Forum

Dear All,
I'm the skipper of a side from Oxford touring Belfast this week. Sadly we've had 2 of our 4 opponents pull out in the last month and haven't been able to get replacements. If anyone could point us in any direction to find a last-minute fixture on any of Friday, Saturday or Monday we would be so grateful.
We're a touring standard- some good and some not so good players. Friendly bunch of lads who know each other from when we were at Uni together.
My apologies for what may be a slightly off topic post.
All best,
SamuelPacker@gmail.com

I’ve been having a brainstorm in how to improve cricket locally as I think it’s fair to say it could be better in terms of not only quality but more importantly participation. From personal opinion, I think it’s fair to say that T20 Cricket is on the rise and probably within 5 years time will overtake other forms of the game due to its massive popularity. So, I’ve been thinking how we can incorporate more T20 cricket into the Summer while also not compromising the League games as well across most of the senior leagues. I will base this idea mainly on Section 1 & 2 leagues as this is probably what it is best suited to.

So, for League games I propose that in a 10 team league each team will play each other once whether it be Home or Away. That would equate to 9 games and each team in the leagues would be designated a local rival where they would play both Home & Away (5 games at Home & Away for each team). For example, in Section 1, it could be Cliftonville & Academy, Lurgan & Donaghcloney Mill and Bangor & Holywood etc... Each team would then be guaranteed 10 league games a season. Once each team has played 10 games then the bottom 2 teams in Section 1 are relegated to Section 2 and the remaining 8 teams move towards a quarter final stage where based on league position 1st plays 8th, 2nd plays 7th, 3rd plays 6th & 4th plays 5th. Teams who finish in the Top 4 would be at home. Semi Final draw could then be a random draw or be based of the league positions. For Section 2 this would be the same format and for which team gets relegated then the bottom 2 teams would play each other in a play-off match potentially (I’m not 100% sure how it works in Section 2 & 3 but with 7 teams in Section 3, maybe this would be best). If a team goes the whole way then its 13 league games, a reduction of 5 games currently and each game would be of huge importance to make sure you get a good league position and then move towards a knock-out scenario where every game matters.

To incorporate more T20 cricket for teams in Section 1 & 2 we could have a similar format to that of the league whereby each team plays each other once (Maybe a reverse of fixtures to that of the league to keep things fair). Each team would also have the same local rival again as explained above where they play each other Home & Away. So, 10 games guaranteed in a league format with then quarters, semi’s & a final to follow (same format as the 50 over league), so potentially again 13 games to play. With there being a reduction in league games by between 5-8. Then some of these free weekends could be used to play a T20 match on say a Saturday afternoon/evening and with the growing popularity of this form of the game then clubs could promote these games heavily and have different events on such as BBQ’s, music playing, events for the kids etc… and larger numbers turning out for these games compared to some league games would bring some much needed revenue for some clubs behind the bar. This could allow clubs to draw back some players who maybe can’t play a full 50 over league game nowadays which can take 10 hours out of your day due to other commitments as is with the way of the world today. To incorporate the rest of the games in the T20 league then games can also be played on a midweek evening as is the case at the moment. To also maximise the popularity of T20 the NCU could potentially organise a finals weekend at one of the premier league grounds whereby you could have the Section 1 & 2 finals on a Saturday followed by on the Sunday by the Premier League T20 final.

Looking at it as a whole, teams in Section 1 & 2 would play a minimum of 20 games and a maximum of 26 in these leagues across the year (not including challenge cups etc). Potentially this would be a small increase of games but with more T20 games played both on a weekend & midweek then I don’t think this would put a strain on clubs and if anything actually improve the health of clubs across the NCU. Also, to make sure then that the 50 over League remains the most important, teams’ promotion & relegation between Premier League, Sections 1, 2 & 3 will be based on what happens in the 50 over league, not the T20 League/cup.

Thanks Caleb, that match was heart stopper all the way to the last ball. Thanks to the Victorians for visiting and making the game one to remember.
I can't see us playing in the senior league anytime soon, but there is an open invitation to any team to visit Chambers park and play us.
T20 Friday evening or Sunday afternoon. Just give us a weeks notice to get a pitch prepared.
portadowntavernerscc@gmail.com.

Hats off to Alan Chambers, Geordie Hamill and their Taveners cricket team!

A fine pool of cricketers who hosted a friendly and very competitive T20 match against a Victoria select this evening, winning the game of the very last ball.

Here's hoping with the elevation of Ireland to test status and all the lucrative trappings associated with same, an influx of this revenue will filter down to grassroots level so enthusiast cricket men like Alan & George are fully supported and encouraged by our Union and perhaps in the very near future, Portadown C.C. can once again be a major force in the NCU leagues?

Good luck guys!

Congrats Cricket Ireland on Test status. Monumental result and step forward for Irish Cricket. Can I however ask all opinions on the Brexit type question now the votes are in. What will be the actual/perceived impact on club cricket as a result?

It's official!
Congratulations Warren and Ros and everyone associated with Cricket Ireland. They have made a massive step forward in Irish cricket.
Warren added;
Cricket Ireland Chief Executive Warren Deutrom said: “We are delighted and proud with today’s historic announcement. It is an extraordinary testament to the talent and endeavour of thousands of passionate players, coaches, volunteers, staff, clubs and committee people.
“We would like to thank most sincerely the ICC and its members for bestowing this honour on us today. It is a reflection not just of our past achievements but of our potential to grow our great game. We shall spend the next 24 hours marking the moment and celebrating this great day for Irish cricket and next week the hard work of planning to transition to full membership and Test status begins in earnest.”

Well done to Ryan Eagleson on his achievement. Thanks to John Quinn's dedicated scoring at Academy over the past 35 years we have complete 1st XI stats since 1983!

So, we can add David Greenlees with 10 998 runs, 637 wickets and, for good measure, 234 catches.

First post on here in a few years, but certainly a great story to see Eagie get to 10000 runs - kudos for such unbelievable loyalty as I'm sure there's been lots of offers turned down.

Whilst not being totally sure of exact stats, I would suggest Taimur Khan and Ryan Haire have both also comfortably passed this amount in their 15 and 20 respective years playing for North Down. Andrew White must be fairly close also with Instonians over the last 15 years.

Stats

A superb achievement from Ryan Eagleson and great loyalty also.

Two Waringstown players have hit 10k+ runs:
Garfield Harrison - 11,491
Ivan Anderson - 10,520.

Interestingly, James Hall is not far off with 8,556 as of September 2016.

Top wicket takers:
Garfield Harrison - 858
Ivan Anderson - 745

A word of thanks to John Boomer (I think) who was involved in compiling Waringstown stats from 1916-2016. All in the WCC website.

Enjoyed Alistair bushe article last week on ryan eagleson scoring 10000 first eleven runs for carrick. How many other people would have scored 10000 senior runs for one club?
Do all clubs keep records of these type of stats?
Any names spring to mind?

Ah Nile - those were the days! I recall the nights Flossie and the ladies committee spent working out the tea rota when the fixtures were finalised so that the wives/girlfriends/ mothers of the players on the home teams could be allocated the appropriate slot! And yes - full salads. Maybe children were easier to rear in those days and even though we had working wives we didn't hear talk of 'me' time. Of course there weren't so many Sunday competitions so it was almost exclusively Saturday fixtures. I wouldn't dare comment as to where it went into decline but paper cups and plates with tea from flasks doesn't really cut it. On the plus side I must admit to looking forward to Wallace Park on Sunday - tradition still exists in some places!!

Teas

Younger players will laugh at this but when I started in NCU, most cricket teas were quite civilised affairs. The players were notified that tea was ready to be served then you were invited to sit at a long table set with salad on a proper plate with a knife and fork provided. A selection of cakes followed with tea ladies (and gentlemen) roving around with vast urns dispensing top-ups of freshly-made brew to your crockery cup.

You then went and thanked the ladies for a lovely tea (maybe bringing through your plate to the kitchen) before resuming hostilities on the field. Each club had a rota for tea ladies / tea people.

Looking back it all seems to have changed around the time of the introduction of sandwiches / sausage rolls and a self-service buffet style approach along with disposable paper plates.

It was only 35 years ago but does seem to be a different era!

Totally agree with Neil Fullerton's comments about cricket teas, a now totally outdated tradition which could easily be done away with. Hassle for home teams and adds time on unnecessarily. 15 minute break between innings and anyone in need of a drink or snack can bring their own.

Adds to the stuffy, stuck up image that many outsiders have of cricket, but merely my own personal opinion.

The topic of the time taken for junior league matches raises its head from time to time on this Forum and I would put forward a few suggestions that may help. (I) don't continually bring a guy up from long-on/off to bowl at the other end. (II) don't waste time taking helmets to the boundary only to bring it back the whole way at the next over from that end. (iii) the incoming batsman doesn't have to wait until his dismissed colleague reaches the boundary. (iv) is it necessary to have a long discussion about field placing at the end of EACH over. (v) do the batsmen have to have a similar discussion at the end of the over. (vi) it is permitted to jog to position at the end of the over. With a bit of improved thought and time management I'm sure that at least 30 minutes could be knocked off each innings.

Owen thanks for the posting. I could challenge some of your assertions and indeed provide some clarification as to why things turned out the way they did for our 3rds between Friday and Saturday morning. However you seem to be missing my point- why the need to claim the game. There are 3 months left of the season, our two ground are only 15 minutes apart so a midweek game could easily be arranged and based on the league table you are not that far behind in games compared to everyone else. Also it seems rather contradictory to be taking about playing a friendly later in the season after claiming the league points. I wish you well for the rest of the season.