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Grass and Astro each have their own benefits. Astros are generally batsmen friendly with little turn for spinners and little movement for quicker bowlers. The ball comes through at nice pace. This will produce high scoring games and allow batsmen to play a full range of shots. Astros will encourage the development of fast bowlers because of the extra bounce and pace compared to our slower grass pitches. Of course a good hard grass pitch does the same with a little more in it for the bowlers.

Most of our pitches however are slow and low which means batsmen have to learn how to grind out an innings and play spin. It can produce dull cricket though.

My amended suggestion therefore for all divisions would be to have a t20 league for one third of the season and a 40 over league for 2/3 thirds of the season for junior 2 and below. Same for j1 and senior divisions but a 50 over league rather than 40.

All matches to played on grass as first choice but Astro can be used if required except in senior cricket.

A few years of this would demonstrate which format players prefer.

NCU Discussion Papers

Neale and others - thank you for your hard work drawing up ideas and presenting these well in advance of the AGM, where hopefully any necessary changes will be implemented.

Personally speaking (and not on behalf of WCC) I think captains should have the power to agree at the toss how many overs they wish to play. I do understand potential problems this may cause but I can't remember playing 40 overs this season in Junior 2. My proposal would be to let captains agree at the toss the numbers of overs they play and set a wider range e.g. between 25-40 or 30-40 for Junior 2 etc. in the bye laws.

The majority of our 3XI (rightly or wrongly, and including myself) have no major aspirations to play 2XI or above. We all enjoy getting together as a team every week, enjoy some competitive fun, enjoy the odd drink together and then go our separate ways to the WAGS or otherwise. For me, the amount of overs (below Junior 1) have to be reduced. I have played 3XI for well over 12 years now and the days of playing 45/50 over cricket at that level are well gone. There is simply very little appetite for it.

To keep the interest in our game I genuinely believe below Junior 3 needs to move to T20 cricket. The youngsters will get enough cricket in the Junior leagues, underage teams and schools cricket. We need to make it exciting again and encourage people to play and not face questions every week like "Please tell me we aren't 40 overs?".

As an interested spectator when I am not playing most Saturdays - there is too much cricket being played for Premier league teams given the climate we have. The Ulster Cup either needs to go or be seriously reformatted (perhaps to a T20 version or invitational where top 4 from each league from previous season qualify). I know we can't control the weather but rearrangements for cup competitions need to be looked at. The NCU made a smart, informed and quick decision re T20 finals day. The fact that semi finals are being decided by a bowl-out is a farce, especially considering there are weeks between the semi final and proposed final dates.

Dundrum cricket club annual draw ill be attending the NCU Senior cup final this friday and expect all my cricket friends that look to me for favours for Slieve donard hotel stay to buy at least FIVE tickets .
prizes include
1 Slieve Donard overnight stay for couple inc breakfast
2 Richard Croft PAINTING
3 Two superb local pictures of Dundrum bay
4 30£ Voucher for the excellent Ohares restaurant Newcastle

tickets only 1£ and no doubt ill be in BAR area so come and see me if you want bit craic and chat lets hope we get a cracking game as just as supporter SENIOR CUP always excites me .

ASTRO PITCHES
Cricket on grass wickets should always be the first priority at all levels. Everyone needs to have these experiences to develop and learn and playing on grass should be where high level cricket is played.

However , it is better to have a 50 over game on astro rather than not be playing on an unplayable grass pitch and then having to play a 20 over game a few weeks after.
It will also save fixture backlogs.

20 over cricket does have its place and I agree with Bruce - it's place however is in a 20 over comp.

Possibly an audit needs done of which astros are suitable for play. Of course unsafe ones should not be used, but it is a club's responsibility to make sure all their surfaces are fit for practice and play.

Possibly the clubs that need facilities updated could make benefit of the recent NCU grant aid announcement.

BYE LAWS
Another rule change proposal we have made to the last 2 NCU AGM's but were told it was a bye law and not for NCU AGM business is the fact that the inner ring rule should be applied to more of the junior leagues ( possibly the top 4 or 5 )

We need cricketers who are thinking and tactically and technically challenged and young players being challenged as they progress and learning how to play the game with these restrictions.
As a captain in junior 3 it is far too easy for me to defend by simply putting out a lot of boundary riders. I am against this, but it is within the laws so I will do it because I can

These leagues are where our young inter pro cricketers come from and where our 1st XI cricketers should be coming through so lets get them, thinking and having their skills challenged.

Discs and a piece of rope cut to the correct length are quite cheap and take 5 minutes to set out ( before anyone starts down the lack of facilities route again )

Neale - great post and I have always thought that Forums have a place in getting opinions . I just wish people would put their names to the post . I think everyone is entitled to an opinion and should not be knocked for expressing it.
The skill of the roadshows will be to take as many opinions as possible back and trying to please as many people as possible but unfortunately as in life you can not "please all of the people all of the time ".

Bruce - from what I see in the twenty over games less players make a contribution and that's where cricket differs from rugby / soccer / GAA / hockey. In those games you are constantly involved. I think as a spectacle T20 on a Friday night with a bit of entertainment can be a good night out. We have two midweek teams who play in the midweek 20 over league on a Wednesday night and the guys love that as it gets them in the main ANOTHER game of cricket in the week.

No results - I see tonight ( 28th July ) that in Junior 5 Derriaghy 3rds v Carrickfergus 3rds is " postponed due to the weather - and now void ". Why ? The cricket season has nearly two months to run. Surely there can be more leeway in getting these games played ( one night - twenty overs - and that can play on Astro ).

Off tomorrow to my favourite game of the year - the NW Senior Cup final and it will be good to hear what's happening with cricket in NW.

NCU Discussion Doc

Just wanted to acknowledge the responses to date. Pleased with the constructive views being given. This is what we are looking for - your views as current and ex players. As administrators and spectators. Keep them coming.
If you read the forum but never post and have some thoughts please break your duck.
Finding a formula that suits every player or every team or even every club is very difficult but if we don't know what is wanted it is impossible.
There are 4 discussion nights coming up in August - don't start next season wishing you had expressed your views.
It is your NCU.
N

Re: Ivan's comment about captain's doing everything they can to fulfill fixtures.

As a captain of a team down the leagues, I can guarantee you that everything that can be done is done to get games played. I regularly end up texting at least 3 teams worth of people to try and ensure that we can actually field a team, even if it on paper does not look like one which will be able to compete.

As much as it is great to get out and play, having an under strength team and being convincingly beaten does nothing to convince people to come out and play the following week, which then compounds the problem - youngsters not wanting to come out and play only to be beaten, or more experienced guys deciding that maybe it's not worth all day Saturday being away from family/other responsibilities anymore.

Not sure that I have any solutions to this, as there seems to be a culture shift away from people willing and able to play week in week out, but thought I would point out it is not just Muckamore who go to great lengths to get teams out on a Saturday, and that conceding a game is a very last resort!

Astro pitches should be last resort cricket should be played on grass most astros we have in the leagues are very poor and have caused injuries to bowlers as too wet very slippy and no grip I'm old school it has to be grass

Re: Ivan

I would not underestimate how much enjoyment players get out of 20 overs. Quite frequently people get a bat lower down the order and if they are not batters, they generally bowl.

If your senior competitions have equal emphasis on 50 over cricket and 20 over cricket, then you need to prepare young players for 20 over cricket as well as 50 overs. The skills required for 20 and 50 over cricket are easily transferable.

Ireland has really struggled in t20 world cups because we place such a low emphasis on it. It is however the format that people new to the sport are most engaged with. Just look at the IPL and other 20 over competitions around the world.

Most players are not going to make it to elite levels so we should focus on making it fun for club cricketers. Shorter, faster incident packed games are more likely to attract players in this modern day and age while still giving time to spend with family and do other things.

Look at winter sports - people are happy to drive all over the country to play 90/80/70 mins of football, rugby, GAA, hockey generally in the freezing cold or rain.

I think 20 over cricket is a midweek game and maybe in regional leagues. In the 70's long before T20 we played in a great competition every Thursday night - the East Antrim League featuring Muckamore , Ballymena , Larne , Carrick , Templepatrick and a Baklyclare team that played at the High School.
Teams were made up of players of all levels .

I just don't see much fun for a young or old player to travel from Antrim to say Downpatrick, Armagh , Dundrum to bowl a maximum of 24 deliveries or field for an hour and a bit but not bat as you only use 5 batters.

I can't see how twenty overs is going to prepare guys for senior cricket . I don't believe shortening games will see more people suddenly say I will play cricket .

I think earlier starts , quicker over rates , more honest umpiring and playing on Astro if grass isn't available would be bigger attractions . Possibly no double headers at weekends below 1sts.

But players are being given a chance to speak up at the NCU roadshows - don't waste this opportunity .

I think Ryan's idea of Astro for all cricket below PL has merits although I might temper it slightly and say in Section One that match one should be grass only .

Purely now as a spectator I always prefer the skill levels being contested on grass.

RE Andy Mc

Some good points !

Astros should be used more - get more matches in and raise standard, bowlers have to bowl good length, batmen can play 360 degrees and learn to play pace etc. Maybe enforce grass pitches for PL only.

Have bounced the idea of a few umpires and players in section 1 and agreement there...

NCU could do a deal with a major supplier to ensure clubs get good discount on quality astro surfaces / nets.

Andy that begs the question - How do you go about getting Bye Laws changed ?

I agree everything should be done to get games played . If guys can't get regular games when they leave under 15's they are soon lost to the game.
With more and more clubs putting more and more into youth development , summer camps etc the numbers playing adult team cricket should be growing - not decreasing .

I also do not believe all young men only want to play 20 overs. I do. believe "finishing times " are more of an issue.

If all games started at 11am and 16 overs an hour became the acceptable rate then 40 over games are finished at 4.30pm and 50 over games by 6pm.

Nettles need to be grasped. Maybe point deductions throughout the club for "unfulfilled " fixtures . When a team fails to play they deprive 11 people from the opposition of a days sport / recreation leading to players finding alternatives .

I know the great lengths Andy Kennedy and Raj Sharma went to to make sure Muckamore 4ths fulfilled fixtures. It needs captains committed to fulfilling every game .

I used to be a traditionalist in favour of 50 over cricket but I have changed my mind. My radical suggestion for NCU cricket is as follows:

1. All youth cricket : All T20 cricket with coloured clothing and white ball.

2. Junior league 2 downwards : All T20 cricket with coloured clothing and white ball.

3. Junior league 1 and Senior leagues: Two competitions. T20 league and 50 over league. Leagues could be played in group format with winners contesting semifinal and final to reduce the number of matches and allow time for both formats during the season. Coloured clothing and white ball.

I have feeling that this is what young players want and would attract more players, sponsors and spectators.

T20 has had a huge impact on the way ODI 50 over cricket is played and has even had an impact on test cricket.

One issue to be faced is how do you teach younger players to build an innings in a 50 over match but I am sure coaches can address this when discussing tactics of both formats.

I have to agree with Andy McCrea on that league games at junior leagues should be allowed one more go at full allocation of overs before going to a match 2. So in other words 3 goes before void.

In this country weather is a killer for cricket, so have to allow every opportunity to play games where possible.

More and more youngsters are being played at clubs lower teams (3rds/4ths etc) in the junior leagues - surely we should be allowing them the best exposure of the game and that is not by allowing matches that are washed out to go straight to 20/20!

I think far too many dont realise bar the ncu under age star players and premier theres serious ammount of folk that are fed up with 100 over cricket and double headers Young kids play T20 until hit senior teams and believe me massive % love the shorter game days . Dundrum will be proposing section two as 40 overs and one rearrangment to be agreed between both teams 40 or 20 over game with 6 weeks to play it until july 12th then normal 22 day s . Time people realised that we live in very competitive times work other sports family commitment = ive played 45 years and love the game but i REGRET BIGTIME never having time for my kids during summer missing out on things that everyone outside cricket get to enjoy .The AGM is a farce let every section vote on what there clubs need its not rocket science the premier is 95% hard professional cricket and section 3 social cricket so why either section votes on what suits both beggars belief ! Lets get more fun back into cricket and no dissrepect to anyone that down the leagues means shorter days get familys backing there clubs and not more cricket theres hardly any socialising anymore which is sad as you meet friends for life on and after the match getting beer /juice . The main difference is WAGS rightly dont allow even good players to miss out on there kids enjoyment sat and sunday and that is making players miss lots games which never happened before .Theres no reason not try shorter forms for at least ONE year get online surveys going and see it it suits as lots people think it is badly needed below premier .Last sat my club took a junior team to play(10p MIX UPS for tea ) on the sunday our second team would beat the firsts as with football rugby training already started add in holidays and work and theres loads clubs facing struggles but Dundrum are trying bigtime change mindsets but no doubt 100overs dont suit everyone .NCU chairman Andy Clement has been superb as even tho his own club is thriving he knows lots in bother and is trying loads good roadshows etc as i remember people slagging us for pulling out fixture few years ago but when you see the mighty Lurgan not fielding its time for change even if only for couple seasons as no reason why it cant revert to longer games if clubs want it enough . PS backed lovely winner at galway betfair SP 382/1 .LOL was 66/1 bookies and six times bigger on BETFAIR and 50/1 just to place galway plate ew Shantou flyer and Killer crow . goodwood eway yankee 200 star rider 235 qatari hunter 310 awtaad . 345 Nayyar . good luck punters