Waterford was once one of the major cricketing strongholds in Munster. During the 80s and 90s the sport was thriving in the Déise county, with several clubs in operation. However, towards the end of the 90s, cricket in the county began to decline with only one competitive side, Lismore Cricket Club, surviving while Dunmore East continued to play the occasional friendly match.

In 2006 a group of Asian students in Waterford Institute of Technology formed a club which now competes in the Munster Senior League. But since the club is affiliated to WIT it has membership restrictions which meant cricket could not reach the greater Waterford public, particularly around the city area. This is where Tom O'Regan and other members of Dunmore East cricket club saw an opening.

Seeing that there was once again a desire for the people of Waterford to play competitive cricket, O'Regan and the other members of Dunmore East Cricket Club decided to take the step towards forming a cricket club to take part in competitive competition. At a meeting of Dunmore members and players from former Waterford clubs in July of last year Waterford District Cricket Club was born.

Commenting on the idea behind the club, O'Regan said, "Seeing that sufficient interest was still in the locality to form a 'District' team we decided to pool our resources and set up a proper club." He continued, "It was recognised that a formal structure was the only way to move the sport forward locally. As a group we were aware that there could not really be a next generation of players without a proper club structure locally. Therefore it was decided to form the club and hopefully set some roots out from which to grow. "

Such has been the success of the venture so far that, although the club has yet to play a competitive match, membership numbers are already beginning to grow. "Currently we have 30 players on the books from complete novices to some experienced players. This has in fact doubled our playing base over one year. Also we have absorbed some schoolboy players from De la Salle who had been introduced to the game by Jim Doran and are aware of more new players coming from the younger enthusiasts."

Given the nature of the sport, an obstacle which always stands in the way of new clubs is the sourcing of training and playing facilities. O'Regan highlighted how the club is working to overcome this obstacle, "Late last summer we received permission from the City Council to erect a net on their ground in Williamstown. This we now have in place but it requires some immediate attention as the wet weather last season proved that the bowling area was poorly drained. We have had indoor training each Wednesday throughout the winter and will resume net practice over the next few weeks."

"Michael Evans of the W.I.T has allowed us use of its new all weather crease in Carriaganore. We finished the season there last year with our first "home" fixture and hope to continue there this season. We are currently in discussion with the City Council and hope to secure a playing facility from them in the near future."

O'Regan stressed that the coming season will be about laying a strong foundation for the club to build on while remaining optimistic about what the future holds, "We are aware of the disadvantages imposed on any club that begins without suitable playing facilities. This season we hope to establish a functioning club structure, begin what we hope is an enjoyable foray in to the Munster competitions, and establish the name of WDCC as active cricketers in Waterford. For the moment new players are welcome however our focus will be toward the junior ranks as we feel that our limited resources will only allow moderate expansion... there is a lot of interest from younger players and we hope to provide them with a quality outlet to hone their skills."

"In the long term we would hope to have several teams engaged in provincial competitions and hopefully re-establish the sport in Waterford. I am sure at some stage that WDCC will be represented in the ladies competitions also."

O'Regan paid tribute to the help of the MCU is assisting the club getting off the ground with special mention for Cricket Ireland's Munster Development Officer, Jim Doran, "We have been in regular contact with Cricket Ireland via Jim Doran since last season. He has been most helpful with all aspects of our set up and we appreciate that."

"We have had messages of good wishes from quite a few clubs. Our former set up would have played Clonmel and Lismore in friendlies over the past few years and now look forward to meeting in a competitive environment."

The establishment of WDCC is a clear indication of how the game is undergoing unprecedented growth in the Munster region. With more new clubs in Clare and Limerick in the pipeline these are very exciting times for Munster cricket.