For most senior cricketers it was much of the same as the winners of the major competitions were the consistent Waringstown and North Down, although Instonians came out of the pack and are now worthy members of the “Top Three” in NCU cricket. The challenge remains for the other clubs in the Premier Division to break the dominance of this mighty trio. It won’t be easy based on their performances in 2011.
So who were the cricket people that will remember the past year with greatest affection and what were the special highlights?
WARINGSTOWN were certainly the Team of the Year, and while their great rivals North Down pipped them for the league title, the Villagers captured the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup and the Ulster Bank NCU Challenge Cup. That was awesome.
Not surprisingly the Villagers also supplied at least two players that will remember the season with special affection. South African overseas professional OBUS PIENAAR was a cricket hurricane for the first half of the season and would certainly have destroyed the record books had his national selectors not called him up. Obus gave the NCU season a huge buzz in May and June and let’s not forget 14 year-old ADAM DENNISON who broke the 124 year-old record as the youngest player in the Senior Cup final. Son of the inimitable Davy, young Adam capped a memorable day with a stunning catch on the boundary to win the game. It was a fairytale ending to a final superbly hosted by Lisburn in their special 175th Anniversary year.
The LISBURN committee did a magnificent job celebrating their special milestone, and in some ways it overshadowed the NCU’s 125th celebrations. They planned and executed it with precision, especially the hosting of the final, which had aroused criticism in some quarters.
MARK HAWTHORNE was the star within the umpiring code and with RICHARDSMITH, their presence in the Associate Countries Elite Panel has given our umpires world recognition. Mark also stood in the Ireland-England ODI match at Clontarf to cap a special year.
ANDY McCREA put his club Templepatrick on the national cricket map when he won an ECB Outstanding Coaching Achievement Award. Sponsored by Sky Sports, the prestigious awards recognize the coaches who work so diligently to improve standards at every level and, the widespread praise heaped on Andy confirms he’s up with the best in the coaching league.
Ulster cricketers played their part in Cricket Ireland’s continuing success story and none more so than the exciting PAUL STIRLING. What an exceptional talent and what magnificent performances he produced this year.
The nomadic GRASSHOPPERS celebrated 30 years existence with a tour to Antigua and Barbados and then held a special Reunion Dinner for past and present members. This unique club fills an important niche in local cricket and thanks to the great work of Alan Waite and his committee, it continues to grow from strength to strength.
The much-maligned CLIFTONVILLE Club held their own Reunion Dinner pre-season and launched their Hall of Fame at a nostalgic evening attended by many former players. If any club has stood up against adversity with fortitude over the past 40 years it must surely be Cliftonville.
Finally, a very special local cricketer has recently returned from Buckingham Palace and from all accounts it was a visit his family will never forget. CECIL WALKER, MBE, took his wife Sylvia, daughter Gloria and granddaughter Jill to the Awards Ceremony and once again the Lisburn icon did local cricket proud!
Roll on 2012.
Clarence Hiles
Editor
