Forum

Twenty teams in T20.

I think the problem is that you would have too many meaningless matches or one sided affairs. It tends to be the top clubs who get the most committed players. Why not have a top 8 team competition held over 4 Sundays then a Finals day..

Two sections of 4 with playing each other home and away. That's 6 games per club but have each club host a "Super Sunday " when they play the other 3 teams. 1st game at 10.30am 2nd game at 1.50 pm and 3rd game at 5.30pm.

That day the club could enter into the T20 carnival atmosphere with kids amusements, bbq, music and beer promotions. Make it a real family day out. Maybe have the semi and finals on 12th July and have it grant aided as part of the OrangeFest activities which the government is keen to promote.

With 2 venues operating on each of the Super Sundays all the press and spectator focus would be on those two grounds. Especially if they are family friendly. Get one of the breweries involved as sponsors ( who better to sponsor a T20 than TennenTs.).

Each club only has to host one Super Sunday per season so it could be planned as a carnival event with all sorts of OFF field activities. Attract the people who want a day out as well as those interested in seeing the best cricketers play in a highly charged atmosphere. This format means that the away team can choose when they arrive. They can make it a day out watching the other games or simply turn up for their own game and go home again.

as you say Ivan - our T/20 is only cricket. When it was introduced there was the coloured clothing (taken up by some clubs), etc. But the travelling to away mid-week matches, weather, etc. didn't help. Cricket in Ireland is very much a minority sport and will remain so. The reported 300+ attendance on Thursday is a big improvement on the West Indies A game but again there is a lack of media coverage and this is despite a former NCU President being an BBC NI ex-Controller. Where is the report of yesterday's game in today's Newsletter? about 12 pages in behind stories about golf & the new Liverpool manager. I have posted before about the Radio Ulster Saturday night cricket input - blink at 11:00 p.m. and you've missed it yet on Sundays we get every GAA result from every hole in the hedge. My big pal McDowell tells the story, and you've heard it Ivan, about the Boat Race coverage taking precedence over a local Big Two football derby. The bottom line is "it depends who is in charge". Newsletter

Andy Kennedy T20 .

I read an article in the Daily Mail by Martin Samuel last week that highlighted the dramatic fall in attendances of this year's T20 competition at county level. He put it down to the fact that those that attended in the early days loved all the hype and razamataz and the chance to have a drink with your mates in the open air after work. Maybe a few dancing girls to make it even more fun AND the only bit they didn't like was the cricket.

Our T20 competitions were ONLY cricket. Is there any appetite for cricket outside of Saturday anymore ?

interesting to see "visitor's" comments about T/20 and while he is referring to the NCU competition, his posting comes at a time when the County players are questioning the value of the competition in England. I predict the NCU one will go the same way as the East Antrim League, the Mid- Ulster Cup and the other mid-week competitions that we used to have.

"the other semi-final"? - as I posted earlier it appears that, despite the info on the NCU site, this game will now be played at Shaw's Bridge on 20th with a 6:00p.m. start.

Is last nights semi a final nail in the coffin of this competition?

No Bushe, McCallan, Hall or Kidd for Waringstown....disappointing

ci 136 mccord 60 odd some big sixes . waringstown 90 lee nelson top score both teams missing a few ( hall kyle bushe ) , there was young lad johnny fielded superb for ci . best side won on the night an have say craig mcmillan slow stuff is class too watch as its very slow an hard too resist staying in yur crease even for 52 yr old .the other semi isnt over think .the home side had 4 run outs maybe 5 but this ben mccord was worth the trip and possibly a irish passport will get him irish cap this year as he is quality all rounder an only 22 ,

Well done CIYMS winning the 20/20 semi final at the lawn and it was a super performance by all rounder Ben McCord ( runs wickets runouts ) he hits the ball a mile leaving CI two cup finals last weekend in july. Lee Nelson also looked a top class player for the villagers on a super cricket ground the lawn.

thanks if called off early be good post on here .

The 20/20 game tonight vs ciyms is currently due to go ahead at 6.15. the club would also like to thank clarence on his excellent article and thank him for his kind words.

Any word if 20/20 game at lawn is on between waringstown v ciyms ? should be worth run up if also any other games on tonight ? many thanks , ps test match at lords off for bad light can they not turn on the floodlights ?

One good thing about no scheduled matches for sect. 3 clubs Sat past, there'll be no need for rearrangments etc. unlike for all the other leagues, so well played the Section 3 league secretary..... a masterful piece of forward planning !

At least one game did play to a conclusion last Saturday, Robbie Streat of Victoria clocked up over 50 odd runs playing for the 3rds-v-Academy thirds, down at Lurgan Pk.

It seems that all the 'oiling' he claimed to do pre-season, has indeed prevented the woodworm from eating the usual big 'hole' in the middle of his new bat ! So well played Robbie too... although I fear it won't last !!!

just a note of warning for anyone who may have been going to Shaw's Bridge on 14th for T/20 cup Instonians - v - Muckamore - it might not be on that date.

interesting comments on the calling of "wides". From my earliest days at school with the late Tom Greenwood the whole thrust was trying to get guys to bowl "one side of the pitch".

Hopefully the weather forecast is wrong, otherwise there will not be much cricket played this weekend.