It's been a busy weekend for Cliftonville Academy who have confirmed that Max Burton is leaving to join CIYMS, but on the positive side they have secured the services of Kian Hilton.

Burton was club captain at CA in 2023, helping them to secure their Premiership berth, as well as reaching the National Cup final.

Injury meant he played 17 of their 25 games, scoring 449 runs at 29.93, whicch included four half centuries - at an impressive strike rate of 124.62.

The 22 year-old has interprovincial experience, playing four times for the Northern Knights in 2022.

The loss of Burton has been offset by the arrival of Irish passport holding South African Kian Hilton.

The teenager is highly rated and showed his promise when he scored an unbeaten 43 in an Ireland Academy intra-squad game this year, as well as featuring for Munster Heat in the Future Series.

"Kian is a very good player, an excellent wicket-keeper and very good athlete,"said one leading Irish coach. "He is a very natural attacking player who has great shot selection always choosing the right option."