Thank goodness the domestic cricket season has finally arrived. I saw my first swallows yesterday morning, and I no longer will have to look for Lord Lucan, John Stonehouse, Reggie Perrin and the other members of Arsenal's alleged defence. Instead, I've got a fascinating Leinster Senior League and Cup season to look forward to.

A couple of months ago I thought the League would be between the usual suspects plus newly promoted Railway Union, but now I'm not so sure. Last year's champions, The Hills, have the same captain, Luke Clinton, and the same players minus Barry Archer (gone to Balbriggan) plus James Rogan (back from Railway). Mushtada Amin, nephew of former player Ijaz Farooqi, could well be available.

With their batting led by Jeremy Bray and their bowling led by pro Max Sorenson, backed up by the experience of development officer Albert van der Merwe and the nifty fifty Matt Dwyer (3 for 4 off 10 overs for the seconds last week), the Wilberries could well be the team to beat.

But who will be their main rivals? It should be North County , but John Mooney's squad is much depleted from last season. Brian Shields has made the short 11,000 mile trip from Balrothery village, and an unspecified pro is on his way (Angela Mooney did tell me his name, but I was too sober to remember it).

However, Andre Botha is crocked, and John Boy himself will be away a lot with Ireland. Dwayne Harper is another defector to Balbriggan's ranks, Reinhardt Strydom has gone to YMCA, and Adrian Murphy has gone up the northwest passage to Ardmore . That's a lot of responsibility for Eddie Richardson and Ciaran Garry: they'll love it!

Merrion are much as last year, with Jeff Short the real captain rather than Dom Joyce's stand-in. Ronan Keaveney has added a yard of pace, but still can't put six out of six on the spot, so much will rest on pro Matt Petrie's broad shoulders. And only John Anderson of the top order could be described as reliable.

Clontarf are also much as last year, with pro Rod Hokin and Dom Rigby leading a good batting line-up. They'll see very little of Ireland players Alex Cusack and Andrew Poynter, and bowlers Ropu Islam and Ewan Rendell are not available, but the back-up is solid enough.

The catch is that the Bull's Meadow men have played their Joker early: Joe Morrissey is captain. It might take all of May and June to get the toys into the pram, but I can't wait for the long, hot July day when they get thrown out, one by one, in rapid and random succession.

I had anticipated Railway Union to be a force, but they'll be missing Trent Johnston for large chunks of the season, as well as Kevin O'Brien. Also, Thinus Fourie has taken the King's shilling and gone North. Tom Fisher has again made the 13,000 mile trip across Dublin 4 to be available, but James Rogan has gone back to Milverton.

Last season's pro, Trent Copeland, was more than useful, and it'll be interesting to see how much turn and bounce his replacement, Trinidad left-armer Magnum Nana, gets from the Park Avenue pitch. Unless the tide is out, my guess would be between slim and none, but he might appreciate the easterly trade wind once he gets used to the fact that it's 25 degrees cooler than the one he knows at home.

Another team with a new West Indian pro is Leinster: Carlos Braithwaite is a Hendy Wallace pick from Barbados . Gavin Gilmore has announced his retirement (I always thought piemen did well in recesssions), and Byron Vermaak has visa problems (he can't get one). Otherwise, the Rathmines men are much as per last year's program, still skippered by Anton Scholtz.

Jason Molins will again make the 600 mile round trip across Dublin 6. Guys who've recently walked in off the Rathmines Road include a Brummie who might be able to bat and an Aussie who might be able to bowl, plus a thousand south Asians who might be very good at either or both, but run a mile when they hear the words 'membership subscription'. I'll let you know.

Bringing up the section A rear are Pembroke. They've lost last year's pro Rick Francis, and last year's guy who just happened to walk in off Park Avenue , Jonno Cook, both of whom were decent operators. This year's pro is Anthony Brooks from Sydney (Balmain), and Emmett Whaley is skipper.

Robin Russell and James Duggan from the defunct Munster Reds have joined the similarly young Andrew Balbirnie, Graham McDonnell and Theo Lawson, but the evergreen Brian O'Rourke will still be their best fielder. It seems that neither Joe nor Peter Byrne will play this year, a big loss.

It will be the first time in well over fifty years that no member of that Byrne family will be playing Senior cricket but, looking on the bright side, a great relief to the umpires. I wonder will there be anybody else just happen to walk in off Park Avenue ? I've never seen anybody under 70 walking along there, unless it's a Filipino nanny!

The two drop teams became the swap teams when Fintan McAllister left Rush to join Malahide as their new development officer, filling the vacancy left by Brian Gilmore. Who knows? He might keep wicket and open the batting as well, filling the vacancy left by Andrew Pyne (was there one?).

Phil Markey will skipper Malahide, after he's done the Joe Morrissey Crash! Bang! Wallop! man management course. Rush have stuck with guys who who've been there, done it, got a wardrobe of T-shirts. Nazeer is skipper, Tipu is first mate, Shahid (or his hairy cousin?) is bo's'un, Dan van Zyl is navigator and Lionel Jansen is purser.

I thought Phoenix would get out their American Express platinum cards, but I didn't realise they would fly a Sheffield Shield player in under the radar! Andrew Downton of Tasmania joins skipper Corie Dickieson of antipodean origins and David Langford Smith who used to be an Australian before he got sense.

Elsewhere in section B, Warwick Armstrong (aka Wazza) keeps the YMCA reins, minus the very talented Ben Dunk, plus new Aussie pro Parkinson (no relation of Merrion's Danny, nor of the guy from Barnsley who doesn't like emus), and plus Reinhardt Strydom..

Michael Lauders continues to captain CYM, who have resurrected previous pro Taz. Don't ask, nor about Old Belvedere, to be skippered by Sameer Dutt and for whom Yogesh will still play.

Last, and by all means least, Dublin University might be under the continued command of Mark Raftery-Skehan (aka Zog). Who cares? I don't. Thank the Lord Almighty this is Trinity's last year in Senior cricket, twenty years after they should have got the brass watch (no point in giving them a book token – it would be wasted).

My predictions for 2009 are: League – Clontarf; down – Railway Union; up – Phoenix and Malahide; Cup – The Hills; DGM – don't give a monkey's; Twenty20 – couldn't care less. Terms and conditions apply. The value of predictions can go down as well as up.