Forum

Roger did i not read somewhere that it was proposed that if a club had no lower than a 2nd eleven like ourselves they could arrange more than the 2 games on a day other than a saturday???

(Matt, Blackie was sorting that out last week if I heard correctly at our committee meeting).

On the subject of all these changes within the league structures for next season, particularly for the Junior teams.
I for one am certainly happy enough with the proposed changes, it should help balance things out a bit for the various 2nd,3rd & 4th teams etc from all clubs.

A good example of how mismatched it was for instance, was a league match involving my own club V.C.C. earlier this season, Armagh 2nd's-v- Victoria 2nds ? A tough match (for us), to say the least !

The issue here ofcourse is that it is hardly a fair contest when their 1st eleven were playing section 1 cricket, Victoria.. section 3 !

Anyway if you want my opinion, we should all abide by what has been set out for us next season, the N.C.U. worked very hard and diligently to reach out to all clubs and meet the grassroot cricketing fraternity in order to guage points of view and feedback and what's on the table now should be good enough for everyone.

There was nobody more than me, who used to 'sound-off' on these very forums about what should be or should not be, but a little knowledge in the wrong hands can be a very dangerous & devicive concoction, so it's best to allow the people who hold rank within the union to get on with their good work and for the rest of us to support them and keep enjoying playing cricket.

Roll on next April & God-bless you all.... Vic Johns.

Re M Parks

Don't panic! Victoria have entered

Robert...Could you give a list of clubs who haven't applied? Just so that I can ensure that we are not on it.

PS: A reminder to clubs that today is the deadline for NCU competition entries for the 2011 season. I understand that, despite Clubs being given an extra month this year, a few have still not responded, and would remind them that they should do so immediately using the new on-line Club Information Entry System if they wish to play in NCU competitions in 2011.

Thank you for the support shown on this forum following the unjustified criticism of the Junior Cricket Taskforce's excellent work.
We do not intend to stop there and intend to consult with clubs again on a number of issues with a view to putting some more proposals to the 2011 AGM.
A number of issues have arisen since the AGM and we are looking at these. Should the 21 clubs remaining after the creation of the two 8 team Premier leagues be split 10/11 rather than 8/13 as they will be in 2012 if there is no proposal to the contrary? Should it be 2 up 2 down or 1 up 1 down between the new Premier/Senior Leagues?
The new Junior League set-up starts in 2011 and as Robert Best points out, unless there is a rule change there will be no promotion in the Junior Leagues at the end of next season. It is not possible to reduce Junior 1 to 8 teams for 2011 as this requires a rule change, but if there is a proposal that Junior 1 remains at 10 teams after 2011, then 2 up 2 down promotion and relegation shall apply in all the Junior leagues at the end of next season. As Robert also quite rightly says, the Competitions Directorate has decided that to assist clubs who may be struggling to field lower teams, for next season at least we will only insist that Clubs' 1st and 2nd XI's schedule no more than 2 fixtures for days other than a Saturday, and allow 3rd XI's and below to play at any other mutually agreed time. We will also be asking clubs not to schedule fixtures after the second weekend in September at fixture meetings, which are due to take place in the week commencing 11th January.
We look forward to consulting with clubs on these and other issues in the near future.

Jason,

Yes, the changes are going in for this coming season and Millpark 2s will be in Junior 3 next year (Most of top 6 from last years 2-3 and then the bottom two from last years 2-2).

Due to the birth of my son i havent been on here in ages and to save me sifting through 10 pages as captain of Millpark 2nd XI are the junior proposals being brought in for the upcoming season or is the season after next??? i think we came 3rd in 2-3 so what section will we be in for the upcoming season????

Re Junior Cricket Task Force

First of all I would like to thank the task force for their work as clearly getting such a broad motion passed at the AGM shows its popularity (Despite what has been said it certainly was not unanimous, but that is splitting hairs)

On the whole, the restructuring should work well. I think placing 3-1 above most of 2-3 is probably the right move. Ideally I would have split the remainder of 2-3 in half again, and placed the top half with the top half of 3-1 and the bottom half with the bottom of 3-1, but the way it has been done will do, and should be an improvement. The person posting claiming that details of the task force’s recommendations being hidden must have been living in a dream world for the past six months!

Academy CC is not happy with the reduction on overs, and stand by our principle that the idea of reducing the amount of cricket we play will lead to a better standard and more people playing is nonsense. However changes did need to be made and on the whole it looks like the task force got it right. Personally, I would have wanted the overs to be set at 40 for all games involving 2nd XI cricket; but you can't get everything.
However, I do have a major concern about the issue surround what was 2-1. With it remaining a ten team league for one season only, effectively there will be no promotion next season with 2 teams being relegated from every league. SURELY the union can sort this out by reducing 2-1 to 8 team leagues at the same time as everyone else? Otherwise the majority of teams will face a pretty pointless season with little to play for, and the idea of the new league structure will take a further year before it can be corrected through promotion and relegation.

Lastly, I would like to thank the task force for listening to clubs and agreeing to drop the frankly ridiculous proposal of forcing all but the clubs bottom team to play on Saturdays only. Had that term not been removed, I know of quite a few clubs that would not have been able to back the task forces proposals.

Vic

I would never did holes in Lurgan Park as it is one of the most beautiful places to play cricket in Ireland.

It is also the first place I sat on a roller to prepare a wicket for Lurgan. The only thing was I was aged 3 and my dad was driving !!

Andy,
Keep it quiet for now about our new club-house, it's not been made official news just yet.

What with this Victoria C.C. juggernaut building momentum at an unstoppable rate...... we would'nt want Neil and some of his mates coming down from Pollock Pk, one of these dark winter nights with (Lurgan) spades and digging holes all over our lovely pitch in the Park !!

I'm still here Neill, but I think the Australian cricket groundsmen should send for you quickly and show them how to prepare a decent wicket, that's helps the bowlers as well !!

After the expected English first innings 'wobble', everyone was talking up what a great pitch it was for playing cricket on.

I disagree, it was a terrible pitch to play TEST cricket on, they might as well have played on a taramac road with a tennis ball and if anyone doubts my criticism.... just look at how many empty seats there were all around the stadium for a 1st test Ashes series after the first day !

Here's hoping it improves for Adelade, or I might even have to go with the chaps to Mournview Pk. & watch Glenavon play football instead..perish the thought !!

Neil - I understand that Vic has been clearing the driveway to their clubhouse at Brownlow House!!

just to seek clarification from Jim - perhaps he could show where my posting was "anti-English"? I will admit to a dislike of Mr. Collingwood based on his behaviour at Stormont - and I would inform Jim that my view has been shared by many who I have met around cricket grounds all round the NCU. Does this make all those guys anti-English? I don't think so. But to the matter in hand - I always thought that the ethos of a commentator was to be fair & impartial. Unfortunately this seems to be a thing of the past - and not only in cricket. The likes of Brian Moore & George Hook (who always publicly displayed his dislike of the former Ireland rugby coach) are only 2 examples. Mr. Atherton certainly appears to be able to present both sides of a situation in a balanced manner - a fine commentator rather than a prejudiced pundit.

Andy,

With you and Vic on the forum it will never become sterilised. ( By the way where is VIC ?? )

Ivan has got it totally right in what he has said about the Task Force.

Well said Ivan