Cricket: World Cup elite target a Cup fillip

The Bob Kerr Irish Cup semi-finals tomorrow will be a not-so-mini World Cup reunion with no fewer than nine of the 15-man squad from the Caribbean involved.


Match of the day is North County, the winners in 2001, '03 and '05 against holders Railway Union and as Paul Mooney, one of those World Cup heroes, put it this week:"Any one of 12 players could win this game."

It is likely it will be more than one but with Andre Botha and the Mooney brothers on one side, not to mention emerging Ireland A all-rounder Reinhard Strydom, up against the Railway quartet of Ireland captain Trent Johnston, Kenny Carroll and the O'Brien brothers plus Roger Whelan, another full international, there is an all-star cast to decide a match which would have graced the final.

Having said that, the other 'semi' is a pretty good second with Ireland's openers in the West Indies, Jeremy Bray and William Porterfield on opposite sides when The Hills face last year's beaten finalists, Rush.

The Hills were the last quarter finalists to be decided but they did it in emphatic style last Friday, beating Malahide by 10 wickets, despite a victory target of 189. Bray scored 109 with seven sixes and 13 fours in his 68-ball century. Patrick Byrne finished 62 not - it was over in 23 overs.





WEEKEND FIXTURES:

TODAY: Ulster Bank Premier League: Bangor v Civil Service North (1.00), Waringstown v Lurgan (1.45).

TOMORROW (12.00): Bangor v North Down, Carrickfergus v Civil Service North, Downpatrick v Lisburn, Instonians v Lurgan, Waringstown v Derriaghy.

Section Two: Armagh v Dunmurry, CIYMS v Woodvale, Cliftonville v Cooke Collegians, Holywood v Muckamore, Laurelvale v Ballymena.

Section Three: Academy v Drumaness, Larne v Dungannon, Portadown v Millpark, Saintfield v Donacloney, Templepatrick v Dundrum.

Section Four: Donaghadee v BISC, Victoria v PSNI.

Bob Kerr Irish Cup semi finals (1.00): The Hills v Rush, North County v Railway Union.

Goldblatt McGuigan Junior Cup final (11.00): North Down II v Lurgan II (Wallace Park).

Intermediate Cup Final: Civil Service II v Derriaghy II (Pollock Park).

SUNDAY (12.00): Ulster Bank Premier League: Carrickfergus v Instonians, Civil Service II Waringstown II.

Section Two: Cliftonville v Holywood, Cooke Collegians v Dunmurry, Woodvale v CIYMS.

Section Three: Drumaness v Millpark, Dundrum v Larne, Saintfield v Academy.