New Pro coach for Derriaghy CC

Faheem Suleman, a 23-year-old all-rounder from Natal in South Africa has been drafted in to replace the now unavailable Antonio Mullins. Faheem is a Cricket Board of South Africa qualified coach and for the past two summers has played in the Northamptonshire league where he won his club's 'player of the year' in 2008.

The club were hoping that Faheem would be available for their first league match at home to Muckamore tomorrow (Saturday, 1pm start) although with the current flight chaos has left his travel plans disrupted, with his flight being cancelled and with others unavailabe, the Derriaghy squad may be a little depleted against the team who are pre season favourites for the Section 1 title. The Antrim side have brought in three players with recent premier league experience and along with an already strong bowling line up will be the team to beat this year.

Meanwhile, the Firsts warmed up for the new season with a friendly against Templepatrick last week. Due to a delayed start the game was reduced to 30 overs a side and when the home side batted they made 162 for 7 with Andrew Kenny hitting 40, Aaron Kinnin 40 no, Chris Adams 28 and Stephen Cairnduff 20. Despite losing a few early wickets, two of them to smart run outs, the visitors got within 6 runs of victory at 157 for 8 at the close.

In two weeks time Muckamore return to Queensway as Derriaghy's opponents in the first round of the Senior cup with the winners of this tie drawn at home to CIYMS in the next round. The Queensway men have also received home draws in both the 40 over a side Ulster Shield which involves clubs from both NCU and North West leagues and the NCU Metal Technology sponsored Twenty/20 shield competition. First up will be Creevedonnell on Sunday June 6 in the Ulster Shield and then before June 26, on a night to be decided, Cliftonville are the opponents for the Twenty/20 knock out competition.

Having attained Junior Goldmark club accreditation through The Sports Council of NI in 2006 the club have now been selected as one of the six NCU clubs to pilot the new Sport Northern Ireland Club Development programme known as Clubmark NI. This is Northern Ireland's new club accreditation and development scheme which aims to develop clubs across NI in areas of management, safety, coaching and competition and will accredit those who reach defined quality standards. Derriaghy officials are confident they will attain Level 1 of the accreditation scheme in the coming months and will then progress towards the Bronze, Silver and Gold levels.

Meanwhile training continues at the club for seniors on Monday and Thursday evenings at 6.30pm, for Under 11 and Under 13 on Tuesdays and 14 - 16's on Wednesdays, any new players will be most welcome.