The final soggy straw that should put the summer of 2012 in the dustbin of history was the ignominious retreat from Oakhill of South Africa A.
Shortly after the first of the four-match T20 series was called off on Monday, Cricket Ireland supremo Warren Deutrom got a message that the tourists’ management wanted an urgent meeting.
The upshot was that the rain-hit tour was abandoned with three T20s left unplayed, and Ireland’s preparations for the ICC World Twenty20 in tatters.
“Our first instinct was to preserve the tour, but to insist it go on would have been unfair and could have compromised their preparations for Sri Lanka”, Deutrom told Inside Edge.
“It also could have damaged the cordial relations between Cricket South Africa and CricketIreland and we didn’t want to do that.”
The South Africans had agreed late to extend the tour to take in four T20s, which presented another problem.
“With the All Ireland and the big American football game, it was impossible to find them hotel rooms in Dublin. They would have had to move down to Mullingar for the last week and I think that concentrated their minds too. They had an opportunity to go home and play some cricket this weekend, which we couldn’t guarantee. It wasn’t just games either, they also needed meaningful outdoor practice and that wasn’t guaranteed either.”
There was frustration among the Irish players too, some of whom had been invited to play in the Sri Lankan T20 premier league. They had to turn down the invites because of the SAA tour which has now bitten the dust.
It was disappointing for Malahide too, which had hoped to show off the rebuilding work it has done on the way to becoming Ireland’s cricket stadium. But the weather hasn’t helped the club to bed down the playing area and some club members admitted relief that debut has been delayed.
“Friday would have been a challenge,” admitted Deutrom, “and we were looking at alternatives. But Malahide has always been aiming for getting everything in place for the England game at the end of 2013.”
Two brothers making their senior debut on the same day hasn’t happened too often. In fact, when you take away new clubs going senior, no-one can remember it happening before.
But last Saturday two Tuckers made their debuts for Pembroke, with Lorcan opening the batting and scoring 15 and Fiachra making 9 and taking 1-16. It's 10 years since dad Barry bowed out after a long career with Old Belvedere.
Tweet of the week: Trent Johnston ‏(@Green23) “Tweeps I need your help. Looking for green & navy blue wrist bands for what I hope will be a warm/hot Sri Lanka.”
Performance of the week: It’s been 14 years since Leinster won the senior league, and when they came up from Division 2 behind Terenure few gave them a chance of surviving, let alone competing. But on Saturday a settled side with some classy imports hammered Merrion to win the title at a canter.
Best of luck to former Merrion cricketer Philip Quinlan, now a table-tennis star all set to compete at the Paralympics in London tomorrow. Quinlan (38) competes in the class 1 singles and the team event.