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NCU AGM DISCUSS . I think the time is right for the NCU and clubs to have separate votes on each section as its JOKE that section 3 and PREMIER clubs vote on what is common sense that its outdated as that is serving no one . I f that means ncu committee making tough decisions so be it as they do a fantastic job 99% every year .Cricket Ireland and all the unions must get together and sort out the structure in getting people of all ages and standards playing the game we all love .Take the treasurers report always superb accounts and no one could do better report but 95% have no interest in hearing it instead why not hand copy out any club that wants discuss can at AOB end of meeting ?Lets get back to proper good old debates at meeting and discuss each section proposals separate and see whats best for each club as far too many vote with who ever they sitting with and in some occasions vote againest there own club reps . Cricket is moving to a new era with lots clubs paying loads players and good luck to them we all got to do what is best for there clubs survival and build for the future in any way .I would love see proper T20 CUP mid week or sunday with prize fund of say 500/1000£ have designated semi and BIG final day say at the green /strangford road with music barbeque and id even open in to junior clubs forming county down /belfast selects to add extra spice and ncu under 17 and 21 teams . Throw in soft ball challenge to any spectator who can hit premiership bowler for six and longest throw competition lots extra things to make it real fun day and better still lots sponsors available to make it cracking day . ps charge clubs 50/100£ team up the prize fund to 2000£ as id say 16/24 teams be up for this ?

Andy 50/40 cricket .I think that 40 over cricket in section two would be far better option for getting age group 15/25 playing more . Dundrum has decent colts cup team 9 of the squad of 12 dont want play 50 over games in fact 90% prefer 20/25 games as in there words not waste of full day . Most them also play school cricket rugby /golf/footie/hockey so we need listen to everyone that shorter games also interesting and enjoyable add in girlfriends and socializing means at that cricket needs to move with times .I would suggest trial over one year in section two and as gambler be certain the clubs would agree that every bit as as good as 50 overs and 8 /9 and some days ten hours away from home .I would also make every rearrangement T20 which can be played midweek and lets get as many sundays back to family life as we need to realize that 200 overs cricket weekends is putting far to much stress on players and families and more importantly the chance for lots enjoy there children . The big bash/ipl and T20 has changed lot players as they also see it can be entertaining and great way for families to enjoy fun cricket and scores similar to 40 and in some cases 50 over scores . ps i loved 50 overs but im talking for the majority of players at dundrum cc looking shorter games but as always ill respect what NCU and clubs decide but game in ten years time will regret not getting survey from all ages as all sports are shorter and squeezing cricket for players quality time .

RE: NRR AND RECENT POSTINGS
Please note this topic Is now closed.
Clarence Hiles
Editor

Good suggestion from Freddie regarding clubs entering data directly to the site rather than a match report, however it would still need to be checked by both the clubs and secretaries. The sad fact is that anything involving data input is always going to have errors, no one means to get things wrong but human error is a fact of life, it must also be unusual for the NRR to be so close over the course of a season.

I too would be raging if a situation cropped up that affected my club due to NRR however I have to say overall the results service provided on the NCU website is excellent, getting the tables and results on a Saturday evening is great and an awful lot of work must go into the process. The League Secretary jobs and NCU positions generally are thankless tasks and we are fortunate to have people volunteering to do them.

There is bound to be something already out there for this NRR, I've seen s few scorers this year using laptops or iPads to keep score, surely if all clubs used the same app or software it could be uploaded instantly, save the whole form filling too?? Maybe a question for the scorers of NIACUS?

Reference NRR

While it is the responsibility of the various divisional secretaries to calculate the run rates surely each individual club should do this themselves and if a query arises take the matter up with the appropriate official. The system of calculation is simple enough. Tough on Laurelvale nonetheless

NRR

Rather than having to fill in the long and tedious Match Report form for the home team and send it by email to the league secretary it makes more sense to have a link on NCU web for the home captain to input the match scorecard into a database which in turn will generate the NRR immediately and the league tables. It would also be of interest to be able to view match scorecards of other matches. I am sure there is some programmer who would be able to achieve this.

Just a suggestion, for the top four sections could we have the NRR shown in the league tables from the first match? I know there's work involved, but it would create total transparency from the outset.
It would also be good down the leagues although I'm sure many teams don't go out on a Saturday afternoon thinking about their run rate.
It won't solve this year's problem but it could make it better for everyone going forward.

One aspect of the debate over NRR that caught my eye was the message that appeared on the NCU website that the NRR in Section 2 was "so close that it had to be re-checked thoroughly" - or words to that effect. That raises a the question to me of what criteria were used to determine how "close" is "close" for the matter to be reviewed and what would be the knock-on effect in other Sections in determining "last year's position" at the end of the 2016 season.

Donacloney asked to see the NCU run rate spreadsheet a few days before their game with Cliftonville . We found 3 errors that all had a detrimental effect on our run rate , mainly to do with rain affected games and duckworth Lewis .
We went from being ahead of Cliftonville's run rate to Being considerably behind .
There is an obvious flaw in the NCU's method of collecting the information which needs to be addressed !

Something for the NCU heir achy to work on over the winter , unfortunately too late for Laurelvale

David,
Why do you think it would be different in the premier league? People make mistakes all the time. Bit harsh on whoever did the run rates.

Can't see why this is now being perceived as Laurelvale's fault. We have spotted an error in NRR calculations and informed the NCU, meaning Saintfield were promoted. This is not our gripe!

The problem is that when NRR's were first published with 4/5 games to go we had a substantial gap in our favour. Why then would we risk defeat by trying to drastically raise our NRR? The policy was to ensure victory in the knowledge that Saintfield had to do the chasing. To find out after all games are completed, that these calculations were wrong is the hard part to take. We have been denied promotion and not been given a chance to rectify the situation. None of this of course is any fault of Saintfield who are promoted with a higher run rate which we don't dispute.

The fault lies with the NCU, one which they have swept under the carpet like nothing happened. I'm not so sure the whole situation would have been the same had this of happened in the Premier League title race!!

Chris, as far as Laurelvale were concerned they had no reason to maintain the gap, they just had to ensure the gap wasn't closed. But as we now know this was on the false premise that there was actually a gap....

Totally agree NRR should be updated and calculations made available to check

Craig- If you knew Saintfield were trying to "win big" to close the NRR gap why weren't you doing the same to maintain the gap?

NRR should be updated after every game and the clubs given access to the calculations so there is the opportunity to fix any errors immediately.

craig how do you expect to be treated like a victim when you stepped on the field in april you obviously knew the rules sounds like your team was content to coast to safety instead of giving your all someone said to me this year dont leave it to the next man and i have taken that to heart far better to take it on the chin look forward to next year for you have learned life as in cricket is not always fair and its not always someone elses fault and it is so easy to play the blame game ps my views are my own