OK, so the day didn’t start well. We arrived at the Mardyke knowing a win would secure promotion to Section A. Following a week of heavy rain the normally good batting wicket was reduced to rolled mud, this was a win the toss and bowl first wicket. We lost the toss and were invited to bat, at 88-5 our promotion hopes looked slim, however a lower order rally took us over the 200 mark thanks mainly to our pro Bruce, who managed 75 runs batting at number 9.

Munster started their reply well, helped by some inconsistent bowling as our bowlers struggled to find the right length on an improving batting track. At tea Munster were 80-1 chasing 206 runs to win and our promotion hopes looked slim. Fortunately our bowlers turned things around after tea; led by skipper Markey we managed to bowl Munster out and secure promotion.

Our improved bowling performance coincided with the arrival of Leinster Cricket Union Cricket Development Officer Brian O’Rourke at the ground. Brian’s arrival would turn out to be more important then I first imagined.

As you would expect the beers were flowing in the clubhouse after the match, Brian was at the bar with Callum Riches and Keysh Reynolds and I went over to say hello. I have known Brian since I was 13 playing on various underage teams he was coach/ manager of, and asked him what his plans for the winter were.

Brian told me about the under 19 world cup in Malaysia in March, but before that he would be heading out to Chennai (MRF Pace Bowling Foundation)to work with the England 'A' team and then he would be bring four young Leinster players to Mumbai to train at the Global Cricket School in Mumbai. I wasn’t sure if I was still considered a young player but I asked Brian who the players were and what the criteria for selection was. I was told applications were reviewed on a case by case basis and that priority would be given to players preparing for the under 19 world cup in March, the idea of spending the second half of December training with professional cricketers was obviously appealing to me but nothing more was spoken of the trip. We had a flight to catch that night so made our way back to Dublin and work the next Monday!

A couple of weeks later I met Eoin Morgan at his brother’s engagement party. Eoin had spent time in India before and I had the chance to find out a bit more about it over a jaegerbomb in Tamangos! Anybody who knows eoin knows that he is somebody that’s very high standards for himself when palying and practicing. When he told me that going to India was one of the best things he has ever done; I knew then that I should let Brian know I would like to be considered for a place on the trip so I contacted Brian and expressed an interest.

At this stage there were already 4 players confirmed, Graham McDonnell, Theo Lawson, Adrian Darcy and Ben Ackland who are in my opinion four of the best young players in Leinster. Brian offered me a place on the trip with Conor Mullen taking the final spot. I suppose the motivations for myself and Conor are slightly different to the motivations of the four younger players. Conor is 24, I am 23 and we have been through the system that the other four are currently going through.

From what I have seen over the last 7 years, 3 things can happen when you finish playing underage cricket; you are fast tracked into the national team (Morgan, Thompson, Porterfield, Wilson, Kidd, Rankin, the O’Briens etc); you lose interest in the sport; or you have to work hard and wait for an opportunity. A lot of time and money has been invested in players like myself and Conor. We owe it to Irish cricket to be as good as we can be.

John Pryor