North West Warriors to take on MCC Select at Strabane

North West Warriors coach Boyd Rankin has picked his squad to face the MCC Select at Strabane this week. Picture by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

The 40-over contest will start at 11.30am with Boyd Rankin again giving experience to some of the younger members of this season’s squad.

Jared Wilson will captain the side with Jack Macbeth given the gloves, meaning that all three siblings - Jack, Scott and Ryan will play together.

Harry Zimmermann will look to continue his good form in an attack that also sees Conor Olphert and Robbie Millar included in the eleven.

Eglinton’s Liam Doherty starts as well and bats in a top order alongside Gavin Roulston with Raymond Curry and Josh Wilson also in, as the Warriors prepare for next week’s two IP50 games at Bready.

Warriors team to play MCC: Jared Wilson (capt), Jack Macbeth (wk), Raymond Curry, Liam Doherty, Jack Macbeth, Ryan Macbeth, Scott Macbeth, Robbie Millar, Conor Olphert, Josh Wilson, Harry Zimmermann.

Senior Cup

Meanwhile the Warriors got their 2023 Rario Interprovincial campaign off to a flying start with a six-wicket win over reigning champions Munster Reds at the Mardyke on Monday.

It was a victory teed up by a superb bowling effort from the visitors after Murray Commins (35), Brandon Kruger (26) and Alistair Frost had given the hosts a decent start.

Commins and Kruger put on 63 for the first wicket with Frost and Tyrone Kane (14) taking it to 98-2 before Harry Zimmermann and Mike Erlank stepped in.

Ardmore’s Zimmermann bowled superbly to pick up 4-36 with Eglinton’s Erlank (3-21) providing the perfect foil.

Ryan Macbeth was equally effective - picking up 2-23 from his seven-and-a-bit overs with Jared Wilson (1-26) ensuring the quality never dropped.

Munster’s batting struggled to get going after that although Mike Frost’s unbeaten 19 saw them through to a competitive 149 all out.

The Warriors reply started poorly with Nathan McGuire falling to Mick Granger from just the second ball of the innings.

Erlank was bowled by Liam McCarthy for nine soon after, before a 32-run stand between Ani Chore and Scott Macbeth (11) helped the batting side gain a little momentum.

Macbeth’s wicket was the signal for Chore and Shane Getkate to dig in - there wasn’t a single run off the next 29 deliveries as Frost and Tyrone Kane got on top.

Skipper Getkate decided enough was enough at that stage however; his first scoring shot a six off Frost, and the shackles were gone.

A 63-run partnership between that pair ended with Chore bowled by Ben White for 33 as the visitors upped the pace. Getkate (56*) reached his half century in 59 balls (4 sixes, 2 fours) as he and Cameron Melly (27*) took it home from there with an unbroken fifth wicket stand worth 42.

An impressive effort this from Rankin’s inexperienced squad and confidence to be taken ahead of a couple of games at Bready next week against Leinster Lightning (23 May) and the Northern Knights (25 May).