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Hi Ed
Sorry to have mentioned the Brexit word, it will not be spoke about by me ever again.
The Border League which I mentioned should it be the case it was to increase clubs would the NWCU, Connacht Cricket or even Dundalk, Knockharley and Ashbourne be considered if so it would possibly be a good thing with say festivals and some more funding from CI or Sport Ireland in south and its equivilent in the north for ground and building improvements. Also on this topic of The Border League where could I find results during the season will it be announced on the fourm or on a differing site.
On to Ireland Mens matters, I was very encouraged by the performance vs. England last week, Mark Adair had a decent knock on debut and the top 3 got starts along with Dockrell but overall 20 runs short in my mind, the wickets we took in the catching deepartment was brilliant but a pity we could not get the foot right on their necks. Josh Little pick of the bowlers but Murtagh and Dockrell were good in their eco figures.
Then Sunday was a case of after the Lord Mayors Show vs West Indies (a side capable of winning the 8 team World Cup with 2 qualifiers, that is not a World Cup in my mind) with 2 positives was 1 Kevin O'Briens 66, 2 the 4th wicket stand with Gary Wilson and but I felt if we had have lost by only 70-80 runs in chasing it would have felt not so bad. Fielding and missed catches cost us dear in the end
Nice to see the BBC showing the matches in the tri-series but still cant access this in the south, but yet in the IPA Pool there was no bother getting the Irish event in Belfast and English one in Bradford or the current E-Prix series. Cricket Ireland needs to bang heads between a stupid rift between BBC NI and RTE about cross border issues
On to the Irish Women it was great news re the 6 part time contracts being awarded and delighted to see a NCU representitive in the side being Naomi Matthews now of Merrion and formerly of Donaghclooney Mill and I see Cara Murray of Waringstown was included in a Senior Performance Squad and Amy Hunter of Insts in a Acadamy Squad, but surely why is Hannah Grieve overlooked again possibly the best player in the NCU
Predictions in Premier League 11th May
Carrickfergus v CSNI - Away Win
CIYMS v North Down - Away Win
Lisburn v Muckamore - Away Win
Waringstown v Instonians - Home Win
Refixes 12th May
CSNI v Waringstown - Away Win
Instonians v Lisburn - Home Win
Muckamore v CIYMS - Home Win

Womens Premier League 12th May
CSNI v Lurgan (11am) - Away Win
North Down v Waringstown (1pm) - Home Win

Border league result.
Only one of the games was played on the first day of the border league.
Monaghan beat Clogher by 10 runs in a shortened game, in what was reported as being not ideal conditions for cricket.
Well done both teams for getting the match played.

Perhaps the high heid yins of CI should have spent less time in the Long Room at Lords and had a spell in the groundsman’s shed with Mike Hunt instead, they would have learned where the priorities on spending really should be focussed. This morning is embarrassing. I was criticised in the past when I posted about being a couple of steps up from village cricket. Today proves CI is not fit for purpose.

My Predictions for first match of NCU Premier League..
Carrickfergus v Instonians - Home win
Lisburn v CIYMS- Away Win
CSNI v North Down-Away Win
Waringstown v Muckamore- Home win
I think CIYMS will win the League but
I see Muckamore as dark horses this year as they significantly strengthen their team and i will not be surprised if they finish in top 4 this year.
WHAT YOU THINK GUYS...

Hobson's Choice ..

Creaking, groaning joints, aches, pains
guess my bones are getting brittle,
stiff and sore, alas, not supple anymore
a fall could see me, land in hospital

Where once I caught bolts of lightning
returned skywards, nonchalantly
these days, all I catch, the common cold
do older men, think retrospectively?

Yet, despite snow up top, fire burns below
chastens morbid thoughts of slumber,
petrichor, aroma of fresh cut grass, stirs
senses, defeatism is ripped asunder

The feel of leather, carved willow in hand
inspires, adds rhyme to reason,
better to go glorious, in company gregarious..
I'm gonna play again this season

Hi Ed in my recent posting I failed to mention Bangladesh aswell as West Indies and Zimbabwe in upcoming ODI's and T20s in the case of Zim.
Also noticed a fixture list for the Border League on the forum page will this be updated as the matches have been done on the NCU site or by good willing people who run the set up. Hope the upcomming season is a good one
Shame no Cricket happend in the NCU top 2 divisions and 1 went ahead in the top flight in the NWCU but after the week of downpours no wonder but LCU only one match bit the dust out of 12 over the weekend. Is it just that the LCU have more clout to get grounds up to scratch in terms of under ground drainage or would this be an easy thing to say.
As you may tell from my address I live south of the border in not cricket country with the nearest club being Dundalk CC and a little further away Knockharley and Ashbourne clubs in Meath, but my main point what are the NCU doing to accomidate free travel by clubs north and for clubs south with due to Brexit, I know a sore point and sport and politics should not mix but I am worried that a hard border could lead to late starts in Irish and National Cup ties and finishing on the DL Method or being rolled over into a second day
A worried fan of Cricket and other All Ireland sports please put my mind at ease Ed
Nice to see you have a second person helping out to take the weight of you

Congratulations to Phillip Black on being elevated to Vice-Presidency of Cricket Ireland scheduled to be in 2020-21.
David O'Connor from Leinster has replaced Aideen Rice as President of Cricket Ireland. She did a wonderful job and David has a tough act to follow.

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Hi Ed
It has been a while but here comes Summer 2019. I will start by looking back at Irelands winter.
The Oman T20s was ours for the taking but the bowling v Scotland was shocking in defeat and our batsmen got us out of jail v Netherlands.
The Afghans T20s could and should have been 2-1 to us, Match 1 a 6th wicket stand plus not having a extra 20 runs cost us, Match 2 less said the better re bowling but batting kept us from losing by more, Match 3 late hitting by them took the match away from us again bowling was poor.
The ODIs I was happy with and if we can find a way v Zimbabwe and West Indies this upcomming series a win is possible.
The Test match like Pakistan was lost within a Session of the match but done well to get it in to day 4.
My NWCU Premier final table in 2019 will look something like this
1 Waringstown 2 CIYMS 3 Instonians 4 CSNI 5 Carrickfergus 6 North Down 7 Muckamore 8 Lisburn
In League 1 have a hunch that Holywood will get promoted but will face oppo from Bangor and Armagh. Both promoted sides along with Creagh and Donacloney Mill could struggle.
Cup Waringstown T20 Waringstown
Womens
1 Lurgan 2 Muckamore 3 CSNI 4 North Down 5 Waringstown
Insts will win 2nd tier but Laurelvale and both 2nds will challenge them.
Cup Lurgan
Good luck to all this season

Caleb, It was Clogher and Monaghan who established the border league. They played a 7 match series over a season.
For the following season they invited Portadown and Dungannon.
Now we have a 6 team midweek league and it works because there is a demand in this area anyway for this type of local cricket. We aren't creating anything we're only using what is already there.

Clarence, when the runs & wkts begin to count against my name, be assured the poetry will flow like water of a duck's back ....
And now to a serious note...
Kudos, handshakes and pats on back to Alan Chambers, Geordie Hamill & son for not only continuing with exciting border league, midweek cricket, but I see for the 2019 season, they have built upon last summer's success by increasing team/club involvement and establishing a proper competitive, round robin tournament outside our NCU competitions!
Encouraging indeed in this modern, digital age, email/mobile phone era, where most folk only seem to step outside their comfort zone for monetary remuneration, unassuming gentlemen like Alan & George get right to the nub of problem as to how to keep the great game alive & well in our wee country.
Contrast this with certain other esteemed, cricket connoisseurs in official positions, doubtless in receipt of pro-rate salaries, yet still, year on year, they fail to grasp the basic concept...
' to win any war, boots on the ground is paramount '

Congratulations to Mr Kerstens on his recent appointment as assistant Ed here on the Ulster Cricketer, look forward to your inputs.

Who do we believe the favourites are for the league title this season chaps?

Looking to post my bag over to England from here. Anyone any tips or experience on the best way/place to do it? Please and thank you

Very sad to hear of Billy Boyd's passing. He was one of cricket's true gentlemen and a pleasure to deal with. Always had time to speak to everyone. A great loss to cricket but a bigger to loss to his family and friends. Thoughts and prayers to his wife Sandra and family at this ad time.
JK