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sorry Vic but having been around a long time doesn't mean that I am all that old - I started early! Still I do recall, as a young lad, playing against Willie Andrews at Comber and George Orr of YMCA. 1930 would be a bit before my time but the late Eddie Mulholland spoke on a couple of occasions about playing for Muckamore against a team called Ophir - from the conversations they didn't seem to be around for too long (Eddie was certain that Muckamore dismissed them for 8 or 9!) but that would be the same area as Hyde Park. Don't know if there was any connection between them & the rugby club of the same name that is still "alive and (I hesitate to say) kicking" - that would be more relevant in the Smokey McKeown/ Marty Morrison era of the 70s & 80s! Oh no - there I go again. But thinking back on the level of scoring in the not too distant past - and hearing all the adverse comments about the standards of pitches - still recall Ian Callendar's comments about the School's Cup final pitch at Muckamore and smile when I saw Jason Van Der Merwe get 100 2 days later on the same one! but what would I know? - but I digress. 35 years ago 120 - 130 was a competetive score and anything over 150 was almost a guarantee of victory. Nowadays scores of 180 - 200 are the norm.

Thanks Andy, think I will move my post over to the other site although Micheal Taylor was good enough to get back to me with some info. Unfortunatley I will be writing my masters dissertation next summer so wont be back playing, hopefully I will be back the year after (If I can get a job!). Think I remember the occasion that you refer to although I didnt get his wicket as I recall!

All the best

John

Previous to my last post,
The full name of the Cup my late grandfather's team won in 1930 was the McMullen Memorial Cup !
If that helps stir anyones memory ?

(Boy Clarence,you don't hang about with the postings! Great stuff).

Andy, while your there and since you and my young fella started it all going.
In my own father's study there is a picture of a cricket team hanging on the wall.
Now I know this may even test your memory and knowledge of local cricket,but the picture refers to a team known as 'Hyde Park Boys Auxiliary C.C.', winners of the Memorial Cup 1930.
Although the team has boys in their name the photo is of a mixture of young men and some older chaps.
The reason for my interest is one of the players in the picture is my grandfather 'Orr Boomer' sadly long since deceased.
Other names in the picture are,Tommy Gamble' Arthur McGladdery, Rev.A Mullholland, and President W.Finney?
My grandfather lived in the Mallusk area and Hydepark was his actual address where they lived.

Any info would be greatly appreciated from yourself or any of our other experienced readers from the Templepatrick,Ballyclare area; who may have heard of this team and I'll pass it on to my own Father.
Thanks Vic.

John - if it was in the Slough area there would be no problem but I suggest a posting on the Cricket Europe site may bring a response. Sorry you won't be at T'patrick next reason - really enjoyed watching you hypnotising a particular batsman earlier this year. Talk about a rabbit caught in the headlights!!

Hi

Im currently studying in Leicester and so wont be coming home this year to play cricket - I was wondering if any of the forumites have any experiance playing cricket in the Leicester area and if they could put me in contact with someone so that I can try and join a club for next year. Any help would be appreciated

John

i would like to add my old team to the list of old clubs EWARTS C.C

Recent postings about the club scene in the 1950's have been really interesting.

Last year a friend unearthed a copy of Ireland's Saturday Night from summer '56. It contained all league tables for NCU 1st XIs. The Senior League had 12 teams, then there was a
Senior Qualifying League with 9 teams
and a Qualifying League with, I think, 6 sections of 8 teams. This meant nearly 70 clubs playing Saturday cricket.

I take Ivan's point about more clubs then, but did necessarily mean more people playing? I was only a youngster in the 50's but my vague memories suggest that there was a lot less 3rd and 4th XI cricket. Is it the case that we have maybe as many people playing now -- but for fewer clubs who have more teams. I'd be interested in the views of people like Paddy who were playing in those days.

Vic,
Yes we have. Many forumites know of Jeff (Weedy) Maguire. He is your typical clubman. Always wanting the best for Dundrum. Bollocking players for not turning up at practice. Enticing young people to the club, always on the look out for new signings. Dealing with the press, etc. Dundrum CC would not be the same if he wasn't involved. It's a pity his tips for the gee gees are poor though.... lol

Congratulations to all involved on the excellent news regarding the most welcome funding Woodvale CC have received for ground development.

A big "Thank You" to all involved in securing the funds. All your hard work and effort paid off.

Some great plans put forward regarding the development of the Ballygomartin Road ground.

Looking forward to some exciting times ahead. On AND Off the field.

Cheers Stevie,I think like yourself there's alot of fun and pleasure gained from cricket,not just from playing ourselves, but playing with and helping bring on the younger players too.
And ofcourse in the case of our Gerald and a few others in our club,playing with the more senior guys who apart from themselves don't realise that their best playing days are long since gone, and still wonder why they are not opening the bowling,batting etc.

I'm sure Dundrum and many other clubs have characters just like that as well!

gordon no such game as hurly and we have more south africans in irish team than england do

Vic Jons - Poet Laureate 2009

It was the Creamline Cup of 73'
When he made local histor'ee
Against Waringstown he had 10 for 33,
The fast bowler,they could not tame
Yes Gerald Johnston was the name!!

Thats what he tells me anyway Greg??

good to see an irish man top score for england last week with eoin morgan batting superbly i seen a few hockey and hurly shots in his stroke play maybe k.p has got a few tips from him as i dont think they play hurly in south africa when he was growing up or mr trot either.lol