Ireland's Craig Young pleased for William McClintock

The 31-year-old, who played his part in Ireland’s 64 run win yesterday which sealed the 3-1 series victory, feels success internationally in the area can only but help the North West as a whole.

Only a few weeks ago Graham Ford’s squad trained at Eglinton and Young expects more internationals to be staged at Bready in the forseeable future and he also believes that the Irish side will certainly be back in the area sooner rather than later, which can only but help cricket in the region.

“It can only be a good thing and the lads really enjoyed Eglinton the other week and they are really impressed with the facilitates here,” he insisted.

“Obviously it helps if the weather is good and the weather has been the thing that we have been knocking our heads together up here about over the years, but there’s nothing you can do about that, but it has never diminished the enthusiasm for the clubs want to help the Irish team and I feel that’s great going forward.

“Everybody should be proud of how things have gone so far. Hopefully there will be more internationals staged here, I can’t see why not and although I keep harping on about the weather, if we get the weather we are as good as anywhere in the country to play cricket and we have always produced talented cricketers.

“There’s also kids here to watch games and inspire so I think it’s very important to keep getting cricket here.

“Saturday is a sell out already and to be honest fortunately with Covid it would have been interesting to see how many we could have packed in to Bready, especially on a Saturday with the weather being good, then I feel would have got a lot more than what we are allowed in, but such is life with Covid at the minute we are restricted at all times, but it’s the best we can ask for and hopefully Saturday goes well.”

Having sat out Wednesday’s victory, the ex-Sussex man, who has been in top form this summer, knows he won’t play every game, as skipper Andrew Balbirnie likes to rotate his side and especially his bowling attack.

“You just want to keep going but whenever you have five games in such a short space of time, you have to be prepared to be rotated,” he added.

“Yes I want to play every game possible, but speaking to Balbo (Andrew Balbirnie) that’s never going to be the way and it’s never going to happen, but look I have learned over the last couple of years just to enjoy it and not put too much pressure on myself and that’s the way I’m going to keep going.”

Fellow North West man William McClintock received his first international cap on Wednesday and scored his first international runs on Thursday, finishing unbeaten on 15 off 11 balls and

Young believes that the recently appointed Warriors coach Gary Wilson can feel he played a part in the Donemana man securing his first Irish cap.

“He has always had the talent, but it was great to see him getting his first cap on Wednesday and to see him get some runs today (Thursday) was great,” he explained.

“Gary Wilson has to take a lot of credit for that, because he has come in and challenged him, he has really, really pushed him as he has done with the whole Warriors squad and I think people can see that in the results. He has come in and taken us to the next level and I think William getting his first cap is just rewards for all that hard work.

“I also feel that it’s a great stepping stone for anybody who is coming through, because if you put in the hard work, get the results, then you never know where you might end.”

Young was also quick to praise the grounds staff and volunteers at his home town club as Bready’s ground looked fantastic and he was also thrilled that the weather gods seem to be on their side for a change.

“It’s great for everybody up around these parts, so to get a day like this and get a game like that is good credit to the wicket and to all the hours that everyone has put in. So yeah it’s great to get these types of games up to the North West and I think it’s very important going forward,” he added.

“The lads were probably here from stupid o’clock this morning getting everything ready and you can be rested assured they were here late into the night getting ready for Saturday’s game.

“Look it’s never through lack of effort up here, it’s just the weather gods has been unkind sometimes, but again it’s never for a lack of enthusiasm, they love their cricket up here and love getting the Irish team here, so it’s just nice to get a few days like we did on Wednesday and Thursday and hopefully Saturday is another good day.”