TAKE IT TO THE MAX
MAX Sorensen was named man of the series when the RSA Interprovincial T20s finished on Sunday, but the Lightning bowler knows there are even more prestigious prizes within his grasp.
With the departures of Trent Johnston and Boyd Rankin, the Irish attack is sorely in need of a leader, a man to lead them into the fierce battles ahead. And the 27-year-old could well be the man to do so.
"I'd love to do it", he told Inside Edge this week. "I've always led the attack in my club and I want to the best I can whether I'm pulling on a Hills, Leinster or Ireland jersey."
And while Sorensen was a bit surprised to claim the RSA series award - "there were lots of guys in the running, especially Eddie Richardson who was outstanding" - he does believe he deserves it.
"The interpros are a great competition and it was great to be part of Leinster's success", he says. "My goal this year was to become more consistent in all aspects, and I think I've achieved that."
He acknowledges a debt to Johnston.
"TJ's a very organised cricketer, very disciplined. He always said you have to bowl every ball like you mean it. That feeds into you - he wants you do everything at 100% So you want to do it for him."
To the Max.
YOUNG GUNS GOING FOR IT: WHO CAN FILL TJ's SHOES?
Mark Adair (CSNI): Just 17, he has already been tested at Warwickshire, for whom he took 4-67 last week in a 2nd XI game. Also in Ulster U18 rugby squad so there are fears he may take Jordan Coghlan's route out of cricket.
Peter Chase (Malahide): Tall, rangy right-armer whose potential was identified by Adrian Birrell and spent time with Durham. Drafted into the Lightning squad but has bowled just four overs in RSA Div.2 this summer.
Graeme McCarter (Gloucestershire): Canny bowler who can have a big career if he can find an extra couple of yards of pace.
Eddie Richardson (North County): What he lacks in raw pace he makes up for in commitment and work rate. An increasingly canny bowler, he has had an outstanding Interpro series and is by far the best bat of the contenders.
Craig Young (Sussex): Injury-plagued over his three years at Hove, where he has yet to make the first XI. County has been patient but time is running out.
THE newest Irish cap is 13-year-old Lucy O'Reilly, the second youngest ever to play a full international anywhere, male or female.
"We took her on a development trip to La Manga pre-season, playing against Division One English sides and she more than held her own", says coach Jeremy Bray. "She was outstanding in the field and batted really well too. She got her chance this year and she's been absolutely fantastic."
"Having dad around has been a huge help because he was a bowler himself," Lucy says of ex-international Peter. "He's just been away for six weeks so it was hard not having him around to work with."
With her slight frame she found the recent 50-over games against Pakistan hard going, but Jeremy Bray is convinced she can be a star of the future. "The sky's the limit if she keeps working hard," he says.
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NO, that's not Kevin O'Brien's Trinidad bank account number, but the line in the scorebook beside Lorcan Tucker's name on Saturday. The Pembroke youngster blitzed the bowling to reach 50 off 16 balls and took the game away from Leinster. Tucker is in Scotland this week with Ireland U17s but his amazing innings will give Pembroke's selectors a headache ahead of the RSA Senior Cup final on Saturday.
COACHING the Pakistan women at the T20 qualifier is Basit Ali, the former Test all-rounder who with Rashid Latif bravely exposed match-fixing by his teammates - which cost him his international career.
Basit has been telling all he meets about his then-world record century off 62 balls back in 1995, when the West Indies attack included our own Phil Simmons.
I CAUGHT a glimpse of a rare talent in the RSA U15 cup semi-final last week. Clontarf's Colin Currie showed impressive shot selection and scored freely all around the wicket. I'll wager there hasn't been as century like it by a lad his age since Eoin Morgan packed his bags for London. Currie made his first XI debut at the weekend (with four catches in the field) and the club will fight hard to keep him - he is a top-class hurler too and that sport has suddenly become a bit more attractive in the capital.
Performance of the week: Hannah de Burgh Whyte's 152 not out for Merrion v Leinster is believed to be the second highest recorded by a woman cricketer here, behind only team-mate Isobel Joyce's double in 2010.
Tweet of the week: "ICC have to do something about these games between weak n strong nations before the Test Championship starts. #EngvAus" The lads at Test Cricket for Ireland (@TC4Ireland) enjoy winding up the Aussies.