The Northern Knights have named a 17 man Winter Training Squad in preparation for the 2017 Inter-Provincial season.
The squad is a mixture of senior cricketers and emerging players, and the Knights management hope that with an intense winter's training the emerging players will be able to push for first team selection during the summer.
The new Northern Knights Coach Simon Johnston said: "I am delighted with the make up of our winter training squad.
"With the recent announcement of first-class cricket the interprovincial series presents a fantastic opportunity for all the players involved and we believe our squad has a nice blend of both established and younger emerging players.
"We have put together an intensive winter programme which it is believed will help underpin a strong 2017 campaign. It is our aspiration to see a greater number of Knights cricketers pushing on for higher representative honours."
Northern Knights Winter Training Squad
- Adam Berry (Lisburn)
- Mark Berry (Lisburn)
- Stephen Bunting (Instonians)
- Adam Dennison (Waringsown)
- Chris Dougherty (CIYMS)
- Phil Eaglestone (Waringstown)
- Michael Gilmour (Carrickfergus)
- Alex Haggan (Carrickfergus)
- Gary Kidd (Waringstown)
- Craig Lewis (Derriaghy)
- James Mitchell (Waringstown)
- Lee Nelson (Waringstown)
- James Shannon (Instonians)
- Alistair Shields (North Down)
- Nikolai Smith (Instonians)
- Greg Thompson (Waringstown)
- Jason van der Merwe (CSNI)
Players studying at University, playing abroad or on English County Cricket contracts are unavailable for the winter training panel.
These amounted to no fewer than 12 players, namely; Shane Getkate, Jamie Magee, Curtis Moorehead, Jacob Mulder, Graeme McCarter, James McCollum, Jamie Magowan, Robert McKinley, Nathan Smith, Mark Adair (Warwickshire), Paul Stirling (Middlesex), Gary Wilson (Derbyshire).
There's no place in the squad for CIYMS new recruit Ryan Hunter, who was keen to continue to play representative cricket following his move from Brigade.