THERE’S another big game for some Irish cricketers on Thursday. While the senior men’s team are taking on the Aussies, two others will be taking to the field in the final of the Second Eleven Trophy at Derby.

Stuart Poynter and Barry McCarthy have had good seasons and will be hopeful they can earn another pop at a county career next summer.

They both played important roles in the semi-final last week which saw them see off Somerset at Taunton Vale, with two more Irishmen in the opposition.

George Dockrell (29 off 19 balls) and Bobby Gamble (25 off 16) both gave added impetus to the innings which ended off the last ball with their county all out for 281. McCarthy had opened the bowling and took 10-1-58-3, while Poynter took one catch although he wasn’t behind the stumps.

That role fell to ex-England man Phil Mustard, who led the way in an opening stand of 122 which was only broken when he was trapped lbw by Dockrell. But Poynter was in aggressive mood and smashed an unbeaten 48 off 36 balls (4 fours) to see Durham home by six wickets with two balls to spare. Dockrell ended with 10-1-35-1 and Gamble 3-0-15-0

McCarthy turned out for Gateshead Fell in Saturday, making 6 and taking 3-35 against Tynemouth in the. The club lost however, and remain rooted to the bottom of the North-East Premier League.

Bobby Gamble turned out for Plumtree at Radcliffe-on-Trent in the Notts Premier League and took 3-50 off nine overs as his club won by six wickets.

Dockrell too was in club action, for Taunton St Andrew against Ilminster in the West of England Premier League, making 28 with the bat but proving unplayable with the ball. He bowled seven overs and conceded just three singles and took one wicket, that of pro Louis Kraucamp from Mpumalanga.

He also faced the famous Downend club at the WG Grace Memorial Ground in Bristol, but TStA were all out for 90 with the Leinster man making 5. Dockrell had the weird figures off 2.5-1-30-2 as they lost by seven wickets, ensuring Taunton St Andrew stay second bottom with one game left.

One division down, but also facing the drop as they prop up the table, is Ben Ackland’s Shapwick and Polden club. The Merrion man played twice last week – out for 18 caught by ex-Trinity pro Josh Tasman-Jones against Keynsham (also bowling 8-1-31-0). This weekend Ackland held two return catches in returning 10-2-25-2 against Chard and was 20 not out when the rains ruined the game.

Mark Adair was also in action for Moseley CC in the Birmingham and District Premier League, taking 3-24 against Smethwick but scoring just 3 as his club fell short.

He played against Attock at the weekend, when again Moseley lost by seven wickets. Batting first he was sixth man out at 36-6 but the club recovered to 169. He later bowled 8-0-41-1.

This week Adair opened the bowling for Warwickshire 2nds against Derbyshire but rain wiped out all but 24 overs of the first two days play. Adair bowled seven of them, taking 0-17.

Sonny Cott turned out for Leatherhead CC in the Surrey League Division 1, where they had a great start chasing 287-7 in 50 overs against Valley End. But from 155-1 they collapsed to 220 all out with the Ireland U19 caught behind for 3.