Ireland Test captain Andrew Balbirnie has been confirmed as a North West Warriors player for this season’s Inter-provincial Cup and Trophy games.

The squads for all four teams were announced on Monday with Stephen Doheny moving to Munster Reds the other major movement decided by the Ireland selectors.

No captains were named but it is expected Andy McBrine will retain that role for Warriors despite Balbirnie’s move, ending a run of 73 appearances for Leinster Lightning, since his debut in the inaugural year of the new-look format in 2013.

All the international players are expected to be available for every game, as they don’t clash with either the international fixtures or the European Premier T20 League which also has its own window in July-August.

The Northern Knights have named a 17-man squad, all playing in the NCU, although Paul Stirling remains unattached. Lisburn supply four of the players with three each from Instonians, Civil Service North and Waringstown.

Waringstown and Ireland Wolves wicket-keeper Sam Topping, however, will play for the Warriors this season, while the other ‘outsiders’ are Balbirnie, Sam Willemse, from Balbriggan, who made his List A debut for Leinster Lightning last season and  Jack Egan who will be playing his club cricket with CIYMS. David O’Sullivan, who was part of the Donemana squad last year, is also included in their 17-man squad.

Lightning have named just 16 but can feature nine internationals, including Josh Little, with one new face in slow bowler Nasir Totakhill from Rush. The Leinster website have confirmed that Lorcan Tucker will take over the captaincy from George Dockrell who led the team to 10 trophies, with last season being their fourth double.

Munster Reds, coached again by Jeremy Bray, have named a bumper 22-man squad with Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, Mike Frost, Liam McCarthy, Josh Manley and Ben White all retained while, Ireland Under-19 captain Olly Riley has been switched from Lightning, presumably to get more of a chance with the ball. Philippe Le Roux, who made his debut against the Reds last year, also makes the same move.

The first six games in the 50-over Cup start the season in May, with the second half played on successive Wednesdays in August. There will be double headers, for the first time, on all six days.

For the first time there will also be four T20 Trophy festivals, played back to back (Tuesday-Thursday) on four consecutive weeks in June and July, starting at the Mardyke and finishing in Pembroke.

SQUADS

Leinster Lightning
Chris DeFreitas, David Delany, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Gavin Hoey, Dylan Leus, Josh Little, Seamus Lynch, Barry McCarthy, Jai Moondra, Adam Rosslee, Harry Tector, Tim Tector, Nasir Totakhil, Lorcan Tucker, Reuben Wilson, Head Coach: Andre Botha

Munster Reds
Mark Adrianatos, Nabeel Anjum, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, Stephen Doheny, Mike Frost, Zubair Hassan Khan, Kian Hilton, Brandon Kruger, Philippe le Roux, Josh Manley, Liam McCarthy, Byron McDonough, John McNally, Swapnil Modgil, PJ Moor, Thorne Prophet, Olly Riley, Suliman Safi, Dineth Sumanasinghe, Matthew Weldon, Ben White, Head Coach: Jeremy Bray

North West Warriors
Andrew Balbirnie, Liam Doherty, Jake Egan, Graham Hume, Ryan Macbeth, Scott Macbeth, Andy McBrine, Cameron Melly, Robbie Millar, David O’Sullivan, Conor Olphert, Gavin Roulston, Sam Topping, Sam Willemse, Jared Wilson, Josh Wilson, Craig Young, Head Coach: Boyd Rankin.

Northern Knights
Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Ben Calitz, Cade Carmichael, Harry Dyer, Matthew Foster, Matthew Humphreys, Adam Kennedy, Adam Leckey, Tom Mayes, James McCollum, Jordan Neill, Ruhan Pretorius, Cian Robertson, Neil Rock, Paul Stirling, Morgan Topping, Head Coach: Simon Johnston.

FIXTURE SCHEDULES

Inter-Provincial Cup 
Wed, 7 May - Leinster Lightning v Munster Reds - Oak Hill (10:45am)
Wed, 7 May - Northern Knights v North West Warriors - Stormont (10:45am)
Tue, 13 May - Leinster Lightning v Northern Knights - Oak Hill (10:45am)
Tue, 13 May - Munster Reds v North West Warriors - Cork County (10:45am)
Thu, 15 May - Leinster Lightning v North West Warriors - Oak Hill (10:45am)
Thu, 15 May - Northern Knights v Munster Reds - Stormont (10:45am)
Wed, 13 Aug - Munster Reds v Leinster Lightning - Cork County (10:45am)
Wed, 13 Aug - North West Warriors v Northern Knights - Bready (10:45am)
Wed, 20 Aug - Northern Knights v Leinster Lightning - Stormont (10:45am)
Wed, 20 Aug - North West Warriors v Munster Reds - Eglinton (10:45am)
Wed, 27 Aug - North West Warriors v Leinster Lightning - Bready (10:45am)
Wed, 27 Aug - Munster Reds v Northern Knights - Cork County (10:45am)
 
Inter-Provincial Trophy
Tue, 17 Jun - Munster Reds v North West Warriors - The Mardyke (10:45am)
Tue, 17 Jun - Northern Knights v Leinster Lightning - The Mardyke (15:45pm)
Wed, 18 Jun - Leinster Lightning v North West Warriors - The Mardyke (10:45am)
Wed, 18 Jun - Munster Reds v Northern Knights - The Mardyke (15:45pm)
Thu, 19 Jun - North West Warriors v Northern Knights - The Mardyke (10:45am)
Thu, 19 Jun - Munster Reds v Leinster Lightning - The Mardyke (15:45pm)
Tue, 24 Jun - Northern Knights v North West Warriors - Stormont (10:45am)
Tue, 24 Jun - Leinster Lightning v Munster Reds - Stormont (15:45pm)
Wed, 25 Jun - North West Warriors v Leinster Lightning - Stormont (10:45am)
Wed, 25 Jun - Munster Reds v Northern Knights - Stormont (15:45pm)
Thu, 26 Jun - North West Warriors v Munster Reds - Stormont (10:45am)
Thu, 26 Jun - Northern Knights v Leinster Lightning - Stormont (15:45pm)
Tue, 1 Jul - North West Warriors v Munster Reds - Bready (10:45am)
Tue, 1 Jul - Northern Knights v Leinster Lightning - Bready (15:45pm)
Wed, 2 Jul - Munster Reds v Northern Knights - Bready (10:45am)
Wed, 2 Jul - North West Warriors v Leinster Lightning - Bready (15:45pm)
Thu, 3 Jul - Leinster Lightning v Munster Reds - Bready (10:45am)
Thu, 3 Jul - North West Warriors v Northern Knights - Bready (15:45pm)
Tue, 8 Jul - Leinster Lightning v Munster Reds - Pembroke (10:45am)
Tue, 8 Jul - Northern Knights v North West Warriors - Pembroke (15:45pm)
Wed, 9 Jul - Munster Reds v Northern Knights - Pembroke (10:45am)
Wed, 9 Jul - Leinster Lightning v North West Warriors - Pembroke (15:45pm)
Thu, 10 Jul - North West Warriors v Munster Reds - Pembroke (10:45am)
Thu, 10 Jul - Leinster Lightning v Northern Knights - Pembroke (15:45pm)