FIXTURE CONGESTION LOOMS AFTER RAIN WIPES OUT SATURDAY SCHEDULE

The start of the official school holidays coincided with arguably the wettest weekend of 2016 so far and meant that all eight senior games- four in the Long’s SuperValu Premiership plus the 1st round of the Sam Jeffrey Shield- were washed away on Saturday without a ball bowled.

The problem now for the local Fixture Secretary is that with last weekend’s league programme (bar the Strabane v Drummond match) postponed because of the senior cup semi-finals, the possibility of “lost” fixtures has become a genuine threat, and for some clubs it might come down to how their luck holds.

Take that Strabane game for example; the replay is now set for next Sunday (10 July) and as this is a second and final attempt, if it rains then- it’s gone. The other trio of games carried forward from last week however will be played this coming midweek (5-7 July) and have three nights to finish and as they’re all first attempts they could well get three more for the replay if needed.

On top of that they can go down to 20 overs on the final night if they can’t get anything played before then.

With both Strabane and Drummond both looking for their first points, they will be gazing anxiously skywards next weekend. Conversely of course it could be 90* next Sunday and rain all week, however unlikely that may be. Time, as they say, will tell.

It’s an administrative headache for the Union, brought about by the fact that we have so much cricket to cram into 22 weeks. And it’s worse for the Interprovincial and internationally contracted players who have at least another 20 days playing to negotiate before they count squad get-togethers, training and overnight stays.

It’s a price players have to pay if they want to progress at that level and to be completely honest, it’s not for everyone.

In what has been an in and out season so far for the North West Warriors there have been one or two who have let Head Coach Ian McGregor down if we’re honest, but others who have really stepped up to the plate when he needed them.