Ulster Bank already sponsors the Northern Cricket Union’s Senior League. It has now scored a league and cup double by putting its name to the Senior Challenge Cup and the Bank will also sponsor the NCU’s 125th Anniversary Dinner at which the guest of honour will be the former England captain Michael Vaughan.
The sponsorships are a huge boost to the local game following the International Cricket Council’s controversial decision to exclude Associate countries such as Ireland from the next World Cup in 2015.
Making the announcement of the two additional sponsorships, Ulster Bank's Stephen Cruise, Managing Director, Branches, Private Banking & Advice Northern Ireland, said: “Ulster Bank has been sponsors of the NCU Senior League for over 15 years and we are delighted to extend our support, particularly in this year of the Union’s 125th birthday.”
"We have seen cricket develop down recent years, and we feel it’s an appropriate time to show our continued support.”
The President of the NCU, Dr Murray Power, said: “Ulster Bank has been a terrific supporter and we are delighted that they have ensured this special year for the Union will be a memorable one.”
The Challenge Cup is the Union’s premier knock-out competition and will be played between the 20 teams that make up the Premier and Section 1 sections of the Ulster Bank Senior League. The final will be played at Wallace Park, Lisburn on July 29th and will help mark the Lisburn club’s 175th anniversary celebrations.
The news that Michael Vaughan will be the guest speaker at the 125th anniversary dinner in Belfast City Hall on Saturday, October 15th is another coup for the Union. He led England to the 2-1 Ashes victory of 2005, now regarded as the best series of all time.
The 36 year-old former opening bat with 18 Test centuries to his name is now a polished BBC Test Match Special commentator, an enthusiast of cricket in Ireland and a fierce critic of the World Cup decision.
He says: “I think it is mad to exclude the Associate countries from the World Cup, particularly Ireland. There should have been at least a qualifying tournament involving the Associates and Bangladesh and Zimbabwe for the final two of the 10 places.”
Michael Vaughan says he has fond memories of playing in the NCU and is “honoured” to be invited to the anniversary dinner. His main memory is of a six-wicket win by his Yorkshire side over Ireland in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy at Stormont in 2005 when he top scored with 58.
The Northern Cricket Union is the biggest of the four provincial unions in Ireland with 40 senior clubs and almost 3,000 playing members through counties Antrim, Down, Armagh and parts of Tyrone. It runs a total of 28 league and cup competitions through all age groups.
It was formed in 1886 and as an umbrella organisation it was predated by clubs such as Lisburn. There are reports of matches in the Downpatrick area and in Killinchy, Co Down, around 1820. In 1867 a Belfast-based NICC XI defeated an All-England XI at Ormeau and in 1870 defeated the MCC at Lord's.
