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Firstly, I couldn't agree more with Ricky's comments. The uproar that has been caused over this is disappointing as ultimately this was a local guy wanting to play cricket with his mates. This should be sport in its purest form and should not hijacked by those who are either jealous or have their own agendas. Despite a lot of negativity around in some corners I am actually heartened by the ground swell of support there is that Paul played. I hope that Paul sees that as I'm sure knowing him he was not seeking any of the attention this has drawn. Through various social media forums, be it comments or even twitter polls, its obvious that most see him playing as a positive thing for the local game. This should not be surprising given the motion was heavily defeated at the NCU AGM last year.
I can't understand why people wouldn't embrace the challenge of playing against the best when it arises. I know we looked forward to playing against Mark Adair first match of the season and it was great to see someone giving his all for his boyhood club.
The issue seems to have been blurred with the overseas player and SVV issue. They are not comparable but some people are trying to make political capital out of it. The overseas players issue arose due to the Home Office and the criteria for a valid SVV. They were set by the Home Office and not the NCU.
At a time when cricket is struggling generally for numbers and small clubs are feeling the pinch can we not shoot ourselves in the foot by turning a good news story of someone with no airs and graces wanting to turn out and play for his local side at a council playing field three weeks after playing for his country at Lords to a back biting story of jealousy. I'm sure if I'm reading all the social media etc. it won't as it seems that the large majority think it was great to see. I don't know if Paul will be available again this season for us but if he is he will be welcomed back not because he is an Ireland International but because he's a a member of our club, friends with the players and always part of the team whether playing or not.

Re Paul and Mark

Despite Ross and his sibling banter, this issue has real significance in how local cricket contributes to the development of Irish cricket as a whole.
At a time when the game here is under severe pressure at International level and as CI embarks upon important structural improvements to provide a very necessary pathway for young aspiring players, our clubs all have to have a collective mindset to raise the standard of our game.
Investment in their youth development is at the core of a club's survival and they are justly proud when a young man they have coached and nurtured makes it into the professional ranks.
Those who know them will see them as what they are.... young talented cricketers with strong and deep association with their. ... yes their cricket club. The club they played age group cricket for. .. the club that not that long ago gave them the opportunity to play 1st XI. ..where their mates still play. ... Family and friends are still walking the boundary. Surely as a cricket community we can see the importance of those ties and we should embrace their commitment (however limited the opportunities may be) to turning out here.
I have no doubt that every club would want to have their own Paul Stirling and maybe one day that could be the case.
The alternative is that by adopting a protectionist approach to our own little corner of club cricket on the island we will ultimately lose these players completely from the local game and with that the collective value we can all gain from their participation. This is our home grown talent. ..be proud of their achievements. ... be envious of their talent if you must ... but don't push them away from their club just because it doesn't happen to be your club. .. maybe in the near future you may have your own Irish International to call on.

Andy

Simple answer is no, he isn't.

Sean played one game with his brother Ryan who was with us at the time, after being out for a good while with injury, as a warm up. Didn't hear any complaints from the Bangor guys or the bowler who dismissed him cheaply

As for the non Eu aspect - you'll maybe now recall he was Irish qualified.

Think the whole Paul Stirling debate has been flogged to death in just over 24 hrs. Whatever the view you have I'm sure he tried to set a good example for others before, during and after the match. An attitude that would have been well observed by a few junior league 8 cricketers at your place Andy who won a match at this lowest level today but in a way that left a sour taste in my mouth.

After a couple of weeks without a game, I was thrilled to hear our skipper had a full compliment on Saturday morning in order to travel east for a league 6 encounter down in the big smoke.
However, my elation was somewhat mooted by Barra & colleague's grim predictions of thunderstorms and flood warnings, said to encircle us all by early afternoon and thus likely terminate our day-out?

So with grey clouds ever looming, we left Lurgan with heavy hearts anticipating an immediate turnaround due to the impending predicted downpours, though on arrival at our destination and to our collective merriment, we were not only greeted with pleasant, balmy sunshine but the pitch itself was an absolute belter!

Our joy was further compounded when electing to bat, I noted in our opponents ranks a couple of suitably attired young ladies and whispering to the lads, I said, ' fill ur boots today men' as our openers walked out to the middle....Though always pleased to know the ladies enjoy playing the game too, being a little ignorant ( even arrogant), I thought they only played with 'their own' or at best, mixed with schoolboys to be competitive, as opposed to playing with and against senior male cricketers, as surely that being the case, they would be outclassed and out of their depth? Boys o' boys, how wrong I was!

Congrats to CSNI, coaches et all, surperb in every department and a welcome learning curve for one old veteran cricketer who maybe should get out a bit more? Well done!

Re Paul and Mark

Can work both ways. Mark scratched his way to a measley 20 yesterday.

PS are the rumours true about the statue of Stirlo going up at The Mall?

On the question of First-class players I wonder if Lisburn still has Shaun Ervine registered for them. I recall doing a Sunday game a couple of seasons ago against Bangor at Wallace when he turned out for them. Test & county player and non- EU. How would that stand today?

Re. Steven

This debate has got nothing to do with the recent Home Office changes re. Visas.

Current 1st Class Cricketers have been deemed too good for Section 1 by the NCU for some time now. Therefore they have not been eligible to play in that league for the past few seasons not just this season.

I asked. You answered. I've replied!

Ivan. For the love of God.

Senior 1 = Senior Cricket

Junior 1 = Junior Cricket

Are you saying your 1s and 2s have been playing at the same level for the past 3 years? Easy to say now when you are in the premier league.

A Junior 1 team would get eaten alive by the worst teams in section 1. Jarred Barnes can't play 2nd XI cricket as he played inter-pro cricket.

Maybe if muckamore one day utilise the 35 coaches they are paying and 55 ex-captains who watch every Saturday and produce a player of the calibre of Stirling maybe they will appreciate cliftonville's side of it.

Great to see Paul play, jarred played in the same game, your point is redundant. Maybe when the money stops flowing at moylena and in 20 years time you have an Irish international in your ranks and you are a senior 1 club, you may have a very different perspective on things.

I seem to remember you bragging about Muckamores Youth coming through a few years ago. Why then pay Ifti, Ryan and the Pro to carry the team? Surely this amazing youth can carry your club going forward.

Blue tinted glasses Ivan.

Under your theory Paul should be allowed to play for Cliftonville 2s in Junior 4 then?

Paul's a great lad who enjoys playing cricket with 9 mates and matty Mccord . People need to see a perspective here . In the time they were at the crease together , Paul was outscored by his opening partner . Other people have alluded to the fact that any other time over the last few years he has played he hasn't scored any runs . Cricket in general is struggling and if we are going to continue to try and ostracise even more players then that says about the state of the game . A common sense approach should be used . He will probably only play this one game all season . And I can say he's great craic to have on any team and having him, terrett , cakil , Milky etc back in the same team would have been some steam . All they needed was bod

Re:Paul Stirling.

I notice the comments regarding Paul playing yesterday and the "how can this be allowed" comments. It is not the first time this season a county player has played for a section 1 team. I believe Mark Adair has turned out for Holywood this year.

I have to say it's good to see two guys going back to their boyhood clubs to help when they are available. Each guy had a short spell away (carrick and csni) but both have returned.

This situation was raised at the ncu agm during the winter and it was voted by the clubs to allow guys like Paul and Mark to play for their clubs when available.

Long may it continue that they want to give back to the clubs that put so much into developing them as kids.

I am disappointed with the response to Paul playing yesterday for his club who spent many years helping to develop him into an amazing local cricketer.

Paul simply wanted to play with his mates and give something back to his club.

Unfortunately some of the opposition didn't try their hardest as in their eyes they couldn't get him out. We all know you only get one chance as a batsman and anything can happen. A young kid Ben Mackey set the example, bowled really well and rose to the challenge unlike others.

At the risk of being 'spoken to' again but having read the comments on here and on the social media, I recall a couple of occasions in the past when clubs were denied signing players that the NCU decided we're too good to drop down to a lower club. One was, I think Paul McCrum, going to Armagh and the other was Jonathan Craig who was leaving Ballymena to return to his home town to play with his Larne mates. And had the recent Directive on young players been enforced in the past then I would have been denied the real thrill of playing with Michael & Jonny in their first official club games. Sometimes the theory of 'the back of a cigarette packet' comes to mind! I know the mantra will be posted over and over again about 'improving by playing against the best' but I would surmise that wouldn't find much support in the vicinity of The Mall this morning.

Just for clarification and before anyone asks "how would you feel if it was you or your club". I played twice against Paul at Moylena and on both occasions they were Section 1 games and both times he didn't get a big score and we won both games so he didn't impact the result. It did however leave an impact on me as a very average cricketer as I always enjoyed the challenge of playing against top quality cricketers. Footnote to this is on both occasions Trevor Neill dismissed him which still gets a mention at our club gatherings.

Gareth Evans: Those with 1st class experience who are prevented from playing are prevented by UK Home Office rules because they are non-EU citizens. Paul is EU, obviously !!

Asked and answered.

Re: Paul Stirling appearing for Cliftonville. I would draw clubs' attention to Serial 5 at the NCU's AGM last October. This serial was proposed by Dr Power on behalf of the NCU Management Board and was defeated by a substantial majority

SERIAL 5 – Proposed by Management Board Competition Rule A16: delete first bullet point, second bullet, and ‘in respect of players who are not currently eligible to play for Ireland in all ICC men’s competitions in which it participates’ [This would bring players eligible to play for Ireland within the scope of the Registrations Committee’s power to refuse or withdraw the registration of a player considered to be of much too high a standard for the competitions for which registration is sought] DEFEATED