Dublin University Cricket Club Match Programme 2012

By Nick Royle “I’ve had a look at him in the nets, and I’ve shown him where to stand as the bowler bowls, and showed him how to play defensive shots,” Trent Johnston said. “But I don’t want to change too much. He could easily go out and get bowled for nought, but he could just as easily go and hit ninety!” The Ireland fast bowler and part-time coach of Trinity third team had just had his first look at Cillian O’Riordan. The fourth-year history stu- dent had come down to the third team nets just six weeks before and had already im- pressed his new team-mates in training by peppering the back wall of the Sports Hall with his clean hitting. Incredibly, the 23-year-old had only ever played the sport once before, and had initially come down to the nets to have a hit and to learn the rules. Months later, he was repre- senting his university for the first time for the 3rds against Leinster 7ths. “It has been strange playing for the thirds - I never thought I would be in a team so quickly, only a couple of months after I started playing,”he said. “The standard is competitive, but not so com- petitive that you would feel out of your depth.” “The lads and the captain are very inclusive, too. Everyone welcomed me in even though I hadn’t played before. They know that I am only getting there, and there will be no pressure if I don’t bat well the first few times. O’Riordan comes from a hurling background, having played at under-age level for Dublin, and he still represents St Sylvesters in Malahide. His GAA team-mates have revelled in the oppor- tunity to tease the new convert to cricket, espe- cially on the day that he had to miss hurling training to come down to the Trinity nets. “I got a lot of stick for that! My Facebook page is full of abuse, especially when I didn’t get many runs on my debut.They were also very fond of see- ing me in my whites for the first time. “But I would like to bring them along and have them see what it is like to have a big rock thrown at you. It is not as easy as they make it out to be.” Thirds’ captain Rob Gorvin feels that the year-long nets have been crucial in building up enthusiasm and spreading the cricketing gospel around campus. “I have been playing cricket in Trinity for five years, and in the past we have had two or three of us turn up for train- ing,” he said. “But having Trent involved, and having nets the entire win- ter meant that we have up to twenty people coming along.” Gorvin is delighted that O’Riordan and two other play- ers with no previous cricketing experience have got involved this year, and feels that the whole club is boosted by the presence of new faces on and off the pitch. “The team starts off the field. We have been to- gether over winter, and we have gone for pints after training on some evenings,” he said. “That is important, as cricket in Trinity is as much about the social side as the playing side.” Trinity 3rds play a full season of 16 games in Di- vision 13 of the Leinster League, up to the end of July.Anyone keen to play can contact captain Rob Gorvin on robgorvin@hotmail.com . The hurler on the Thirds