Woodvale return to the top flight of NCU cricket after an absence of 6 years. Ballygomartin Road has always been a great place to play cricket and I have always found it a really hospitable place, win or lose. They have a loyal fan base, who are knowledgeable about the game. It's great to see them back.

Woodvale are a decent side and have very few passengers on their team. Ian Cleland, Simon Johnston and Andrew Kirkpatrick are probably their best three players but everyone contributes and this makes for a strong team unit where everyone plays for each other. However working hard and competing hard for each other can only go so far.

Cricket is a team game played by individuals and Woodvale appear to me to lack a really exceptional individual who can turn a game on his own. There are going to need that. It should be a really competitive NCU this season and with two clubs being relegated at the end of the season it is going to be a really tough task for Woodvale to stay in the top flight.

CIYMS survived with 4 wins in 2008 but I expect to see a side get relegated in 2009 with 6 wins. To survive then you will need seven wins. I hope I am wrong but I can't see Woodvale getting seven wins unless Gerry Strydom has been cloned and is registered with Woodvale as their overseas Professional.

They could survive if they get a wet summer and are able to mutate into the Chennai Super Kings for the newly introduced 20 over thrash for rearranged fixtures but I suspect the only Super Kings we will see will be the ones smoked outside the club bar! If my predictions are correct Woodvales best bet then is to get to 6 wins and take their chances on the lottery known as net run rate. (Am I alone in wanting to see this system scrapped? It is totally confusing and does not appear to accurately reflect the overall performances of your side. There are far too many intangible variables riding on it to be a fair open and transparent method to decide a clubs fate.)

Ballymena will also be returning to the top flight of the NCU after winning Section 2 a decade after winning Section 1. Arguably their best bowler a decade ago Michael Glass is still their best bowler but too many of that successful side of 1998 remain for Ballymena to be a force again. Their most successful players are probably aware that their best years lie behind them and not ahead.

In David Kennedy they have an exceptional cricketer and the team will revolve around him. Young leg-spinner Michael Taylor will surprise a few batsmen in Section 1 and like Woodvale, the rest of the side consists of solid if unspectacular players. What they do have is an incredible team spirit and it was interesting to hear DK say it was the funniest dressing room he has been in. Ballymena will fight really hard to stay in the top flight having waited so long to return. They will know they have their work cut out but there are still a few sides Ballymena and Woodvale can easily turn over in the Premier League.

Survival is likely to go down to the last match of the season and there could be as many as 4 or 5 clubs all anxiously looking over their shoulders come September. The long range weather forecasters have predicted a hot summer with below average rainfall. Let's hope they are right.