Cricket Ireland have named a squad of 23 players for the Cubs Winter Training Programme. Eleven players from the Leinster Cricket Union, alongside 6 each from the Northern Cricket Union and the North West Cricket Union, make up the selection under new coach Callum Atkinson.

Cricket Ireland have rebranded their U13 Player Development Programme, now named the Cubs.  With an expanded participation programme across all regions, the Cubs will focus on identifying and developing U13 players with the most potential. The name is in keeping with the successful naming of the Wolves programme and gives this skills development programme its own identity.  Taking over from Cricket Ireland Coach Education Manager Michael Hingston, Atkinson will lead the newly rebranded Cubs programme.

Callum Atkinson has been the Cricket Development Officer in the Northern Cricket Union since December 2016, with responsibility for driving forward the development of participation and performance in cricket across the NCU area and at Ulster University. Atkinson has also been coaching with Cricket Ireland for over 18 months, with a particular focus on male and female youth cricket.

"Personally, I'm delighted and very proud to have been asked to lead the Under 13 programme after Michael Hingston's great work over the past number of years. We are also very lucky to have Barry Scott in the North West and Robert Forrest in Leinster, both supporting the programme," Atkinson said.

"The Cubs programme is the initial stage of the Cricket Ireland development pathway. We will be focusing on the fundamental basics and building on this with the development of enhanced skills throughout the programme."

"The news of Cricket Ireland's Test status has brought us into a new and exciting era for the game. The Cubs coaching team is looking forward to supporting this group of talented players who will hopefully have the ambition and the opportunity to play Senior International cricket," Atkinson concluded.

The winter training programme consists of small-group coaching sessions in each union and National Weekends at North County Indoor Centre and Bready Indoor Centre. The programme runs from January to April 2018 and each aspect of the programme is vital to the development of these players, the players will develop further, play with and against the best players in this age group, and learn new techniques. There will be another 3-day summer training camp later in the year which will further develop the skills of the Cubs players.

Cricket Ireland wishes the Cubs and their coaches the best of luck with the Winter Training Programme.

Cubs Winter Squad
Sam Allister (Waringstown/NCU), James Bell (Coleraine/NWCU), Eoin Birch (Balbriggan/ LCU), Mark Canniffe (Railway Union/LCU), Adam Clinton (The Hills/LCU), McDara Cosgrove (Pembroke/LCU), Harry Dagg (Greystones/LCU), Harry Dyer (CSNI/NCU), Rory Ellerby (Instonians/NCU), Daniel Forkin (Merrion/LCU), Ryan Hunter (CSNI/NCU), Srihan Karpe (YMCA/LCU), Phillipe Le Roux (Railway Union/LCU), Scott Macbeth (St. Johnston/NWCU), Eoin MacNulty (Merrion/LCU), Nathan McCombe (Bready/NWCU), Carson McCullough (CIYMS/NCU), James McKillop (Bready/NWCU), Finn McGee (Rush/LCU), John McNally (Clontarf/LCU), Harry Pearson (St. Johnston/NWCU), Gavin Roulston (Strabane/NWCU),Sam Topping (Waringstown/NCU).