DECLAN MOORE'S chances of making his international debut against Gloucestershire on Tuesday are improved considerably with the news that Uel Graham (Lisburn) has dropped out for business reasons.

The selectors have decided against calling in a replacement, reducing the panel to 12, with Moore and Peter Gillespie (Strabane) competing for the final spot. Should Neil Doak's trouble some ankle act up again over the weekend, the 20 year old from, The Hills is assured of a place.

Things have happened fairly quickly for him. Having appeared for all under age representative sides, it was clear that Moore had talent but it's only recently that he opted to put cricket ahead of his other sporting love, horse racing.

He has an amateur's jockey licence and you'll still find him down on the gallops near Peter Cluskey's stables but last summer he made a definite decision to improve his cricket by spending a winter playing in the southern hemisphere.

Former international Chris Harte was able to help. He put Moore in touch with the Mount Manganui club in New Zealand's Northern Districts where he was to win the league's batting trophy and the approval of the provincial selectors, who named him as 12th man for two representative matches.

Since returning in late March, his once chance to impress came against Malahide last Saturday and he scored 75 not out. Then, Stephen Smyth withdrew from the Gloucester game on Wednesday and the chairman of selectors was on the phone. Many observers would have expected a re-call for the experienced Michael Rea but this will hardly worry Moore.

The Hills play a league match at Castle Avenue this afternoon and so, Moore will have an opportunity to acclimatise and after a handy win last week, Matt Dwyer and his team must fancy their chances of making it two from two in Section A. It remains to be seen what sort of a side Clontarf field.

Last week, the team that played only bore a partial resemblance to the XI that was announced midweek.

Earlier this week, the Leinster Cricket Union granted Trinity their request to play their first few home league games on the artificial strip at College Park, starting with today's game against Pembroke. The college staff is currently operating on a work to rule basis with a ban on over time and so the square has been neglected in recent weeks.

Elsewhere, the long weekend should ensure that the league programme gets fully underway with all but one side, Malahide, scheduled to play.