• Sighs of relief down Anglesea Road way as Middlesex were knocked out of the Benson and Hedges Cup Đ despite 53 by ex-Merrion batsman Ed Joyce Đ on Monday. There had been fears that the resurgent county might make the final of the competition on 22 June, which would have forced the cancellation of the benefit game for Philip Quinlan which is due to be held at Merrion that day. Tickets for the Merrion XI v Middlesex game will go on sale soon, and for further information please contact rebecca.rutledge@indigo.ie
  • Railway Union's ground alterations have meant that the Park Avenue venue isn't ready for senior cricket just yet. The Sandymount club have secured the use of College Park for a number of games, and judging by their dŽbut there, they'll be reluctant to leave. Most keen on the city centre venue will probably be Niall O'Brien, who made his maiden senior century against Cork Harlequins in the Irish Senior Cup on Saturday and followed up on Monday with another against Malahide, and Kenny Carroll, who took a stunning 6-6 as the visitors were routed for 37 on the way to a 213 run defeat.

  • It was Carroll's second six-fer in the tournament, following his 6-19 against Ardmore last summer, and the 6-6 equals Billy Kirk of NICC's second best bowling in the 21 year history of the cup. His record in the event is remarkable, given that he is used as fifth bowler in cup games for Railway and his 2001 figures in 12 Leinster senior games were 21.5-0-125-4, average 31.25, best 2-10.

    Carroll's figures would have been even better if he hadn't conceded four wides!

  • Bad luck for Trinity captain Johnny Harte against Pembroke on Monday when an awkward fall in the outfield led to a visit to St Vincent's Hospital where it was discovered he had torn ligaments in the shoulder. It was a further blow to the innovative captain whose inexperienced side have struggled in league games this season and who lost both weekend games. Despite the arrival of Dom Joyce and first-ever overseas pro Chris Torrisi, the students have struggled to overcome the loss of eight first teamers at the end of last season.
  • Ed Joyce is not the only Irishman playing first-class cricket in England this year: Oxford University middle order batsman Charlie Warren was born in Portadown in 1979. Warren is in his third year in the Oxford XI although he has yet to make much of name for himself. In seven first-class games he has scored 141 runs at 12.81, with a high score of 40* against Cambridge.