Forum

Andy,

Some interesting thoughts. I think the key issue is that it can’t be a one size fits all league structure may not be the way forward. I think that the Saturday Sunday question will always be there with our weather. Also the training issue is completely separate there are good and bad trainers at every club. Some at our Club may not be regulars at training but will play every week. My concern is that the reduction matches which is bound to happen with eight team leagues across the board will not make the less committed more committed but lead to the more committed becoming less so as Mark alluded to.

Regarding free block Saturdays I like the theory but the practicality for it to work would require that the Saturday be left free for when there was a compete wipe out of league fixtures as otherwise logistically it wouldn’t work out as people would go to that date “on a first called off basis”. Would it also apply to Junior League who maybe are due to play on the ground that day thus meaning they have to rearrange?

Hopefully all these discussions are taken forward to the meetings.

NCU Senior working group

Firstly, congratulations to the NCU and this committee on taking steps to improve local cricket. Let’s hope we as clubs can get on board to create a good model.

I agree with a lot that Neil and Mark have said and here are some further thoughts.

It is good to get the debate going and people ideas before the roadshows.

• League Structures
Obviously we don’t want to reduce both the amount of cricket games and the overs played so therefore how about creating a structure that is manageable and realistic considering weather and timescale.
Our 1st XI seem to have been playing Saturday and Sunday forever this season and we need to look after our players with regards to rounded individuals with balanced lifestyles and their fatigue. Always playing does not always mean you are getting better, although it can contribute. To really progress, players need time to get quality practice sessions under their belt and work on certain aspects of their game – that is the key – the match is were it all comes together.
With 37 NCU teams, how does this sound ?
Sections with 8, 8, 8, 8, 5
The bottom section with 5 teams play each other 3 times , therefore 12 league games ( same as currently ).
This means each league contains teams of similar standard and is competitive . We suggest talk to the 5 / 6 clubs who may find themselves in the bottom section and get their opinion on this. If the bottom league has 10 - 13 teams there will be too much of a gap between top and bottom standards and this will not do anything to promote their cricket. Easy wins and heavy defeats means nobody learns or benefits or progresses. Might be worth talking to the teams who have yo-yoed between Sect 2 and 3 to get their opinion on this. TCC have been on this journey and jumping standards was not easy.

Current rearrangements policy
The fact that matches are decided by 20 overs or are even voided means the weather is determining results and leagues and not the cricket. If there were 8 teams in the league this would hopefully free more dates for rearrangements. After all we should want to actually play in cricket matches.

We believe 1st XI cricket should be 50 overs with the introduction of Duckworth Lewis to take into consideration conditions and will mean less need for rearrangements and help these circumstances. If conditions are conducive and umpires and captains agree that full games can be played then get people playing.
Perhaps 8 teams in a league will free up Saturdays. We suggest that free block Saturdays are set and these are then allowed to be used as backups for cancellations. Eg - Sat 2 July - no fixtures are arranged for this date until fixtures have been cancelled and need arranged after season has started. This will reduce the Saturday / Sunday scenarios.

Any thoughts ?

Midweek 20 over rearrangements. This week Bangor travelled to Ballymena for a 5pm start. To be there and get properly prepared would mean leaving Bangor at 3pm. Similarily for Ballymena players working maybe in Belfast or Lisburn. Inevitably that means taking a half day. Why not start at 2.30pm and play say 40 overs? Then guys might be more keen to take the time off.

enjoyable debate on the forum at present with lots of positive comment. To throw something else into the mix - what about the re-introduction of the "bonus points" system that existed a few years ago? I'm sure there are some forumites who can recall the details!

Fair enough Ed, see your point�

However it doesn�t really work anyway� we still have 3 attempts in the 1st round so there�s Sundays taken up with the 2nd attempt on 1st round matches & if your in the crazy number of Cups & doing well then your Saturday League fixture that falls on the same day as a Cup is then moved to a Sunday.

So why not bin one Cup & only have 2 attempts for all League matches & if captains want to play on a Sunday that�s free with the 3 options available for the 2nd attempt then go for it, if not then play a T20 mid week. I still feel most would take the (3 option) Sunday option� certainly towards the end of the season when the title race/relegation zone heats up!

Plus all 2nd attempts to be able to play on Mats if umpires state or captains agree.

Failing all that� ?

It is with great sadness that I have to announce the passing away of our former Chairman and dear friend, Alwyn Orr. Alwyn umpired for many years in the NCU and will be fondly remembered for his dedication and support for the local game. NIACUS has lost a true friend and we will also remember him as the first editor of our newsletter, the Follow On and his work paved the way for our members to be kept updated on news and events.

Alwyn will be buried at Roselawn on Monday 8th August at 2.30pm.

A small issue I picked up on by Ed…

Currently… T20 rearrangements on a Sunday.

Surely it makes more sense if you have a Sunday free to use it… or you just run the risk of bad light & weather determining the outcome during a weeknight fixture.

By playing on a Sunday with an 11am start as a T20 you then have all day to be on & off with covers etc and it still gives you a far better chance of a team getting a result.

By playing mid week over a free Sunday you are running the risk of no points for either side… I’d rather have 7-8 hours to get a result than a no result deciding it on a bad weeknight. That could be your league gone or even relegation with a no result!

That said even as a family man of 14 months!

If our Summers were lets say like a Summer then yeah go for midweek, that makes perfect sense but this place does know how to rain…

Into the future… 2 attempts only per match!

*** Please note times will be explained in summary below paragraph ***

Hutchy makes a good point, if we turn up on a last chance (2nd attempt) fixture and the big blue is out & forecast good then lets play/start as a 50 over match starting at 11am (Sunday’s only). If the weather doesn’t look so flash then lets say if you haven’t started the match by 12:24pm on the last chance (2nd attempt) fixture then it atomically becomes a T20 as soon as you can get started after 12:24pm. In the case where you have started at 11am or anytime before 1pm but less than 10 overs of the match has been completed by 1pm then it is scraped & a T20 will apply from 1pm onwards.

Summary: (last chance only/2nd attempt)

Option 1: 11am or anytime before 1pm start with 10 overs or more completed by 1pm = 50 over/reduce DL game.

Option 2: 11am or anytime before 1pm start with less than 10 overs completed by 1pm = T20 match starting anytime from a 1pm.

Option 3: If no play before 12:24pm due to weather/ground = T20 match starting anytime after 12:24pm – this is due to taking 4 minutes per over off from 1pm (9 overs total, 1 over short of being able to play a 50 over/reduced DL match)

Note: If the original fixture that was washed out was say in June then you should have until the end of July (but 1st available date for both clubs within the timeframe) to complete the fixture, this would hopefully allow you to have a Sunday free to use even if in a Cup run. In the case where there is no Sunday free over/during this period then it would have to be forced as a mid week T20.

Just my point of view…

Personally I love playing cricket (well apart from this season when I could quantify the matches ive enjoyed into overs) but this season ive found it especially hard to get players out on the pitch and so weve forfeited 3 games already this season are any other clubs finding it hard to get players on the pitch???

I had 3 promising 17-18 yr olds the past 4 years in the side but one has “found work” another “found women” and the third “retired” so maybe im like the posters on this site and enjoy getting a game of cricket during the summer but unfortunately at my club anyway everyone seems to be the opposite

From the posts on the forum that I have read it appears that there is a general consensus that the Premier league should be eight teams, eight teams in Premier 2 is too small, and more thought needs to be given to section 2. It's good to see that there have been comments from guys like Marty, Mark, Andy and Stuart who are all playing in their respective leagues. Hopefully, the clubs will take these views forward to the meetings.

In relation to rearrangements I, like Mark, thinks that each team should have at least two opportunities to play a 50 over match as the league is intended to be a 50 over league. After that I have no real difficulties with the match going down to 20 overs if necessary to try and get played. I don’t want the old system where matches get towards the end of September and there is no appetite at all to play. One point I would make in relation to the editor's comments regarding 20 over midweek rearrangements. I agree that the theory is correct to try and keep some Sundays free and play these matches midweek but my personal experience of midweek 20 over cricket is that there is a massive reduction in the quality of cricket as there are almost more difficulties with the availability of players for midweek matches with work commitments and also many players only arrive as the game is about to begin. In 20 over cricket you need to be on your game from start and with people rushing from work and then going out to bowl or bat within five minutes of getting out of the car the matches never really have the same intensity or quality.

How do you make a proposal for the NCU AGM, and when does it have to be made?

Also, when and where are the roadshows taking place?

James disagreement is GOOD. We need many differing views not Yes men. Also some great points made by every poster re the league structures. I just hope we have healthy open discussions at the roadshows next week. Cricket isn't and should never ONLY be about the Premier League. Re Section one or Premier Two as
is suggested I think it's great that such respected figures as Mark and Neil have come out with well thought out ideas.
Weather forecast not great for Saturday and Sunday so maybe more 20 over rearrangements.

Ed's response

Marty, I would love to think you're right but over the last few years the clubs have voted to restrict the number of attempts at rearrangements and shortened these to 20 overs, I don't think that really shows that people want to play more cricket...

Ed,

I agree with you and Marty. At first, I was amazed that the 20 over rearrangement rule was voted in, but on further reflection, we had a few terrible summers, weather wise, and the top teams, who had cup runs, were really struggling to get fixtures played. I think, at that stage, a lot of people were fed up; I know I was.

Thinking about Premier 2, it doesn't sit well with me that players could wake up on a beautiful June Sunday and have no option, but to play 20 overs. Could match 2 start as 50 overs and, in the event of poor weather, be reduced to 20 overs?

I also believe that given the lack of cup runs for Premier 2 teams, they should have 2 opportunities to rearrange matches so that players can get full value out of their subscriptions.

Neil, Hutchy and Marty here here.
8 team leagues belew premier league is absolute madness. More cricket you play the better you get not the less you play. Might try and tell the skipper im not praticing as much because it'll make me a better player!!
I for one don't want to be sitting on my arse on a sunny saturday mid july saying wish we had a game today.
I would also change league games to 40 overs starting at noon.

Ed,

Fair point made regarding voting for less re-arrangements, but perhaps this was in the aftermath of a particularly bad summer or if there were teams refusing to play Sundays?
Clubs will have to think long and hard about these proposals and actually know what they are voting for or against at the AGM. As we know, this isn't always the case.
The real issue is of how to get people to keep playing, take the game up or come back playing. Numbers are dwindling and would back up the theory that cricket in this country is a dying sport. There will obviously be success stories, but overall there are less people playing the game.
I for one don't think that by offering less, you get more.

Ivan - look at the experience of All Ireland rugby where it was purported to be "best-v-best". Now main emphasis is on the Ulster/Leinster/Munster teams and club rugby is nowhere. The large crowds that used to attend league matches are now at Ravenhill on a Friday instead of club matches on a Saturday - and the number of teams is continually being reduced. The mighty Malone who used to boast 12 - 14 teams is down to 4 or 5 is one example. there are so many similarities in the way our game is going. As for some clubs not providing teas - this is disgraceful as it is an integral part of the match although there is at least one club where this may not be a negative thing as their teas are awful. No names but I'm sure players will know who I mean!!