New Zealand on form, dangerous,
could go all the way,
write off Pakistan at your peril
when they turn it on,
beat anyone on their day

Winners and losers, inevitably
all exciting at the wicket,
may the best side win, whoever,
and one more thing,
I don't like cricket, I freeking love it!! ??

Border league fixtures postponed.

Holders Waringstown will face tough opposition in the quarter finals
of the NCU Gallagher Senior Challenge Cup if they defeat Holywood in
their postponed first round tie on Sunday. Victory would give them a
home tie against Instonians in what would promise to be the top match
of the last eight on June 15.
Only one of the other three matches will be an all-Premier League
affair with CIYMS at home to Carrickfergus. CSNI and Muckamore will
face opposition from the lower League 1 with CSNI away to Cregagh and
Muckamore hosting neighbours Templepatrick.
The full draw is:
CIYMS v Carrick; Cregagh v CSNI; Holywood or Waringstown v Instonians;
Muckamore v Templepatrick.
INQUIRIES: ROBIN WALSH (077 33 100 821)

Border league rearranged matches.
Wednesday 6th June.

Dungannon V Victoria
Portadown Taverners V Waringstown

Big congratulations to Ross Adair for his selection next week for the emerging Knights ! What a superb talent he is and due to his rugby commitments over the last few years has probably passed underneath the radar !
What an opportunity for him to display his talent and earn a deserved place with a Premier League team !
Great lad and could well be seen as a late developer by the hierarchy!!

All of this evening's border league matches have been postponed.

Afternoon all,
Please see a proposed cricket weekend trip to Spain with the Ulster Grasshoppers CC at the La Manga Club this Autumn.
This weekend is an excellent tour and is open to member and non-members. This should appeal to many and having been there before I can assure potential tourists, its a great trip!
Location: La Manga CC - priced at £275/ 297 Euros
Dates: 3-7 October
Details: 4 nights apartment accommodation in Las Lomas Village on La Manga Club.
Self catering only - supermarkets / cafes / bar on site.
3 days of cricket minimum 4 games on artificial strip
Access to gym and fitness centre.
Gala dinner on Sunday night.
Daily team return transfer to pitches from accommodation (5 mins).
Not included
Flights / meals except gala dinner / airport transfers (La Manga to quote for transfers and we can arrange some discounts and offers in bars and restaurants)
Andy Beattie (Waringstown CC) is the tour organiser and can be contacted on andrew.beattie1980@hotmail.com or contact me on richard@finlaygrahamproperty.com
Thanks
Ricky