Forum

Seasonal greetings.
I would be someone that always reads this forum but never feels like commenting but, bored in work, thought I would add my thoughts on a couple of topics.

Some interesting views on here of lower league clubs and youth setups, and I can only give input from my own experience with Donaghadee CC.

After some very successful times in the NCU many years ago, we would be a very small club that can (just about …) get out a 1st XI and 2nd XI.
It would not be an understatement to say that we are just about getting by – and this is down to the efforts (on and off the pitch) of a few key clubmen who I will not embarrass on here by naming them.
We no longer have a youth set up and rely on word of mouth and reputation as a social friendly club to attract players young and old.
It would be great to have a load of kids to bring through the club, however we simply don’t have the manpower or youth base in the area to allow this.
We actually have a good core group of maybe 30-odd players but unfortunately getting them to commit to playing most weeks / every week is the biggest problem – one that I’m sure is replicated throughout the lower league teams.

But from my point of view, I’d like to comment on 2 of the clubs often mentioned on here:

Cregagh CC – whilst we have had many a rough battle with them over the last 3 or 4 years, I can only applaud the way that particular club has embraced the youth setup and decided to move forward in that manner. In the 2 games we had against them in 2014 it was obvious that the core of the team are the younger players and the talent that has come through their ranks. I hope that they manage to stay in Section 2 come the end of the 2015 season to prove their cricketing strategy even further. (*Although to balance things out, I reckon I had the worst cup of tea of the season in there, so please improve that!!)

Victoria CC – another club that I can only give full credit to. Like others, I read the comments on here this time last season regarding them being a yo-yo club so was very happy to see them remain in Section 2 for 2015. Must have been extremely satisfying for all club members and I hope they stabilise themselves in that division now.

Anyways, that’ll do for me, back to work ….

Now that the CIYMS bashing seems to have died down it would be good to see what everyone thinks will be the Premier League Table come the end of the season.

1. Waringstown
2. CIYMS
3. Instonians
4. North Down
5. CSNI
6. Carrickfergus (if they get a decent pro)
7. Lisburn
8. Ballymena

Ballymena CC have just announced that they have put their tea lady on a three year contract as there were stories circulating around the greater Belfast area that CIYMS were monitoring the situation closely and were considering an approach!

Quite right Neil has made a huge difference love to see it get into Primary schools more and more as Simon Johnston has done some great work in the area on this one.

All good for the game overall

Clarence/Simon - Thankyou for your kind words

Sorry to hear about Larry. He was one of the Donaghadee mafia and followed the Dee everywhere when they made a decent fist of coming through the leagues and challenging for promotion to section one. We had some good battles with them at Holywood and the Dee and Larry was never far away. Sympathies to his kith and kin and DCC.

Larry Kitzier
I'm sure many people will be saddened to learn of Larry's passing. He has been one of the best-known 'faces' of the Donaghadee club for many years. He loved his cricket and was never happier than in the great years of the 'Dee when they were the match for any team in the NCU. We'll all miss his jovial smile and gentle personality.
Rest in Peace dear friend.

Neil,
If only the same was happening at other schools!

Graham

Thanks for the apology. It's great to see the youth sections of all three East Belfast clubs thriving and no doubt CI and Cregagh have been helped by my old school Grosvenor's change in attitude towards cricket when Kyle and Whitey joined.

Long may it continue.

Donaghadee Cricket Club are sad to announce the passing of Larry Kitzler. Larry had been associated with Donaghadee CC for over 40 years and will be sadly missed by all at the club

Then I apologise Neil I thought it was out of character for you and I've misread your post

Good luck

Re Neill Harvey's proposal:

Far from meriting any unwarranted discord, I believe Neill's idea is most certainly a very purposeful, creative piece of practical, common-sense, cricket thinking, and one avenue worth exploring by our senior cricket clubs and the NCU!

I'm not in any position of authority or have the playing experience to comment on the pros & cons of any particular club 'hiring' additional players to strengthen their on field resources in order to improve league title and cup aspirations, that's up to them I guess, but I do feel sorry for the lad or couple of lads ( hypothetically speaking ), at an aforementioned club, who have worked hard and performed reasonable well the season past for his clubs second, third, eleven etc. and was genuinely excited at the prospect of a crack in his club's higher tier, though alas, now with the close season arrival of 'Johnny-come-lately' and 'Mike Maverick', he has to deeply exhale and resign himself to the fact it's another season of same old, same old and will he ever his chance to prove to his peers that he can play at the highest level !

Food for though at least ?

Re: Neill Harvey

You make some very valid points and I agree putting a rule in place that a certain amount of under 21s have to be starred or play in every 1st XI game, but I can imagine that clubs wouldn't be in favour particularly in May and June when kids are doing exams or at university.

Another idea would be to impose a ruling that all PL teams have to have proper covers including square covers , water hog, electronic scoreboard etc and section 1 proper covers etc

Neil Hunter is correct that the premier league would be better going back to a ten team league to reduce the reliance on paid players and fear of relegation etc etc as well as giving clubs with bars more home games. Hard to see PL clubs agreeing though

Andy Kennedy & monti Bell - £200k over 7 years is less than £30k a year. When you take into account upkeep of grounds, balls, maintenance, bar staff, NCU fees before any player gets paid, pro(s) flown in and housed, then surely most of big premier league clubs would have spent this sort of figure over the last 7 years which is scary especially during a period of recession.

The ironic thing would be that despite all the criticism our friends at CIYMS would tick the boxes already in terms of requirements in terms of age limits and minimum standard of facilities when other clubs wouldn't get close. Plenty of food for thought for the NCU

Wayne, you make some very valid points.

If there are more blow ins, youngsters get less chances. 8 team leagues don't help the development of young cricketers as many don't get a chance to perform because of the pressure to get results.

The North West may prosper because the money chasing players that where in the North West are now in the NCU, thus giving more kids a chance in the North West.

The NCU tour to South Africa is a great idea but It needs to happen on a regular basis to help development of cricket in the an NCU.

With all the professionals doing so much alledged coaching and development officers in situ, some serious questions need asked as to what is really going on with youth cricket.

I think we as a Union are heading in the right direction, albeit we are playing catch up, but the figures Wayne has given are pretty shocking.

If youth cricket was being run as a business, what would the solution be?

Answers please!

A lot of talk about underage representation on forum at present. An idea on this which may cause consternation but what about something as simple as each team having to play x amount of players under a certain age limit say 21 thus giving good genuine young people oppurtunity to play at highest level with each club being in the same boat.
As I say probably get shot down by forum users but lets face it this is an issue that will be on here year in year out