Features

One of the spin-offs from writing my book on the NCU Challenge Cup was receiving feedback from a host of current and former players

A couple of weeks ago in Mombasa Andrew White made his 200th appearance for Ireland and joined his close friend Kyle McCallan in an elite club of double centurions

Thanks to everyone who contributed to my request for rugby cricketers and what an amazing fantasy team it produced

Assuming he was given every encouragement to qualify for Cricket Ireland, the omission of English-born seam bowler Tim Murtagh will puzzle a lot of Irish supporters.

The news that the future of Victoria Cricket Cub is under threat should arouse deep interest for every cricket follower in the country.

The decision of Nial O'Brien to play in the Bangladesh Twenty20 competition has re-opened the never-ending debate about players putting money before loyalty to either club or country

- Perception rather than reality.

It’s that time of the year when one door closes and another door opens

It is always good to reflect at the end of a year on what will live longest in our cricket memories of the past 12 months

If there is one thing that arouses more passion than anything else in team sport then it is selection!

Hats off to Cricket Ireland for coming up with the new National Cup and keeping it outside the flagship Irish Senior Cup competition and the 2nd elevens of the top clubs.

I have always enjoyed the company of umpires.

Calling all cricketers-this may be your last chance to own a piece of history as sales of “The History of the NCU Challenge Cup 1887-2011” have been brisk and as this is a limited issue, once they go that’s it!

Howard Burns was a popular NCU umpire in the early Fifties and stood every Saturday at senior games all over Belfast and as far afield as Downpatrick and Muckamore.

Local cricket historian Clarence Hiles launched his second cricket book this morning at a Book Launch in Belfast.