Strabane are delighted to be back at the top tier of North West cricket, and everyone at the club is hoping for a successful and enjoyable 2025 season. If we can go halfway to recreating the buzz  and excitement of last season we will be delighted.

On the personnel front we have lost the services of Usman Azhar, Nasir Nawaz and Moni Raijput. We would like to thank them for their efforts over the past couple of seasons and wish them the very best of luck for their future cricket endeavours. 

We would also like to welcome our new overseas professional Ranitha Liyanarachichi who is from Sri Lanka. He is a left-handed batter and left-arm opening bowler. He had a successful season in the Nottinghamshire league last season. He was keen on a new challenge and we are very happy to provide this for him. Strabane has enjoyed a wonderful association with Sri Lankan cricket over the last number of years, and he will be following in the footsteps of Raj Anumagama, Duminda Perera, Jeeva Kulatunga, and Chathura Peiris. Those guys were all wonderful cricket pros, and more importantly brought the lovely Sri Lankan warmth if character to the club. We are very excited at what's ahead for Ranitha.

We also welcome the exciting Subhan Shirzad to Strabane Park. He is a proper three-dimensional cricketer. Everyone is very excited to have him in our squad, and hopefully he will do well in the Premier League.

The core of the first team is similar to last season. After a very successful maiden season, Kevin Gallagher takes the captaincy reins once again. He will be assisted once again by vice-captain Aaron Gillespie. The lead group is supplemented by Rhys Logue and Conor Graham having an increasingly influence on the team. Everyone at the club is excited to witness the continued development of Andrew Mullen, and also newcomer Russell Barnard. 

We are hopeful that this could be a breakthrough year for some of the products of our youth system such as Raswanth Kanala, and it will be great to have John Mooney back as our player/coach. John had an unbelievable impact on the team and the club last season, and we are looking forward to him helping us progress this season in what is a very pivotal year. 

Our second XI have a very successful 2024, and will be looking to build on that this year. Leighton McGarrigle has taken over as captain, and will be boosted by the return from injury of ex-first team player Vadivel Moorthy. 

The club's ladies programme continues to thrive and their two teams will continue to be led by Chloe and Courtney Deans. Similar to the men, the lead group remains the same as last season with Kylie McGarrigle and Emma Doherty assisting Chloe with the first XI, and we will be very excited to witness the talented progression of players like Abaigh Gillespie and Abigail McGarrigle.

On a more poignant note, Strabane's playing ranks will be missing the name of John Gillespie for the first time in nearly 50 years. John has decided to retire from playing after a highly decorated and very distinguished playing career during which he won all the major club honours including the Irish Cup. John also represented the North West interprovincial team, and although the records require further collation, John heads into retirement as the leading run scorer in the club's history. Everyone would like to thank him for his wonderful playing service and to wish him a long and healthy retirement."

Strabane open their season on Saturday with a trip to Bready, while the Women start their campaign on Sunday at cup holders Fox Lodge.