Forum

Ivan,

The playoff would be a great idea in the eight-team league set-up, but there is still no guarantee of games being cleared up on time for the best sides to meet. More chance than with ten though, and on that basis it would be a good idea.

Better to avoid playing in it though, it'd be a real cup final type game!

Ivan (I've explained this before)
Late in 2006 when the Ulster League was first mooted it came from the Cricket Development committee from within the NCU. The competition proposed was a league/cup hybrid on a Champions league format and was a genuine attempt to recognise some fundamental problems in our game. Bearing in mind most clubs who would rightly target their own leagues as a priority I felt the competition was doomed from the start. I also favoured then a return to Inter-Provincials as the preferred gap filler between club and country.

What has changed? Well the Inter-Pros won't work not least because the Ireland players with so many other committments won't play. Many of the best club players aren't interested.

The cricket both in the NW and the NCU is stale and that is why so many clubs are struggling.

I revisited the UL idea because I felt if it was ever going to work it needed to be absolute. In other words not a cup but a league and the only league you enter. I feel that this new league has huge potential and would be easier to market on a Province wide basis. There is also room for the NCU and NW to continue to run their own leagues (and Senior Cup) so that players who are recreational players can still enjoy their cricket locally.
I'm sorry Ivan if you think I scupperred your UL 2 years ago but it wasn't the right competition and the timing was wrong. It is ironic that I am criticised by you for being unoriginal and by others for being far too radical.

Those who want no change to the status quo have yet to come up with any viable proposals to stop the decline in playing numbers. The NCU own official statistics confirm that decline and that hasn't taken into account 2007 and 2008 which most people believe has accelerated the process.

You can say what you like about me but all I have ever wanted was to make the game more enjoyable for players and better to watch for spectators.

Gareth
Sorry I was suggesting the play off in an eight team league. Unlike Nile Smith I would rather see quality than quantity. By my reckoning in an eight team league would be finished by end of August with the play off first week of September.

I don't think this is a good idea. Fourteen games is not enough league cricket really. This is an over-reaction by knee-jerking band-wagonners simply because of a few wet saturdays coming late in the season.

Ivan,

I can see where you and the others are coming from with a playoff as it would potentially be a thrilling game and would allow a bit of leeway between two-up two-down in an eight team league. Unfortunately though I am not sure if it is an idea that would work in local cricket.

Imagine if there was a promotion/relegation playoff this year for example in the NCU between Sections One and Two, where would it be pencilled in with so many fixtures outstanding? Also, as seen with September cricket, it might not be a case of best teams being fielded but rather a case of who teams can gather up outside of their other rugby/football and goodness knows what other commitments. I don't know if an entire season can come down to what is destined to be a late September Saturday every year, especially when so much potentially rides on the fixture.

Very much not criticising an idea for the sake of it, because it is something I have thought about. Guess it is going to be really difficult for the NCU Directorates to get everything right for everyone.

Ivan
The game is already administered nationally for the betterment of the national team, and they don’t ‘give a toss’ about local provincial cricket, which is why it is dying on its feet, with the exception at senior level of half a dozen clubs.
Clubs will have to learn to help themselves or they are going to go by the wayside.

Michael / John
Agree that the play off idea might be beeter than automatic two up two down.

Staffy
Is it always a case with you of no original thought just the opposite view to someone else. A year or so ago when a few of us on here were proposing an Ulster League you were shooting it down on the grounds of too much travelling. Now that you have rediscovered the Glenshane Pass you think travelling isn't an issue even allowing for a massive hike in fuel prices. However I agree that your proposed UPL 1 and 2 would bring for better more competitive games. This season I haven't found myself tempted to travel to watch a game apart from the NW Cup Final , the ISC Final and a few internationals. There are too many meaningless, predictable games but I fear that this will never get off the ground as the "turkey's voting for Christmas " mindset will take over. I think we need a Howard Wells type character to railroad through a few changes and not give a toss who gets annoyed as long as it's for the best of the game locally, nationally and internationally.

Would 2 up 2 down be too much for an 8 team league? Granted it has created brilliant competition for 10 team leagues, but I'm not sure it would work for 8 team leagues. Interesting to see how the pro 40 has been set-up. Maybe we could adapt it to having a play off say between the team that finishes in 7th in section 1 against the team that finished in 2nd of section 2?

2 up 2 down in a 8 team league wouldn't work for me. Much better for 1 up 1 down and a playoff for the teams finishing 2nd bottom & runner up.

With only 14 games to play the league could finish mid August and it would still give time to organise a play off game before the end of the season. Could possibly be a two innings match over a weekend on a neutral ground which would determine the better team instead of a one off 50 over game.

50% turnover in leagues doesn't give a lot of room for midtable mediocrity, it could lead to some very exciting cricket. Hopefully future summers will allow it to be played in sunny Saturdays!

Roger and Robin

Thanks for that little bit of info. 8 team leagues will help get the best v best, but I really like the fact that there are still plenty of decisions to be made on the pitch at this stage of the season. There are very few games, even now, that are irrelevant and that should only serve to spur teams on! I have defo been a supporter of 2 up 2 down and will be sorry to see it go - if the proposals get through the AGM.

Re Robin Haire

Robin is quite right if the propsals go through at this year's AGM leagues will be reduced to 8 teams from 2010, but it's still likely to be 2 up 2 down in the nw set-up.

paul ballynahinch

paul i think next years premier league will be the last time u will see a 10 team league for the forseeable future 2010 will see an 8 team league so in 2009 2 teams will be relegated and no one promoted. after that it will be 1 up 1down.

Michael, just saying it will take me a while to get to you to buy you a pint.