In just a few days' time it will be exactly 50 years since the Trinity cricket team (hereafter DUCC) embarked upon their 1970 campaign. Although the expectations may not have been high it was to prove a momentous and memorable two months running from the opening Leinster League match v Old Belvedere (in College Park, Sunday 26th April) to their ultimate Tour fixture v The Hampshire Hogs (at Warnford, Saturday 27th June). During this time, and including so-called Ramblers games against The Leprechauns and Belfast Royal Academy (in both of which more than half of the "regular" 1st XI played), the team managed to fit in 31 days of cricket!

To the best of my, understandably, fading memory only 2 of these fixtures were "rain affected" and none was completely "rained off". There were three 2-day games and approximately 4 days wherein travel to or from matches occupied a full day. To the modern cricketer, whether or not they comprehend the subtleties of the 2-day contest, timeless Cup ties, or even a single day time match this will seem about as believable as Platform 13 A in a Harry Potter Book. Even the complicity of the weather in allowing so much uninterrupted play seems far-fetched.

How did the participants manage to find the time whilst involved in undergraduate studies? Well, there was something of a "perfect storm" about 1970 for this group. Five of the regular XI had no exams in that early summer including the captain and vice-captain whose courses led to September Honours papers. For the remainder some were expert in their time management while a few (who shall remain nameless of course) seem to have decided that the pursuit of sporting success was the best option. It must also be pointed out that there were a cohort of "back-up" players who, although rarely called on, filled in to great effect when required.

Trinity had been for many decades a key foundation for both Leinster and Irish cricket. In Leinster DUCC had not only produced strong sides themselves but had "fed" graduates to other clubs, most frequently Phoenix. Present day readers will be amazed to discover/be reminded that back in 1970 there was hardly an "exotic" cricketer in Dublin. Robin Waters had returned to England after 2 productive years at Clontarf and Alain de Costa (a Sri Lankan RCSI student?) turned out for Merrion at times. John Wills at Phoenix and Denny Leng (previously Phoenix but a YMCA player in 1970) were exceptions but any "new blood" was most likely to be an ex-English Public Schoolboy entering the College.

The 1960s had been a productive decade for DUCC. Amazingly the Senior Cup was won in 1961,'62 and '63. Furthermore captained by Chris Anderson the Senior League was secured in 1966 in the most exciting of circumstances. Derek Scott wrote in his Irish cricket Notes in 1967's Wisden that "DUCC won their 4th League Title. They last won in 1948 and in 1949 the "handicap" system was introduced. Of their 7 League victories two were by 1 wicket, one by 2 runs and another by 7 runs".

As recently as 1968 DUCC finished a close second under the captaincy of Gerry Murphy and featuring a group largely of English based players notably Mike Byrne (Cheshire Minor Counties XI), Jimmy Halliday (Beaumont), PJ McSwiney (Harrow), RC Pook (King's Taunton), MJ (Bill) Hatchett (Mill Hill and as his sweater told us Middlesex YA) and a more mature student Simon Hewson. He went on to captain the team in1969 but was still "in-residence" and a vital component of the 1970 side. Another "travelling performer was Terry V Neill, an ex-Irish Schools player from Bangor GS who was to return to Dublin in the early 1970s and play extensively for Phoenix, but at this stage he was "domiciled" in London.

Despite the "near miss" of '68 the decade did not end so well. An "inauspicious" performance in the Senior Cup (defeat by almost 200 runs in a single day) meant that DUCC were excluded from the Cup in '69. A ninth place (out of 10) finish in the League table fairly accurately reflected performances. The portents for 1970 were not great; Jimmy Halliday and Alan Little had graduated, Chris Cordess was doing his Medical Finals and then it was realised that Bill Hatchett who had been appointed Captain (although he had only played in 3 of the 9 League matches in'69) had "failed to return to College". Mike Halliday was promoted from vice to captain the side and Chris Harte, already elected Secretary, became his deputy.

(back row) JR McKenna, J Frankland, MAG Bryce, ANS Kirk, RFH Cox, J Silverstone
(front row) PHC Nixon, CCJ Harte, M Halliday, SNP Hewson, WAR McCarey

On the credit side Johnny Silverstone and Hart Cox, both top-order batsmen in the previous year's Irish Schools Team were newcomers. John Frankland had decided to turn from gentle off-spin to form a "New-Ball" attack with Ronnie McCarey (who had been Irish Schools' skipper in 1968). Alan Kirk (Ulster Schools ion 1967) and Philip Nixon (Irish Schools in the same year) were "exam-less".

Chris Harte would endeavour to plug the gap behind the stumps not really filled since GF Murphy's time. Michael (Maggie) Bryce, like Kirk a Portoran and former Ulster Schools player who had been in the XI in both '68 and'69 was keen to fit in as much cricket as he could bearing in mind that his subject was Engineering the 9 to 5 Students so not much time for practice. Simon Hewson made it 10 fairly certain starters but the 11th slot was under much debate as the Season approached.