It's been a rough couple of months for Niall O'Brien, but the Irish wicketkeeper can't help keep the grin off his face. "I'll always keep smiling", he told Inside Edge yesterday, "I live my life with no regrets".
O'Brien's decision to opt for a $70,000 contract at the Bangladesh Premier League in February cost him dearly. He was instantly axed from Ireland's tour to Kenya – which clashed with the BPL – South Africa and Dubai, and there are still doubts whether he will wear the green this summer.Or ever again.
"I'm hopeful of coming back sooner rather than later", he told the Irish Daily Star from Kent, where he was preparing for Northamptonshire's four-day game.
"Phil's been in India for the last ten days so we haven't had a chance to talk, but I've exchanged texts and I'd like to sit down with him soon. My agent has been on to (High Performance Manager) Richard Holdsworth and hopefully we'll see where we're at."
O'Brien drew strong criticism for signing a contract with CricketIreland two days before he signed for Khulna Royal Bengals.
"Well, CricketIreland hadn't signed and returned my contract by the time I told them so I was never under contract to them. But I could have handled it better. I wanted to play in the BPL and never made any secret of that. CricketIreland had their position and we couldn't meet. I had no complaints – I was treated fairly, and strongly."
O'Brien met Holdsworth before he went to Bangladesh and the official told him "the door is open".
"The BPL was a great tournament, and I worked with a great coach in Robin Singh and learnt an awful lot about T20 in sub-continental conditions that can be useful to Ireland. I've been working hard since even though we've been playing in probably the hardest conditions I've ever seen in ten years in England. I'm still one of the best eleven players for Ireland and I'm keeping wicket every day in a first-class team."
O'Brien has been heartened to get great support from his Irish team-mates.
"Yeah, they've been great and everyone I've spoken too wants me back in the team. I spoke to the skipper [William Porterfield] last week and he's keen there's some communication and resolution soon."
O'Brien watched Ireland qualify for Sri Lanka with mixed feelings.
"It was a strange feeling, but I kept an eye on the scores and was in touch with a few of the guys. he first week was nerve-wracking, but the lads were fantastic."
With the side to play Australia in the RSA Challenge to be announced shortly, O'Brien's nerves might still be on edge for a while yet.
The biggest score of the weekend was Robert Forrest's stunning unbeaten 154 for Clontarf, the highest by an amateur in the Irish Senior Cup for many years. The Belvedere College schoolboy only made his first senior 50 at the end of August, so to triple his career best was some feat.
‘Bobo' was last week named as one of three wicketkeepers in the preliminary squad of 19 to be whittled down to 15 for the U19 World Cup in Queensland in August. While Merrion's Patrick Tice is seen as the best gloveman of the trio, Forrest's runs in the senior club competition will do him a power of good.
Carrickfergus keeper Jordan McClurkin has started the season poorly and his club has lost all three games. Still he'll have plenty of chances to impress the management – Ireland Under 19 coach Ryan Eagleson is still steaming in from the Knockagh End for Carrickfergus!
Tweet of the week: @boydrankin (chilling on the couch with his pet cat) "Looks like I've just been hit for six again!!"
Leinster sides dominated the Irish Senior Cup last weekend, with eight out of nine winning, and Phoenix yet to play. At present each of the biggest unions have 10 places each in the cup, while Munster have two, but that might change if the powers that be heed an interesting suggestion on the CricketEurope Ireland forum.
Dave Walsh points out that a 10 each split doesn't reflect the respective strengths of the unions. While the best north and north-west clubs are as good as any in Leinster, there is far greater strength in depth in the south.
Walsh suggests that the last eight in the ISC qualify automatically for next year, and the remaining 24 places are divided seven each to the big unions, with two to Munster and one to the winner of the new RSA National Cup.
It's a great idea, and could see the make-up of the event change considerably over time.
Top performer: Ken Brennan (Terenure) 6-17 off 10 overs as Limavady were blitzed for 65.
Non-performer: Decker Curry (Limavady) out first ball at Terenure - for 260 runs less than his last visit!