Forum

YOUTH CRICKET
Would like to respond to some of the comments made in relation to youth cricket in the forum recently.
Firstly, very few of the Graham Cup matches have been awarded because of inability to field teams. It is co-incidental that 2 have been awarded to Muckamore. I was apprised of the reasons for same by both Graeme Hunter and Wesley Best - these were entirely beyond their control.
Secondly, both Graeme and Wesley have been two of NCU youth cricket's staunchest supporters and hardest workers. Lurgan have an enviable record in youth cricket and Laurevale have made great strides under Wesley's guidance, culminating in winning the league last season. I hope whatever offence taken is short lived and they continue their hard work. We need individuals of this calibre involved in youth cricket.
Thirdly, the dates of the Graham Cup are set to try and complete the competition within the school term - to avoid the final etc being devalued by loss of players on holidays - the 12th fortnight remains the optimum holiday period in the NCU area.
Fourthly, in re-organising the leagues there are considerably more fixtures at under 15 level than in previous seasons. On the downside this does put more pressure on dates but we want as much meaningful cricket as possible.
Fifthly (and you will be pleased - lastly) there are in fact more teams playing youth cricket in the NCU than ever.
To everyone involved - thank you for your continued commitment,keep up the hard work AND READ THE REGULATIONS!

Somewhat strange that the most successful NCU team for the last 13 years does not have any representative in the North squad, not even a coach or manager, North Down must have been doing it all wrong...

How can we banish the term walkover from scorecards up and down the country ?
A couple of years ago I sat on a Junior Taskforce aimed at arresting the number of unfulfiled matches. We brainstormed, we meet with clubs, players etc and we made the changes that seemed to be what the majority wanted. Less overs, open leagues etc.
At the time I just had a doubt if were targeting the right people. I thought then and I think now we need to find out "why aren't people playing cricket?".
I think we focus a lot on youngsters when I think the real problem may be the "oldies". I am fortunate to play at a club which can call on at least a dozen guys over 40 years of age still keen to play week in , week out at 1sts, 2nds, 3rds or 4ths level. I also think we have as many talented young players as most clubs but their development hasbeen helped by playing alongside us veterans. A quiet word in the ear about the line to bowl, about field placings , about watching what a batsman does, about not panicking when you play a few dot balls etc all really help with player development.
As I go around clubs playing and now occassionally umpiring or just spectating I hear and see the same issues. Players aren't putting anything back. Of course their are exceptions like Alan Waite, Garfield Harrison, Billy Adams, Neil Fullerton, Billy Dale, Esler Burke etc but it's getting down to one or two per club and that's not going to develop our game.
It's more than driving the car, it's passing on knowledge, and maybe more importantly a "love of the game" and introducing the importance of competing hard and fair.
Development at the top end of our game is at an all time high but we are struggling at lower levels. Cricket Ireland want to treble numbers playing in the next 5 years. I think every club needs to see what can be done to keep people playing longer. Take it from me there is no greater joy in cricket than taking part. When you hit one of the sweet spot or get the ball to do what you wanted it to do it doesn't matter if you are a teenager or an oldie it feels great. The aches and pains the next few days are worth it. Imagine how painful it must be for those that can't or won't do it and then see walkover beside your clubs name.

In response to Ivan McCombe and Paul Samuel's posts.
Our initial scheduled Graham Cup match against Muckamore was washed out. On the rescheduled date we had over 20 players unavailable due to exams and a school trip. I still managed to get 7 players together but this wasn't enough to allow us to travel.
At Lurgan, we still intend to field 2 teams at U11, U13 and U15 level, but it remains to be seen if this can be achieved throughout the whole season. I have been involved in youth cricket for quite some time and it is undoubtedly getting harder to get young people playing and to keep them playing, especially once they reach the age of 15. In addition, prior to and during exam time, parents are unwilling to let their children play, even on Saturdays in many cases.
Also, many adults seem to only play when it suits them - yesterday seems to be an example of this at many clubs,when priority is given to the North West 200, Ulster Rugby match etc etc - no longer is there a commitment, especially down the club, to play week in, week out.
In my role at Lurgan, along with our club professional, we go in to 10 local primary schools and 8 of them will be taking part in our Kwik Cricket blitz this Friday. However, prior to the season, I contacted 12 local primary schools about starting up an 11-a-side (hard ball cricket)schools league. I offered the help of myself and Niranjan, the use of our ground and equipment and only 1 school responded positively.
As a club, we are doing more than most to get young people playing. The appointment of a Director of Cricket and Development Officer was a response to the declining trends and the desire to improve the playing standards. We have benefitted from this in terms of the numbers of young people still playing at our club and the quality of our young players - we have 3 members of the NCU U13 team (more than any other club) and our youth teams have won a number of trophies in recent years. However, we are having to deal with numerous challenges on a weekly basis and it is getting more difficult every year.Just because we have a Director of Cricket and Development officer doesn't make us exempt from these challenges, but hopefully we are better equipped to deal with them.
The Union (of which we are all a part) have come up with new initiatives over the past few seasons to stimulate interest and to try to retain players in the game.This is to be commended, but I believe that we will all have to work much harder in the future to make the game more attractive to young people and adults alike and to stop the overall decline in playing numbers - it is extemely worrying when some club's 1st XIs are scratching matches, nevermind at 3rds and 4ths level.

Re Paul Samuels

Your ill informed criticism of Lurgan is rather unappreciated. Yes Lurgan over the past number of years we have been in a fortunate position to have a development officer in post and more recently Derek Heasley as a director of cricket who as done an excellent job with the coaching of our 1st Xl and talented group of players in our EPP squad.

We as a club (not just indiviuals as you have named) were as disappointed as anyone that we were unable to field a team earlier in the week but due to many children having exam/ school commitments it was not feasible (tuesday night not ideal)

Furthermore, to ensure all children and not just our best 11 at each age group have the opportunity to play games, we put out both A and B teams at each age group. With the over all aim of keeping children involved in the sport irrespective of their ability.

So surely this should be recognised rather than criticising for us not fulfilling a fixture. You only have to look around the NCU today to see how many adult teams are struggling to fulfill fixtures.

Ivan et al
The answer should have been provided by now via the club mark route. Club mark for clubs and the process of attaining club mark could have guaranteed quality youth provision at clubs and dealt with issues such as ground standards! Not sure where this sits with ci as last heard of its implementation 3 years ago.

I think there is some rugby match on somewhere that may create a bit of interest. Further I am shocked to read Andrew Haire's comments that some clubs may be hiring "coaches" for purposes other than coaching! The present problems suffered by some clubs may be a reaping of what they have sown. I have been around a considerable number of clubs over the past 5 years and the decline is noticeable - not unlike what has happened in club rugby where clubs are turning out considerably less teams than 6 or 7 years agoo.

Re Paul Samuels

Disappointing for Lurgan to be unable to field a team for an under 15 cup match but rest assured that the Hunter clan at Lurgan will be doing all they can to ensure this doesn't happen again !

On a positive note the inclusion of three Lurgan boys in the NCU Under 13's (including one Hunter !)would lead you to believe it is not all doom and gloom with the schoolboy set up at Pollock Park !!!

Ivan, I take offence at your remark about 'coaches taking a serious look at themselves'. Our under 15s won the league last year but were beaten in the first round of the Graham Cup because there were a number of players unavailable for similar reasons to those which caused us to forfeit this year. I had players going to the North West, running in the school districts, doing their Duke of Edinburgh, important exams etc. I wasn't going to bring a team of 11 year olds to Muckamore on a damp night in May. Spending 4 nights a week coaching and/or going to games I think is enough of a committment (as well as still trying to play myself on Saturdays). I also think you will find that Lurgan have one of the best coaching set ups in the NCU.

Re Matthew,

Not the only one....our seconds were due to have a game tomorrow against Woodvale in the Junior Cup but the weather seems to have won the day.......alot of club struggling to field teams at this time of year, so I feel it would be very hard to criticise individual clubs for failing to provide underage teams...although that said I do feel many clubs appoint poor professionals with no long term planning or committment to the coaching of kids, which is seen as secondary to 1000 runs in a season. There are very few professionals hired on the basis of their coaching credentials and many do not return after one season (if that in some cases)...it is easy to criticise of course but I feel Ivan makes a number of great points!

Thanks Davy, wouldn't you know rightly ?

Unbelievable! Should have guessed as much !!

R.E C Boomer

All I can think off is that it must because of the English Championship play - off final.

Best of my knowledge there is no other sporting event this weekend.

Still continuing on with the same worrying theme, I see reading the NCU twitters that some other cricket teams are not getting any action this Saturday, due to the opposition forfeiting the points as they appear to be unable to field a team themselves !

Is there something else on this weekend, or is it just the cold weather putting folks off a game of cricket ?

Ref Ivan McCombe: Quote,

'Is it a case of us taking the wheat from the chaff and throwing the chaff in the bin? Guess what - if we don't look after the chaff we will have no wheat in the years to come'.

Good point Ivan and very eloquently worded if I may say so, the late Vic Johns (R.I.P.) would have been very impressed with the that !

And if I can add my tuppence worth in support, instead of just keeping the wheat and throwing away the chaff, with the aid of a good work-force; surely it would be much more prudent to use it with a drop of water and quick-lime which makes excellent cement, in order to bond the foundations and building blocks which secure the barn and keep a roof over this season's wheat and for many more plentiful harvests, ( weather permitting) and seasons to come !

If that makes any sense ?

Re Ivan

Do Lurgan not employ Derek Heasley and Graeme Hunter as development officers, a pro and have the Lurgan Tigers? Surely it is inexcusable for them to be unable to field an under 15 team?