James Cameron-Dow talks about his new Waringstown coaching role and CIYMS memories ahead of 2023 season

​Cameron-Dow was announced as club coach over the close season at the County Down outfit, who are the most successful team in Irish Senior Cup history – winning the competition six times – and firmly established as one of the local powerhouses.

In what promises to be a competitive season with reigning champions Lisburn strengthening and CIYMS almost certainly putting themselves in the title picture once again, Waringstown are looking to reclaim the Robinson Services Premier League trophy they won in 2021 – a 31st competition success.

Former Ireland international Cameron-Dow has been brought in to help with that objective as Greg Thompson’s men prepare to get their campaign underway against Carrickfergus.

"It's a club with a massive history and a very successful one,” said Cameron-Dow. “It's one that many people would want to be involved with in a coaching and playing capacity.

"It was a great opportunity for me to come in and think about how we get them back to their level.

"It was definitely something I wanted to get involved with and it's a club who have massive opportunities to get back to the top.

"It started with a couple of informal chats about where my playing is going and how interested I am in playing.

"I think certainly from my side my days of playing competitively are pretty much behind me.

"I had an informal conversation with Waitey (Alan Waite, club chairman) about where I wanted to go with my coaching and from there we discussed if we could make it work.

"As soon as we figured out that I was dead keen and they were looking for someone to come in and take on the coaching role it was very easy for me."

Cameron-Dow knows essentially every member of the squad from either playing with them during his time in the Northern Knights set-up or on the opposing side over the years.

Waringstown and CIYMS have contested some of the most memorable matches in recent times, including the 2019 Irish Senior Cup semi-final which went down to the final ball.

"There was no awkwardness or anything like that,” he added. “They are guys that I have played a lot with and against and that made it really easy.

"On top of that I have a relationship with Alan Waite through the NCU over the years.

"I've got a great relationship with everyone and that has made the transition into the role very easy."

Cameron-Dow was at the peak of his powers during that 2019 campaign, picking up a league-high 47 wickets at an average of 14.32 with his dangerous left-arm spin.

That was preceded a few months prior by perhaps his greatest achievement when the 32-year-old made his Ireland Test debut against Afghanistan and also played in four ODIs.

With increasing coaching commitments in his role as head coach of both the Northern Knights Women’s side and Dragons in the Women’s Super Series, Cameron-Dow only played nine times across competitions last season and doesn’t anticipate taking to the field much in this campaign either.

"I said to them that when some players are missing I don't mind filling in but for me this is a three-year plan and I would like to be in a position next year and the year after that we have 13 or 14 blokes that we can select from,” he said.

"Me filling a hole to bat down the order, not bowl and field a bit is wasting an opportunity for someone who could be fulfilling a more purposeful role in the future.

"I would be keen to let the youngsters play as much as possible and for me to take a backseat and I'm quite happy with that."

While achieving so much success and winning every trophy available to him at CIYMS, Cameron-Dow also looks back on the final season with a tinge of disappointment.

"We had an incredible team there,” he said. “I would have liked last season to go a bit differently on a personal level.

"As a club it was brilliant but I didn't play much of a part in that. I would say that 2021 was my last season with the club and unfortunately 2021 and 2020 were both affected by Covid and weren't proper full seasons which was disappointing.

"It was a bit of a disappointing finish but having played my first season there in 2015 and playing 2018 and 2019 through to 2022 we had a lot of success, I made a lot of mates and played with some incredible cricketers.

"I have great memories and look back on it very fondly, but would like to have finished off in a slightly different manner. That's the way things go unfortunately."

He’s excited for the future and to see what coaching continues to bring his way.

"It's really good,” he added. “I can't complain - I'm really enjoying it, am really busy and involved with three great teams which is awesome.

"I'm very happy with the way things are going and hopefully can keep building on it."