Forum

Thanks Paul. I'm not knocking your enterprise but I'm old enough to remember people like George Best calling for an all Ireland football team but the blazers in both associations buried it. You may not equate club cricket with football but both have declined a lot over the years. Club rugby isn't much better while hockey has probably not moved up or down. I don't think clubs will opt for an Ulster league just to try something different and maybe only the clubs with money will be interested. Sport is all about money these days. Club cricket is sinking and you are right to highlight the apathy amongst clubs. Most of them don't have the money to burn on paid players so maybe they think an Ulster league won't benefit them either?

Paul Stafford - "why not" an Ulster League. It would need a radical rethinking on the part of ALL clubs in order to free up time for Ulster league games. I have always held the view that between League & cup fixtures there is too much senior crciket for the temperate climate that we enjoy(!) Also take into account the option available to clubs to rearrange for the loss of International call-ups. I note that, at the time of writing,North Down have 5 games to play. It will be interesting to see how many clubs vote in favour of the 8 team sections. I have spent too many weekends hanging about for the weather to clear, walking wet grounds or getting calls about games off. Or is my thinking of a season that runs from May to August with September available for the odd rearrangement too utopian. This would also free up time for the "tour" - an institution that appears to have almost disappeared. I am sure there are some more senior forumites who can recall trips to Blackpool, the West country or to Dublin - ahh happy days!!
On a separate issue - which side has shown the more enthusiasm - the Windies earlier this season or England in the present 1 dayers??!!

Brendan
Re: Ulster League
Cricket is organised on an all-Ireland basis which means there is no real comparison to football. However many grants relating to national funding (UK) must be done on a Northern Ireland basis and I believe that is why the NICA was formed. It seems a nonsense to me that we have two Governing bodies for such a small country and for such a minority sport.

It is no surprise to me that the NCU have chosen to ignore this matter but you must remember that for most clubs the overriding emotion is apathy. Most clubs won't respond to Andy's questionnaire no matter what is proposed.

Club cricket is in a perilous state and someone has to set out a vision for the future. That's what I am trying to do as I believe that something dramatic must be done to stop in the decline in the sport. The question should not be "why have an Ulster League?" but "Why not?"

NCU Statement regarding start times:
http://www.theulstercricketer.com/news/ncu-start-times/233

sorry editor keep thinkn its sat ah well better go too work seeing its friday

Anyone no who won game at stormont yesterday?Also who have Waringstown and Instonians left too play think maybe the editor might create bit of interest on here if possible posting the remaining fixtures on here? Dundrum game at home sat is off againest Laurevale with the outfield still saturated and impossible too get cut. ps good luck too Saintfield with promotion and a 20/20 metal shield cup final againest a Downpatrick on sunday 2pm at the demense

Might have been a good idea to include a question on an Ulster league in the questionaire. I know Paul Stafford has written on it again but there doesn't seem to be much interest. Are there any clubs in the NCU that definitely want it? Had a laugh at his comments on the two sets of officials getting together. Obviously Paul hasn't followed our football friends over the years. That's one of the main reasons why there will never be an All Ireland football team.

Ed:20 over start times.

I raised this matter on a number of occasions publicly and personally with Roger Bell that the start times for a 20 over rearrangement were inconsistent. They were there for a 50 over rearrangement and needed to be amended to reflect the shorter match.

I was told that this was something that had to be fixed at an AGM which in itself is ludicrous considering at the AGM no-one even knew if this resolution would be passed.

Can you show me where in the NCU rule book that start times can be amended for the 20 over rearrangement?

Has the NCU sent out notification to all clubs informing them that this is the case ie Start times are relaxed for 20 over rearrangements?

I do not think that they have.

Therefore all matches that have started outside the scheduled start times should be declared void with immediate effect.

I have now sat at at an NCU hearing on two occasions regarding start times and the NCU have shown little or no flexibility on this issue. What has changed?

As someone who doesnt play a winter sport I must say I think the idea of an indoor winter league sounds like a great idea! Having played it years ago as a junior cricketer it is brilliant craic ( and at least it cant be rained off!)
any thoughts?

apologies to Mr. McCarter - should have read Mr. Dempster

I was also of the understanding that even the 20 over games had to start at the normal times which is why our game starts at 11:30am on Saturday. Oh well, at least we'll be finished in time to see some footy!

Not sure what Andy Kennedy if Andy Kennedy is linking me to something in his post below, I can't recall posting about umpires and scorers.

I have studied the Development Questionnaire and while it is great that people are thinking forward about local cricket, there has to be a consideration about what is and isn't financially viable for clubs if and when changes are being made.

Cheers Ed.

From Looking at the NCU fixtures for Saturday and Sunday I noticed that alot of the games have different starting times. I was of the understanding that the games should be starting at 11.30.

Is this the case?

Coloured clothing and pads for all teams? There will be big support for that proposal over at Premier Sports. They might even start stocking black paint for screens as well!