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Plenty of talk about first class cricket etc at the moment but what about grass roots cricket...I say this as we are supposed to believe that cricket is booming here in NI but I have just noticed that 4 clubs are / were in talks over mergers ( Victoria / Lurgan and Millpark / donacloghney)....this would have created some cracking teams / clubs if they do go ahead

I do believe that this is possibly the way forward but it goes to show that cricket is shrinking in players / financial / facilities in certain parts.

I do believe in the near future that there will be a break away league for those clubs who are interested in the social cricket side....and it will not be via the NCU but a completely new union / organisation.

Thanks Andy, duly noted!

I offer my congratulations to all who have been involved in the work at Woodvale that has been suitably rewarded with a 1 grading. The benches have been the icing on the cake and the grading is richly deserved. Next on the list? - the umpires' room! But then again, that applies to most of the grounds!

Jeff, a years ago mini rugby was just cheap baby sitting, but these days the Parents, at least at Portadown rfc are an important part of the setup, and they really do get involved.
I remember early 70s, I would get dropped off at rugby and my Sister would be dropped off at dancing class, our parents would go shopping.
If you done that these days around here you would be the talk of the town, the golf club, bridge club, hockey club, Darby n Joan, nifty 50s and every one else's Granny ;)

overseas pros are tools to avoid relegation pure and simple...5k for a tool or 3k to send teenagers on ncu coaching courses and pay them...they cant get jobs so pay them on their summer hols and save yurself thousands for yur ground or youth setup...
anyone who says pros are there to coach can surely see the benefit of saving yur club thousands or is it the fear of relegation ??

Alan re sat morn coaching is cheap BABY SITTING(according to my friend who has 140 at his). MARK the thing is he only has to work loads of hours when school program is on for 8 weeks (i pray its only 4 weeks this year as even I was feeling like kunta kinta ) that he has help but facts are that 95% time the coach is there as he likes it gets exeriance and improves his CV. .Add in free food and drink and benefits and Dundrum and Newcastle is great spot for four months he never touches his slave £ taking home 100% is reason he does everything that is asked and swear he voluteered for extra dates at schools and free 121 sessions so Dundrum formula is working as i have plenty (8)looking the tortourus task .BRUCE i have no issue if they not allowed to play and only coach but thats unfair in other sections can as the big clubs will have unfair advantage , I also know if they are banned we will STILL bring a coach over to run the 12 school program we are taking on not sure other clubs small or big would . The NCU have definitley improved in helping junior clubs and Andy Clement deserves praise for that among loads other things and getting Callum Atkinson helping as he is superb coach and is great help in everything he does . But anyway off to prepare speech for awards night as stepping down from u15 coach as 8 years is long enough and pray they dont get my bad technique altho see ball hit ball and try hit the stumps always remember it being simple game but now its ramp /scoops/reverse sweeps and that many variations on bowling slow balls they need NEW COACHING MANUEL.. PS CHARLIE MON 445 ffos las can win if they let HANDBRAKE OFF . ASCOT eways simple verse /shalaa/journey/galileo gold . and seamie hefferman three cracking oursiders pretty perfect /hit it a bomb/us army ranger be shocked id they not go close .

The good vibes for cricket in NCU just get better and better with the announcement of fist class status for the Inter Pro games, the announcemt of Ireland and NCU under age squads for winter training camps , the development of the Andrew White Academy .
I have never known so much positivity at this time in the winter break. Clubs can plan ahead with confidence and know that if they unearth a talented player there is now a development plan to take these guys to become first class cricketers and hopefully Test players .
Imagine the buzz our volunteer coaches will get if they see a young player they have worked with at 6 and 7 years old stepping out at Lord's in a Test match .
The hard work being put into the "top of our game " can only drag up the standard the whole way down the pyramid."
When you cross the white line on a Saturday be it the Premier League or Junior League 9 your only thought should be " I'm going to do what ever I can to help us win today ".
Those that don't think like that are also catered for - it's called golf.
So let's look to improving facilities and playing abilities no matter where teams are in the league pyramid .

Roll on 2017

I am quite happy to see overseas coaches come to our clubs to work full time but I don't see the need for them to play. In fact when overseas pros feel they are under pressure to perform on the pitch, it usually takes their focus off coaching. I believe clubs would get more benefit by letting them concentrate on coaching alone.

Jeff and Colin, thanks, very sensible replies. I know shift work and school work and family life can create black holes on the cricket volunteering front.
All the same, I can look out from my window overlooking Chambers park on a Saturday morning and see 200 mini rugby children playing matches or being coached in a well structured environment overseen by club coaches and parents but not an overseas coach in sight. Nip over to Lurgan and there is another 150 rugby kids milling away. There is no shortage of potential.

Jeff,

I see your point about having an overseas coach who does all that he does but to be honest I would not come onto a forum and say that he lives in a mobile home and that he paid £100.00 a week for all that he does...many people would consider that slave labour in a way even tho he chooses ( I assume ) to do all these hours of FREE coaching / umpiring etc...as you say if any one else locally would do the same for them to contact you but to be honest at minimum wage even of £7.20 a hundred pounds doe snot get you much...and here lies the point if you cannot get volunteers ( like hens teeth) clubs are choosing the cheaper alternative of overseas coaches and practically working them to death!!

Different regulations on short- pitched deliveries in different competitions. Surely it's up to the clubs to lobby the Management Committee to amend the playing regulations rather than have players remonstrating with umpires -'it wasn't an extra last week' is a regular whinge that has nothing to do with umpires! But then again , perhaps the players affected are, in the main, overseas at present!!

Re Alan

Alan it by no means has to be an overseas player that fulfills this role, my club has around a dozen qualified coaches and every night of the week sees either coaching or a match with junior players. Students help when Uni finishes, those who work help in evenings.

During the summer we provide extra coaching during the day and like Dundrum go into several schools regularly prior to this. We are fortunate to have so many local volunteers prepared to help out.

As a result our U15 squad had 30 boys last year, with a similar number in U13 & more at U11, this is of course the result of several years hard work, the majority of which without an overseas player. However the benefits of having someone available to assist in this full time over the summer which inevitably is an overseas player is definitely an asset, We do not have much money as a club but we are prepared to fund raise in order to provide the best coaching struture possible.

If you had asked me a decade ago I would have been very much against overseas players but if any player helps to kick start a club that is struggling and work with existing coaches to build or rebuild a youth structure then I am now very much all for it.

Alan .The reason we go for overseas as he lives in mobile home at ground does free 121 sessions with all our juniors who want extra coaching and if you can tell me were there is sumone available to go to ten schools and work with sessions 4 nights a week and umpire on friday night for 100£ week feel free to inform me asap . Dundrum have plan to get membership up to try them playing first or second team and hopefully keep the

Congratulations to all the boys on their selection for the Ireland winter training squads.

HOWEVER there must be a lot of boys across the country who are thinking to themselves that the squads are not picked on performances at either club or inter-pro level - rather it is down to favouritism/old school tie/parents involvement with International/inter pro teams etc etc.

Genuinely it is no wonder so many kids become fed up with local cricket.

Jeff and Colin, why does it have to be an overseas pro? I mean if coaching is the main point and not just a hired gun for match day, surely there are enough local level 2 or 3 coaches to spread over all the clubs that want coaching? If there aren't enough local level 2/3 coaches then the next question is why not? If there are plenty of L2 or 3 coaches the obvious question then is why aren't they coaching?

Mark, the invitational league as it was originally envisaged is dead now. The idea was for a limited fixtures flexible Saturday league. This would have addressed the problem of small clubs failing to get 11 victims on the field every single Saturday home and away. After being informed recently that the invitational league was not to be a Saturday competition, I find it amazing that NCU could be so mistaken for so long about the invitational league proposal.
I'm not having a go at the NCU, I know well the hard work that is being done, but clearly in some areas and especially for stand alone single team clubs, The NCU domestic cricket development clock appears to tick in reverse.