The weather has been glorious the past couple of weeks. It surely can’t last?

You would be right, as cricket returns this weekend meaning rain and wind are bound to follow!

Cricketers are slowly emerging from their winter dens, eyes blinking in the spring sunshine.

However, I am sure that a good many of them look like they have been feasting ready for the winter hibernation as opposed to the other way around.

That would be unfair of many players, especially the island’s dedicated youngsters who have been practicing hard throughout the winter.

There are four matches in the Tinker Cup this weekend. On Saturday, Castletown take on last season’s all-conquering Cronkbourne side.

This could be the match of the round as Town have acquired the services of Dollin Jansen and his dad Jaco.

The latter’s difficult left-arm over-the-wicket bowling may cause Cronkbourne a few problems this time round.

The Tromode outfit will continue to field a strong side although they no longer have the batting of veteran Carl Mellors who has returned to South Africa.

Valkyres face the cricket association’s under-17 development side at King William’s College.

Valkyres have been playing various forms of indoor cricket throughout the winter.

They won both their games at a recent preseason tournament at St John’s, although it must be added that the other teams had imbibed one or two amber nectars over the course of the day.

It is important that they don’t underestimate their young opponents, who will most likely be bigger, stronger and even fitter than they were last year.

I can’t say the same will be true of the mighty Valkyres players.

Ramsey take on Peel and St John’s at the Grammar School on Saturday and they have seen good growth in the number of young players joining their club.

They now have their own mower, so the sight of extremely long grass on half the field, as happened on occasion last year, should be a thing of the past.

Peel and St John’s may be understrength as a couple of their players may be assisting the u17 squad.

They will most likely be too strong for Ramsey, but their catching must improve from the pre-season game, beer or no beer!

Finch Hill take on Crosby on Sunday.

The Finches’ youngsters are well bedded into the side now and it depends what kind of side Crosby can muster in the early season.

I am convinced that the inability to get strong sides to play regularly cost the Marown side at least one trophy last season.

I would expect Crosby to win, but if Finch Hill’s George Burrows and Eddie Beard get going, who knows what could happen.