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Stuart interesting comment about nicking one at Derriaghy. Your hearing is obviously better than mine as I can assure you I did not nick any ball with my bat. I have never nicked a ball and not walked, it's just something that I feel strongly about.... I feel if you are out, you're out and are not good enough on the day to stay there.

Anyway, I raised the topic out of interest as it has happened in my last 3 games on the bounce, so Taito there is no need to get so defensive as it was not soley aimed at your team.

I would also like to echo your comment on what a great knock it was by your captain on Saturday. I've always found him very solid certainly when playing against us and he is very strong on the leg side as I found out to my detriment on Saturday. I've also mentioned in a previous post how him and Craig Lewis are the 2 best all rounders in the section so I think you'll understand that there are no sour grapes.

Downpatrick were certainly worthy winners on Saturday and were the much stronger unit. We only have ourselves to blame letting you off the hook from 60 odd for 6 to 240. Shows the lack of strength and depth we have in our team at the minute but we'll battle on and see where it takes us.

re Ivan and tea at the Lawn

You were lucky to get fed at the lawn. I was there for a league game earlier in the season and we weren't fed. Dont know what the excuse was, but for a club of their standing within NCU it seems to me they can treat others like this, but then again I didnt offer to pay them £2...

if a batsman edges one to 1st slip or hits one to cover and is caught he walks so what is it with not walking when one is edged to the wicketkeeper? to my mind it is cheating. also to follow on about Derriaghy I had the pleasure of umpiring the Intermediate Cup final on Saturday and they certainly pushed the boat out. John Torrens and his team had everything organised from the group who brought on the covers to the ladies who produced what was almost a banquet. Thanks again.

Good to hear that David and the Woodvale boys got well fed at Muckamore yesterday. I was at the Lawn on Saturday and had a lovely tea with other supporters for only £2. Great idea when you have people there for 6 or 7 hours and have maybe travelled an hour or so to get there. I think the effort a club puts in to the simple things like teas tell you a lot about a club and their respect for the game and the opposition.
On the topic of batsmen not walking is that any worse than a bowler appealing for an lbw even though they know that the batsman has got a thick inside edge? I always think it's better to leave it to the umpires who in my opinion make honest mistakes.

Rodney, i would just like to echo Stuarts thoughts, get over it as i heard you nicked one against Derriaghy earlier in the season and didnt walk. The umpires are there to do a job so why should it be up to the batsmen to walk?? thats why the umpire is standing there. Fabulous innings from our skipper on saturday!!

I would just like to thank Derriaghy CC for their hospitality yesterday, they hosted the final excellently. Great bunch of boys and the final was played in a great spirit.

rodney,
your comments about sportsmanship of opposing teams, i only have 3 words...pot, kettle, black.

Folks, in my past 3 games against opposition I have witnessed a player nicking the ball behind but not walking as the umpire didn't give the decision because he didn't hear it.

I can totally understand and agree with the umpire not to give the batsman out as he can only give what he sees/hears and in this case didn't hear anything.

However, I would like to throw the topic out there to see how many batsmen actually walk nowadays or wait until the umpire gives them.

It would be great to get some replies as I was under the belief that most people walked and sportsmanship was still alive and well within the game.

It would also be interesting to hear from players in the premier league as someone said to me that most of them don't walk because of the pressure they are under playing for top clubs.

Interesting topic and looking forward to hearing some replies.

Rodney

I think that's a good idea from M.Parks!

Maybe to allocate clubs that turn out the odd umpire or two from within their own ranks on some sort of regular basis a preference, when it comes to who's fortunate enough to have umpires for the various N.C.U.league & Cup matches.

And fair play to Victoria, for a Cricket club that play in the lowest senior league and aren't always guaranteed umpires for their matches, they have more than their fair share of 'men-in-the-blue-shirt' out on 'active duty', doing their bit for the cause...And speaking for myself enjoying the experience !

On a seperate issue, it's great reading the recent encouraging chat on here.. how to improve local cricket and I know alot of hard hours are being put in by the Task force etc. but yet again another poor weekend just past weather wise, with alot of cricket matches wrecked once more.

Not just the players that get 'cheesed off', but symphathy has to go to match secretarys,etc. and ofcourse the poor old captains of the teams, must be very frustrating keeping moral high never mind all the phone calls that are made and re-made again !

No doubt when the kids go back to school(& the cricket season is over) we'll get an Indian summer !!

Couple of positives.

Played a 3rd X1 game yesterday at Muckamore and had one of the best cricket teas ever. Choice of tea AND coffee, beautiful sandwiches (including Veda) assortment of sweet offerings as well as yoghurt and fruit, all served up on a china plate. Well done Muckamore on that bit of effort well appreciated by the players. puts many other clubs to shame....not to be named... who dish up hard sarnies from tin toil washed down by juice in a plastic cup!!)

Other is with all this umpire talk there is an article on Bobby Kane on the Woodvale site which shows that it takes a certain individual to umpire with that sometimes needed sense of humour.

If anybody would like tickets (seated together), send me a text (07584087730) or e-mail (mparks05@qub.ac.uk).

Tickets will be at cost price.

I'll be out of the country until Wednesday, but will get back to you and post tickets asap.

Ire v Eng (Clontarf 25th Aug)
NDCC will be running a bus to the match with a limited number of bus plus match ticket packages available. Cost £45 per adult / £30 youth.
Text Ryan - 07988937391

The problem of biased club umpires can be sorted by introducing an odd number of teams per league. In the week where there is no match, that team will be responsible for sending 2 players to each of the games (obviously only works up to 11-team leagues; 5 games to umpire per week). This way, all clubs are guaranteed umpires without motive, it assists the NCU by providing umpires and, who knows, some players may even find they enjoy umpiring and look to take it up on a regular basis.

Would it be possible to only assign umpires to those clubs which have umpires on the list? Thus providing an incentive.....

I am pleased that there is a healthy debate in relation to proposed new structures and changes to NCU but you are forgetting a very important issue. We are experiencing problems with the recruitment of Umpires and without them how will you play your games? We urgently require umpires from all clubs to come forward and attend our training to allow for all games to be catered for. We were down to the bare bones a few weeks ago and credit to Ian Houston once again for getting umpires to turn up and assist. I believe that the current President of Cricket Ireland and Paddy O'Hara looked after a fixture at Templepatrick and we are most grateful for their assistance but this should not be the case. There are clubs who do not have any umpires on the list at moment and yet they expect to be supplied on a Saturday. It is time to pay attention to this issue. It can no longer be forgotten. Being an Umpire in today's game is more than simply looking after a league fixture. The opportunities for match officals beyond the local game are endless. Elevation to the ICC list provides you with the chance to take part in games across Europe and Mark Hawthorne's elevation to the Elite Panel of Umpires illustrates that you can achieve great things with a little effort and hard work. So while you are debating the future add Umpiring to the agenda.

Re - Mathew and Starring

Get all clubs to submit Passport sized pics for all Player Registrations/Starrings - should be a simple task to compile such a Database