They say insanity is where you do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. Waringstown since they shared the league with North Down in 2005, have been pretty much putting the same side out every year and hoping to get a different result.

Forget about 2006, the reality is that the team has ever so slightly been declining. Compare that to North Down, who have been improving in that period by recruiting players from other clubs (and countries) to keep the success going.

Waringstown and North Down have always been fierce rivals. 'The Lawn' and 'The Green' feature on many players favourite grounds. They both have excellent practice facilities. (The new all weather practice wickets at Waringstown are top class). They both have an incredible history in Ulster cricket. Both clubs have produced many Ireland International players.

But North Down has now got a distinct edge over the Waringstown club because of their location. Being closer to Belfast means they are closer to a lot of other clubs in the NCU area. This gives them a much wider catchment area to persuade players to come and join them to strengthen their team and taste success. It also means they are more likely to pick up the occasional Kiwi (Connell and Parsons) or South African (Coetzee) or Pakistani (Taimur) or Australian (Sutherland). Not many of them make their way to Waringstown.

A number of years back the local primary school was opened by the Duchess of York who arrived wearing a Davy Crockett style of headwear. When asked about it, she replied that when she told Prince Charles she was coming to Waringstown, he said ‘wear a fox hat'.

Players get older and priorities change and a golden generation of Johnny Bushe, Simon Harrison, Andrew Cousins and Peter Hanna who all played at school together are now waving goodbye to their 20's. What is needed is a new generation of cricketers to keep the fires burning and to inspire the older more senior players to keep improving and working hard.

What is incredibly frustrating for Waringstown supporters is that they have managed to bring through young players only to have Ireland take them away. In the last year Gary Kidd, James Hall and Lee Nelson have been required at various levels by the country and missed games. Kyle McCallan is rarely available for the club these days. The faithful in ‘Palm Tree Corner' haven't even got Lurgan anymore to beat twice and keep their spirits up.

Their refusal to switch the fixture with CSNI in the opening day of the season because the overseas professional hadn't arrived spoke volumes. Don't get me wrong they did exactly what any NCU club would have done in the same circumstances but I remember a time 15 or so years ago when a Waringstown side, even without a professional, feared no-one.

New Professional Sri Lankan fast bowler Tharaka Kottehewa will add some bite to the bowling attack and will help make Waringstown a force again. Or at least it would if they hadn't 1000 or so runs to replace from Ijaz Ahmed. If only they could play two 'professionals' like some others. Judging by the new players unveiled at some clubs there is a migration of southern Africans on a scale that can be matched only by the Serengeti wildebeest.

One club who seem to have no problem picking up overseas cricketers is Lisburn who appear to be the unlikely beneficiaries of Robert Mugabe's repatriation policy. Four of the starting eleven that won their opening fixture against North Down hail from sunnier climes. The club bar has been stocking up with Castle Lager over the winter to entertain their new charges and Biltong has been added to the already magnificent teas at Wallace Park.

Lisburn were always a club who placed great emphasis on youth development and have always chosen their professional with development in mind. However many of their young protégés left for university over the years and have not returned. It's all very well for Waringstown to hail their youth development work but for most of their youngsters, a trip to as far a place as Banbridge is as exciting as a Sunday School excursion. Waringstown kids tend to settle in the village.

Lisburn kids leave town and the club has reached a crossroads. Do they continue with the youth work, knowing that the great Lisburn teams of the past were home grown or compete with the majority of the NCU on a like for like basis? The presence of Gerry Strydom, Hennie van der Merwe, Ryan Ervine and Craig Ervine should tell you the path they have chosen. The arrival of Derrick McCann from Derriaghy should remove the last of the doubters as moving to Wallace Park is a transfer no true ‘Aghy' man would take lightly.

I expect Lisburn to do well this year and wouldn't completely rule them out of the equation to pick up some silverware. David Simpson has mastered the art of bowling at home and if the guys can get a bit of early season momentum going it wouldn't surprise to see Uel Graham jumping onto the passing bandwagon.

The short term looks secure and I hope that they continue to develop young players for the future. It is one of the great clubs in Ireland. It would be nice to see again a strong successful Lisburn side.