There were a few Ireland cricketers among the headlines Down Under over the last week or so, with some Ireland fringe players showing ambition to force their way in.

Graeme McCarter had one of those very special days at the weekend, smashing T20 century for his New Zealand club Cornwall, who he’s playing with this winter. Graeme hit 125 not out off 52 balls, hitting 11 sixes and 9 fours (a strike rate of 240). He also bowled 4-1-13-4 and took two catches in the game against Napier Old Boys' Marist at Cornwall Park.

McCarter hasn’t made a 50 in more than 40 senior club games in Ireland over the past two seasons since his return from Gloucestershire, but after a 56 against Central Hawke's Bay and this epic knock it’s fantastic to see him getting into a good batting groove.

Nick Larkin added the second double century of his season with 210 for New South Wales in the ACB Futures competition at Wollongong. ACT had set NSW 480 to win and Larkin's knock saw them come within five runs, scoring 180 in the second session and 200 in the final one.

There was plenty of Irish interest in the fixture, with last season’s Pembroke pro Daniel Solway making 79 for ACT, and Clontarf’s Charlie Wakim making 26 for a NSW side that included test players Pat Cummins and Ed Cowan.

Stuart Thompson has been playing for Prospect District CC in Adelaide, and has turned out three times so far. On T20 debut he top scored with 33 (four 6s) off 15 balls, and took 1-35 off four overs, but his side fell well short of victory.

He then played a two-day game, scoring 1 and opening the bowling (8-0-38-0). Last weekend he took 2-22 off 3 overs in a T20 against Tea Tree Gully. Chasing 111 his side won with an over to spare as the Eglinton man made 4 off two balls.

George Dockrell turned out for Valley District in the Brisbane Premier Grade. As Sandgate-Recdliffe stacked up 289-3, George toook 19.6-3-79-2 including the wicket of Queensland player Corey Barsby.

Andrew Balbirnie played for Randwick-Petersham in a T20 against Manly-Warringah but did not bat as the Petes made 195-6.

YMCA’s Sean Terry played two Premier Firsts Grade games last weekend for Richmond in Perth. He was lbw for 0 against Fitzroy-Doncaster and made 18 before he was bowled against the Greenvale Kangaroos.

John Anderson has been playing out in Bondi Junction with Eastern Suburbs, and followed a match-winning 49 against Mosman with two T20s last weekend. He made 10 as his side lost to St George and wasn’t required as the Dolphins chased Sutherland’s 85 all out with former North Down pro Ian Moran making a stunning unbeaten 72 off 37 balls.

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In women’s cricket, Isobel Joyce turned out in the Tasmanian Premier League but her South Hobart Sandy Bay side were all out for 57 against Clarence. Opening the batting with the unlikely-named Chelsea Assmann (perhaps she’s No.2 to Antonio Conte?), Joyce made 8 off 7 balls, and took 0-14 off 4 overs.

Mary Waldron was also in action, for Port Adelaide in South Australia 1st Grade, where she opened the batting but was bowled for 2, but later completed two stumpings and a runout as he side won by 31 runs.

In Sydney, Shauna Kavanagh made 1 for Gordon last weekend but had an excellent 33no (41 balls, 5 fours) against Sydney Rangers on Saturday in First Grade. Shauna was joined by team-mate Laura Delany who made 15 (31 balls, 1 four), and with all-time legend Lisa Sthalekar making 35 the Gordons made 225-7, 18 runs too many for Sydney.

The weekend before Laura made her return after injury in a Second Grade game against Parramatta. The Irish skipper hit six fours in an unbeaten 41.

Over in New Zealand, the Northern Premier League in Hamilton resumes next weekend when we can see Jenny Gray, Anna Peterson and Caitriona Beggs in action for the Sonic.

Gray and Peterson have been playing for Auckland University – Jenny opened the batting against Cornwall CC, scoring 36 off 33 balls, while Peterson took 9-2-15-2.

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Outside the international players, there are up to a dozen young Irishmen clubbing around the Antipodes.

Aaron Gillespie of Strabane had been in good nick in Victoria Provincial First Grade. His last three knocks have been 46, 34 and 18no, and is already into double-figures for wickets after 10-1-23-2 against Lavington last weekend.

Mark Snodgrass and Ryan Gallagher are out in the goldfields at Great Boulder and this weekend plays against North Kalgoorlie.

Mark has played five A Grade games so far, and taken one wicket each time, including 1-31 off six against Lake View last Sunday. Gallagher made his best score of the season, 38, against Hannans, and also took 10-2-19-4.

Railway Union’s Dharam Singh is playing for for Hannans in the same competition, and made 80 against Great Boulder last month. Since then he’s made 0, 0, 13 and 18, and taken six wickets including 3-58 against North Kalgoorlie.

Jacob Mulder is also in WA, playing with South Perth for whom he took 6 and 3 last weekend.

Robert Forrest is up in Melbourne with Balwyn, making 25 last week off 44 balls against Altona. ‘Bobbo’ isn’t keeping wicket, allowing him the occasional bowl, which resulted in 5-0-19-1 against Box Hill.

Phoenix paceman Rory Anders is in Whangarei in Northland, playing for Onerahi Central. He made 60 and 64 in two early season games.

Former Academy coach Craig Hogan put Anders in touch with Stephen Cunis, head of Northland Cricket and New Zealand A bowling coach. Last weekend he took 3-7 as Onerahi Central won the T20 cup semi-final over Kamo and is reportedly pushing for a place in the Northland B side.

CIYMS’s Ben McCord hit 39 as Lancaster Park ran out comfortable winners over Marist Harewood in Christchurch. In the same league, Malahide’s Cameron Shoebridge is playing with Old Boys Collegians in Christchurch and has taken 8-131 in five games so far.