When I commented on the lack of quick bowlers playing club cricket everyone said the problem was the lack of fast pitches and there is no incentive to bowl fast as the slow bowlers take all the wickets. Well there is some merit in that argument but it isn't the whole picture.

What people forget is that teams bowl together as a unit and in partnerships in exactly the same way that teams bat in partnerships and that slow bowlers often benefit from the hard work of the fast bowlers. It wasn't surprising therefore that the two best teams in the NCU in 2008 namely North Down and CSNI also possessed the best seam attacks and the quickest bowlers. What this does is have a positive knock on effect for your slow bowlers. It is not surprising then the slow bowlers of these teams also were very effective.

So before I reveal the team and the incoming players I have selected I would like to comment on one cricketer who did make the team in 2007. Last year I said Alan Coulter didn't do enough and needed to work harder on his game to fulfil his potential.

In 2008 he got his head down and proved what a good cricketer he could be. He bowled with accuracy and pace and played a massive part in CSNI's successful season. As well as picking up the Sonny Hool Bowling Trophy at the NCU dinner he was selected for the Ireland A side impressing Bobby Rao who is shrewd judge of a cricketer. If he keeps working hard and keeps improving it is not beyond him to turn that ‘A' cap into a full Ireland cap.

For James Shannon that Ireland cap may not be all that far away. This young man is talented and is such a classy cricketer that a number of County teams are very interested in securing his services. Technically he is sound and can hit a big ball and he has that level of self confidence you need to succeed. He is competitive but needs to watch his temperament as teams will try to rattle him to get him out or get himself out as the case may be. I would love to see him in Ireland colours in 2009 as he is definitely good enough and young enough.

Andy Kirkpatrick is one of those cricketers who provides so much balance to a team. He is very good wicketkeeper and a very underrated batsman. Last season his batting for Woodvale was exceptional and time after time he saw them home. He was a big factor in the Ballygomartin Road club returning to Section 1. He averaged 71 with the bat and before anyone says it's only Section 2 he is sandwiched between David Kennedy and two overseas professionals and no-one would dispute their credentials.

Talking about ‘Pros' my other selection is Colin Andrews. He was nicknamed ‘Pro' years ago at Queens University and the big off-spinner has been tremendous company in a few previous Grasshoppers trips. Therefore I'm aware that I could be accused of favouritism in his selection. However he bowled really well this year and did everything (and more) that his captain asked of him. He took over 20 wickets and was seventh overall in the NCU bowling averages. The only spin bowlers ahead of him were full internationals James Hall and Regan West. Pro has overcome the ‘yips' and that takes real courage. Having witnessed his cricket nadir at the Test Ground in St Lucia I was so pleased for him that he should come on and bowl well at the Challenge Cup Final. Well done big man.

Just one final note, I didn't pick Gary Wilson because most of his cricket was played outside Ireland in 2008 but I am well aware of the contribution he made in the games he was available. The Belfast 2008 team is:

John Stevenson (Instonians)
Wayne Horwood (CSNI)
Andrew White (Instonians)
James Shannon (Instonians)
Nigel Jones (CSNI) captain
Regan West (CSNI)
Derek Heasley (CIYMS)
Johnny Hewitt (CIYMS)
Andrew Kirkpatrick (Woodvale) wicketkeeper
Allen Coulter (CSNI)
Colin Andrews (CSNI)

12th man
Rory McCann (Instonians)

This side has plenty of pace in the opening bowlers and a couple of decent seamers. They have a good ‘death' bowler in Derek Heasley and left and right hand spin options. Add to that a seriously long batting line up this side would be a contender if we ever had a county competition.