BONDS GLEN: IN: none. OUT: None. OVERSES PROFESSIONAL: None. CAPTAIN: Gary Hamilton. LAST SEASON: Senior Two champions. MAN TO WATCH: Richard Hepburn: Experienced former Donemana bowler whose wickets will be vital if the newcomers are to avoid an immediate return to the second tier of North West cricket. VERDICT: The failed bid to sign Akbar-Ur-Rehman as an overseas player came as a hammer blow on the eve of the season. Survival seems a highly unlikely aspiration even before a ball is even bowled.
BREADY: In: Dean Curry (Limavady), Agha Sabir, Andrew Clarke (Creevedonnell). OUT: Robert Rankin (Lisburn), Ross Campbell (Donemana). CAPTAIN: Trevor Hamilton. OVERSEAS PROFESSIONAL: Sabir (Pakistan). LAST SEASON: Joint second. MAN TO WATCH: Dean Curry: Finally emerged from the shadows of his father last season with a series of eye-catching batting displays. The left-handed batsman will not be short of opportunities at Magheramason, which wasn’t always the case when he was Limavady. VERDICT: The script said they were meant to struggle last season after the close season departures of Chris Dougherty and Trevor Britton, but developed an uncanny knack of winning close matches under skipper David Lecky, which Trevor Hamilton will hope to continue. Sabir, who showed flashes of brilliance when with Limavady in 2008, should be a good overseas signing and expect them to be in contention once again.
BRIGADE: IN: Ata-ur-Rehman Rehman, Ryan Barr, David Barr OUT: Niall McDonnell (Strabane), Thomas Riddles (Limavady), Richard Wylie (Eglinton). CAPTAIN: Mark Simpson. OVERSEAS PROFESSIONAL: Rehman (Pakistan). LAST SEASON: Joint Second. MAN TO WATCH: Johnny Thompson: It was a largely superb first season at Beechgrove for the former Glendermott and Donemana all-rounder. More of the same will help Brigade challenge on all fronts. VERDICT: McDonnell’s departure is a blow, but it has been softened by the signing of Pakistan Test star Rehman. The talent is there for a sustained title challenge, and along with Strabane, the reigning Senior Cup holders start as the firm favourites for silverware.
COLERAINE: In: David Cooke (Limavady). OUT: None. CAPTAIN: Tim Chopra. LAST SEASON: Eighth. OVERSEAS PROFESSIONAL: Mohammed Salman. MAN TO WATCH: David Cooke: The wicketkeeper-batsman will relish linking up with his former Limavady team-mate Ian McGregor at the top of the order and is bound to be towards the top of the North West batting averages yet again. VERDICT: Faded away dramatically last summer after a brilliant start inspired by McGregor’s run and a glut of wickets from former Donemana seamer Stephen Dunn. Their season begins under a cloud with professional Salman currently keeping wicket for Pakistan on the Twenty20 and ODI legs of their tour of West Indies. Salman is apparently not needed for the Test matches but his arrival is clouded in uncertainty.
DONEMANA: IN: Kamran Sajid, Ross Campbell (Bready) OUT: Azhar Shafique. CAPTAIN: Richard Kee. LAST SEASON: Sixth. MAN TO WATCH: Ryan Hunter – Teenager will be pivotal to Donemana’s hopes of bouncing back from a dreadfully disappointing 2010. Along with Andy McBrine and Ricky-Lee Dougherty, he forms a formidable trio of young batting talent. VERDICT: The replacement of long-time professional Azhar Shafique by his compatriot Kamran Sajid is the only major change at The Holm but problems with obtaining UK visas for Pakistani cricketers means there will almost certainly be a delay in Sajid’s arriving. Deficiencies remain as the McBrine twins approach retirement but under Richard Kee they should surely improve on last season.
EGLINTON: IN: Richard Wylie (Brigade), Ryan Butterworth. OUT: None. CAPTAIN: Andy Christie. LAST SEASON: Ninth. OVERSEAS PROFESSIONAL: Butterworth (Zimbabwe). MAN TO WATCH: Johnny Gardiner: The youngster’s performances were a highlight of an otherwise disappointing season for the villagers. Expect a further improvement this summer. VERDICT: Two wins over eventually relegated St Johnston were their sole league successes in 2010, and it promises to be another tough summer for Andy Christie’s side. Wylie’s return from Brigade is a boost however and crucially they have fended off a Limavady move for key man Gardiner. They should have enough to stay clear of newly-promoted Bonds Glen, who face a huge task to stay up.
FOX LODGE: IN: Graeme McCarter. OUT: None. OVERSEAS PROFESSIONAL: Darryl Brown (South Africa). CAPTAIN: Brian Allen. LAST SEASON: Fourth, Irish Cup semi-finalists. MAN TO WATCH: Andy Britton – Made last season’s News Letter team of the year, after explosive displays with bat and ball. The former Donemana has the potential to develop into a genuine all-rounder. VERDICT: Challenges in the league and the Bob Kerr Irish Cup only floundered when Brown returned to South Africa early with injury. If the overseas professional repeats the brilliance of his first two seasons at Ballymagorry then they will be right in contention again. A good outside bet for the title and they would dearly love an overdue cup final appearance.
GLENDERMOTT: IN: Roy Silva, Charlie Elder (Creevedonnell), Peter Allen, Dale Culbert, Chris Cooper. OUT: Henk von Rauenstein, David Barr, Ryan Barr, Gary Neely (Creevedonnell). LAST SEASON: Seventh. OVERSEAS PROFESSIONAL: Silva (Sri Lanka). CAPTAIN: Gordon Montgomery. MAN TO WATCH: Stephen Smyth – Just a few short weeks ago it was rumoured that the former Ireland batsman wouldn’t be returning to The Rectory, with the North West registration meeting passing with him being registered. But the prolific left-hander has signed a two-year deal, in the process transforming Glendermott into a dangerous outfit. VERDICT: Until Smyth signed on the dotted line, it was hard to envisage anything other than a season of struggle on the Waterside. The fine batting wickets and short boundaries at The Rectory will again be to Smyth’s liking but Neely’s departure is a blow, and leaves an already limited bowling line-up under further pressure.
LIMAVADY: IN: Thomas Riddles (Brigade), Adnan Akmal. OUT: David Cooke (Coleraine), Dean Curry (Bready). CAPTAIN: Andrew Riddles. OVERSEAS PROFESSIONAL: Akmal (Pakistan). LAST SEASON: Fifth. MAN TO WATCH: Stuart Thompson – Ireland under-19 international showed enormous potential in 2010 and has the ability to go all the way to full Irish honours. A crucial season for the former Eglinton fast-bowling all-rounder. VERDICT: Probably the most difficult team in the North West to predict. Cooke’s departure is a hammer blow but at least they are back at The John Hunter Grounds after playing exclusively away from home in 2010. Could be right in the hunt but equally morale will suffer if they begin badly. Akmal, the younger brother of Pakistan stars Kamran and Umar, is in his country’s Test squad for the tour to the West Indies so uncertainty surrounds his arrival date in Northern Ireland.
STRABANE: IN: Niall McDonnell (Brigade), Mark Roulson (Burndennett), Derek Lynch (Killyclooney). OUT: Ryan Gallagher (Phoenix). OVERSEAS PROFESSIONAL: Jonathan Beukes (South Africa). CAPTAIN: Beukes. LAST SEASON: Champions, Senior Cup runners-up. MAN TO WATCH: McDonnell. Back at Strabane Park after just a season at Brigade, the Ireland A batsman will add to an already formidable batting line-up. Alongside the Gillespie brothers and Jonathan Beukes, it is a mouth-watering top order. VERDICT: League champions for two successive seasons, McDonnell’s return makes them unquestionably the division’s best batting unit and they should be aiming for a third league crown in a row. The bowling is workmanlike rather than spectacular.
