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Another round of Interpro matches are coming up with the Northern Knights playing the North West Warriors in the RSA Interprovincial Cup today and then three teams converging in North Down for the second round of the RSA Interprovincial T20 Trophy tomorrow.
It’s the first year of the new look Interpros and we spoke to Leinster Lightning manager Mark Jones, Northern Knights coach Eugene Moleon and North West Warriors player Johnny Thompson about why the new domestic competitions are a complete necessity, what has gone well and what can make the competition even better.

Jones explains why it was about time Ireland had a competition one level up from club. “It’s a necessity to get us to first class status and then test. It’s a good concept – we need our better players playing against each other. It also lessens the gap between club and international standards.”

Johnny Thompson agrees that the Interpros were a natural progression for Ireland given the success of the national team in recent years. “It’s a really good stepping stone for Irish cricket because it’s a big step up from club to International cricket. It was such a big jump before but now there’s that step in between which helps a lot for guys taking that next step.”

Thompson celebrates a wicket with Andy McBrine.

Moleon thinks it can only be a good thing to have more players competing at the highest level they can. “It’s good to have the best playing the best at a level higher than club, but it also gives the club players something to aspire to. They know that if they put a few good performances together they have a chance to make that leap.”

Jones says it’s a great opportunity to gel the best players from each province together. “Up to U19 level you get the best club players playing together, and then you don’t get that again unless you make the Irish team. This way the guys on the fringe and the younger guys mix together more often and it gives up and coming players the opportunity to play at a higher standard and mix with the top players before being picked on an Ireland squad.”

Thompson is frustrated with how his Warriors have been doing in the three forms of the game, but thinks all his team needs is time. “Our batting has let us down so far a wee bit,” he admits. “Not one of our guys has scored a 50 yet. What’s the remedy? That’s just hard work, there’s no other way around it. More training as well, maybe. We need to play more cricket, too, the Leinster guys are playing more cricket down there and I think it’s telling.”

Moleon would like more time with his players. “We have a lot of players who have to fit their cricket in around full-time jobs and that’s obviously not ideal. You would want to have more time with the players to work out game plans but that is something we as a Union have to address. It’s still in the early stages and I think it can only get better.”

The three teams have gone with different tacks when selecting their teams. The Lightning haven’t found much space for young blood while the Warriors have gone with a young side and the Knights have a bit of a mix, depending on the competition. Thompson agrees that a lack of experience in the side could have cost them this year, but still thinks going with a younger side was the right way to go.

“Bringing in older guys would be a backwards step in my opinion. Time and experience is what they need and maybe a longer run in to next season with the squad together could make all the difference. We’ve only just came together in the last few months so by next year we will have more experience playing together and hopefully that will help us to improve our results.”

The Knights have mixed it up a bit. “In our squad we have both, experience and youth. We’ve identified some players that could come through and do well and have guys who have done well in the League and in T20 in their clubs. For the three-day games we have gone with more experienced players, just for the type of game that is.”

Eugene Moleon has been duking it out with Trent Johnston and Bobby Rao

Leinster man Jones says that in a perfect world, there would be at least one more team added to the Inter-provincial Series. “Ideally you would want to be playing a 50-over and three day game a month, if not two. Right now the time frame doesn’t work with the amount of cricket the Ireland team is playing but the goal would be for it to be like the rugby – even if the internationals are away, the games are still played.

“I think it could be good for Leinster to be split into two as well. Maybe the money is not there yet but the players are. As it stands there’s not really space in the team to bring a huge amount of youth in, but if you split the current team in two then we might see some exciting new talent getting an early go.”

Moleon has the challenge of both coaching and playing for the Northern Knights. “I suppose the biggest challenges are the expectations of the Union and the players, and the challenge to keep progressing as both a coach and a player. It’s a balancing act because you have to have the respect of the guys as coach but as you cross the boundary rope you are then a player and have to do all the work that the players do.

“It has been difficult. We have sat down as a squad and looked at all having one goal; the challenge is running the meeting, being a player and coaching – doing all three has definitely raised the difficulty.”

Jones has a suggestion that could be implemented as soon as next year that could see the T20 Trophy made even better. “If you started at 11am you could fit three games in easily so all of the provinces have two games, not just the home team.”

Mark Jones pictured with Ed Wyeth.

In a perfect world, Thompson sees double the teams taking part in the competitions. “Three teams is a bit short, six to eight teams would be perfect but where would you get those teams? It’s not really viable, but as I said, in a perfect world. Four even might be good. But I think this year has been a really good starting point.

“The way it has taken off so far, I think the standard will only increase in the future. Hopefully in the next couple of years we’ll get bigger crowds to games.”

One of the major concerns raised when the new-look Interpros were suggested was the possible affect on club cricket, but Cricket Ireland were at pains to have as little impact on the local game as possible.

“So far there has been pretty much no crossover; the impact has only been positive I would say. The fixtures have been designed not to clash so I would say the Interpros have added to the club game rather than taken away.

“For clubs lucky enough to have players in the different squads, those players are training an extra day a week and playing more games at a higher standard, so that can only improve them as players. And then they bring that back to their clubs. The club stats of the Lightning players so far this year are outstanding.

“Having said that, if things go well for the Ireland team in the next few years clubs may have to accept what Cricket Ireland are trying to do and may have to do without their top players at times.

The Knights coach sees it from a different perspective. “The impact I have seen is that guys in club now have something to aspire to. They know that if they put together a series of good performances they put their name the hat for their representative team. That’s what you want, really, more cricketers performing consistently.”

Moleon played for Ireland A when he was 30-years-old, and though he thinks that the Interpro system may have helped him make the next step into the Ireland Senior team, he suggests it can only help those that are coming up the ranks. “It is another level up and it probably has made the gap a little bit smaller for the guys who go to Ireland A. I really think that these matches will make guys would better prepared and aware of the challenges, mentally and physically, and make them stronger in both departments.”

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