Domestic cricket programme makes way as West Indies arrive

It's very much a case of all eyes skyward this week as the NWCU is set to host its highest-profile mini-series in years with the visit to our shores of the feted West Indies T20 team.

There are three matches scheduled for Thursday, Saturday and Sunday - all with 3.00pm starts - and hopes are high that there will be full houses at Bready CC across the weekend.

Given the stature of the games, the NWCU did their utmost to keep the weekend as clear as possible of domestic cricket, however the recent spell of poor weather means that the T20 cup semi-finals are now down for decision on Friday night.

In the Faughan Valley Cup, Donemana will host Newbuildings while Brigade will entertain Eglinton.

Given the form of Gary McClintock's side at present you'd have to think a trip to the Holm in a domestic cup semi-final would be something of a poisoned chalice, but no doubt Ross Hunter's side won't see it that way.

After an indifferent start to their season, Newbuildings won their first league game last Saturday when they stunned Brigade at Beechgrove and they backed it up 24-hours later with a home win over Eglinton- a result that took them from bottom of the table up to third in one weekend.

Both of these sides are tailor-made for T20 cricket and while they will definitely start favourites, Donemana will be well aware of the dangers of the likes of Peat Salmon, Ross Dougherty, Gareth McKeegan, Johnny Thompson, Jason Dunn and the Hunter brothers.

There should be some crowd up the banking for this one.

The Ireland squad that will face the West Indies at Bready Cricket Club this weekend.

Brigade will be looking to bounce back quickly after a second league defeat in their opening three games.

Andy Britton's men know the potential rewards at stake for winning this competition with the chance to compete for the All-Ireland title and another shot at the European T10 league in Spain in January.

Eglinton have been in and out of form so far, but like Newbuildings in the other tie, they have a few players who like to hit the trees.

As has been the case in recent weeks, the villagers are certainly missing Liam Doherty at present although Lakshan Gamage has shown signs of finding his feet in these conditions.

Brigade's top order is strong and these are the type of games that could suit Cameron Melly, Adam McDaid and Ryan Barr, and they have plenty of stroke-players to back them up.

In the Eric Cooke Cup, Fox Lodge entertain Killyclooney in one semi-final with Ballyspallen hosting Coleraine in the other.

To be fair, these are two games that could also go either way.

Coleraine won't want to see Isaac Bird, Kagiso Rapulana or Graham Kennedy getting a head start in their innings as these three have already shown that they can be hard to reel back if they get going.

The Bannsiders though have been in excellent form so far this summer and there are loads of runs in that order as well, when everyone is available.

Fox Lodge and Killyclooney is difficult to call- both teams with several in-form players at their disposal. Alistair Doherty is on a real purple streak at the top of the home side's order and with Gayan Maneeshan also on the crest of a wave, the Foxes start slight favourites.

Strabane and St Johnston usually provide a proper tussle and they meet at the Park for a place in the Sperrin Springs semi-final on Friday night.

Both sides have shown real inconsistency this year but the Saints' batting seemed to come apart in two games against Glendermott last weekend. They managed just 75 all out in Saturday's league game at the Rectory and then crumbled for 62 the following day at the Boathole in the National Cup.

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If they get it together for Strabane, as they usually do, this could be another eventful evening.

The winners of that will play either Bonds Glen or Bready who meet in the other semi-final.

The fact that the Magheramason side find themselves in this competition probably says a bit about their season so far but on their day, Bready would make very short work of this.

They haven't been on their day too often so far and if they come up short here, the in-form Divan Posthumus might have a say in the outcome.

There is one league replay in Long's SuperValu Section 2 on Sunday as Ballyspallen look to continue their unbeaten start with a trip to the Glen.