It’s a big league and T20 Cup weekend for Brigade

Britton, who admits he and his team-mates continue to enjoy the T20 format, concedes the longer format of the game is what really gets the juices flowing, however he also has one eye on Sunday’s Sam McConnell Charity Cup Final against Eglinton at Glendermott’s Rectory ground.

“It’s a big weekend for us and the season is only starting,” he explained. “Every week it’s going to be hard to get our full team out because of work commitments and stuff like that but this weekend, thankfully, at the start of the 40 overs we have our full team out and it’s the same for Sunday.

“We have to back ourselves at the same time, but Ardmore beat us last year and it’s virtually the same team, so you can’t rule them out. They were one up on us last year so it’s going to be another tough game on Saturday.”

Britz, who recently was appointed on to the North West Warriors selection committee, feels that the every Over 40 game is massive as everyone only plays each other once.

“The short game format is good but in the 40 over game you can tell who’s the better team,” he added. “Yes, I still like playing the T20 but it’s good to kind of get back into a normal routine which we had a few years ago.

“I would still rather play every team home and away in the 40 over format instead of playing each other once, so we could make it into a proper league, but that’s just my opinion. that’s the way it is at the minute and we just have to go with it.

“Look, if you are beaten once against a team who is probably up challenging at the top of the table, then you have no chance of trying to beat them and close that gap. You have to hope that other teams beat them but, as I said, it is what it is.

“What I have told our boys last week is that every game is like a cup final because you’ll never get another chance to play this team, so you have to do the best you can to push on to the league.

“The league is always the best trophy along with the Senior Cup, but the best team always wins the league. Look, I’ll take any cup I can and I’ll start with Sunday in the Sam McConnell. We’ll be looking to take that cup back to Beechgrove on Sunday.”

Having won easily by seven wickets against Burndennett in last week’s T20 opener, Britton now wants the Beechgrove side to keep their momentum going with their double header this weekend.

“If we could get a double win this weekend that would set us up nicely,” he added. “Winning away to Ardmore would be a big result and a big buzz for us to start with and it would give us a big confidence boost going into Sunday’s final against Eglinton.

“I know changing from 40 overs to 20 overs over the weekend and trying to adapt to it is tough, but our guys at the minute seemed to be doing alright with it and hopefully that will be the case this weekend, but I do know that both matches are going to be tough.”

Elsewhere this weekend in Group A, Bonds Glen host St Johnston; Strabane travel to Bready and Glendermott entertain Fox Lodge.

In Group B, the game of the day takes place at Newbuildings as the home side come up against Coleraine; Eglinton travel to Killyclooney and Burndennett take on Ballyspallen.

The League One Cup also gets underway on Saturday with Brigade 2nd XI taking on Ardmore 2nd XI; Fox Lodge 2nd XI face Letterkenny 1st XI and Eglinton 2nd XI come up against Bready 2nd XI.

In the League Two Cup Maghera 1st XI take on Newbuildings 2nd XI; Sion Mills 1st XI face Killyclooney 2nd XI; Ballyspallen 2nd XI entertain Glendermott 2nd XI and Bonds Glen 2nd XI travel to St Johnston 2nd XI.

Meanwhile on Sunday, the NWCU Women’s Charity Cup Final takes place at Glendermott’s Rectory ground, with Fox Lodge 1st XI facing Bready 1st XI, with the action getting underway at 12noon and at the same venue at 3pm, Britton’s side face Eglinton in the Sam McConnell Charity Cup Final.