It’s a measure of how young Irish cricketers ambitions have widened that no fewer than 24 Irish cricketers have featured in this column this season, which confines itself to the world outside the professional first XIs – and Ed Joyce, Gary Wilson and the O’Brien brothers have played solely in the level above too.

Leaving Cert results can now pave the way too, and congrats to Jack Tector who has secured a place at Cardiff University where he can follow internationals James Shannon and Andy Balbirnie into the first-class MCCU programme for the next three years.

George Dockrell and Bobby Gamble were in tandem for Somerset 2nds against Hampshire, playing under the captaincy of Marcus Trescothick, who made 127 as Somerset declared for 403-7 (Dockrell 17, Gamble 14no).

Gamble then induced Weatherley to nick his first ball to Trescothick at slip, and caught and bowled McManus before the close on day one when his figures were 4-4-0-2. Hampshire put on over 130 for the third wicket but Gamble returned to break the stand.

Andy Gorvin scored 22 as Hants declared on 292-9 (Gamble 28-13-63-4, Dockrell 28-9-55-2). Day three was abandoned and the points shared. Gamble had a muted contribution to Plumtree’s five wickets to Welbeck in the Notts Premier League. The YM man made 4 and bowled 6-0-19-0.

One familiar face playing for Gloucestershire against Warwickshire at Cheltenham was recent Trinity pro Josh Tasman-Jones who made 28 – given out caught off the arm – as Glorse declared on 501-8.

Mark Adair picked up 29-8-97-1 but rain forced the game to be abandoned on day 3 after Adair made 5 and Tasman Jones bowled 2-0-3-0.

Former Strabane and Ireland keeper Stephen Ogilby has been in England for several years and popped up again at the weekend as his club Chester Boughton Hall won the local T20 finals day over Ormskirk by nine wickets.

Now 39, Ogilby wasn’t needed to bat but held one catch. He also played a Premier League game at the weekend, scoring 22 against Marple.

Up in Scotland, Rory McCann made 13 for Carlton as they chased down Falkland's 62 in the Eastern Premier League to win by nine wickets.