The Manx Youth Games on Saturday means this weekend’s senior cricket fixtures are confined to Blincoe Cup games on Sunday.

The Games is a major annual initiative supported by HSBC and undertaken by the Department of Education, Sport andCulture.

The Games’ cricket will take place at Cronkbourne on Saturday.

There are 10 teams taking part at the weekend, which is an increase of three on last year’s MYG. It is hoped that the children enjoy their time playing cricket and can then join the clubs that have supported their training during the winter.

As part of the Isle of Man Cricket Association’s CricStart initiative, each player will be given a bat and ball to encourage them to continue playing the game.

Sunday sees the first rounds of the Blincoe Cup. This enjoyable competition only allows bowlers to bowl a maximum of two overs, but the over is eight balls rather than usual six.

The 16-over maximum per innings means that you can have some interesting types of bowler in the team.

This year Hannan Law Crosby have decided to field two teams, which is to be applauded.

One team will face the daunting task of a trip to Baker Tilly Cronkbourne while the other team will hope to turn around the result from last week’s exciting Premiership game which Valkyres won by three runs.

The two teams were well matched so it will be interesting to see how the Marown club set up their teams ahead of that clash at the Memorial Playing Fields.

CTH Insurance Ramsey have had to face tough opposition thus far and unfortunately, the fixture gods have dealt them another test when they welcome Shimmin Wilson Peel and St John’s (PSJ) to the Grammar School pitch.

It is the second team from PSJ that they will be facing so there may be some respite.

Ramsey maybe able to call upon the experience of Rob Weight and Tom Reader, who would help to stiffen the batting order at crucial times.

The final first round tie is between Ramsey Crookall Finch Hill and Newfield Castletown.

Finch Hill’s home pitch is unavailable until mid-June so this game will be played at Mullen-e-Cloie.

Both teams will be able to call upon the players who were part of the Development team last weekend.

Eddie Beard and Sam Barnett had been in good form prior to last week’s game but they must face the bowling of Castletown’s Nathan Williams, who has taken some notable batting scalps in the past few weeks.

If everybody can contribute, this could be a cracking tie.ANDY COULSON