...but players at eight clubs in the greater Belfast area used the opportunity to get their kit down from the roof-space. That’s because Woodvale Cricket Club has organized their inaugural Indoor Cricket Tournament starting in early January.
Hats off to the progressive Woodvale members who took the initiative and enlisted the financial support of the Belfast City Council and the Greater Shankill Sports Committee. The tournament will be run on Sunday afternoons over nine weeks at the Shankill Leisure Centre and Centre Manager Joe Smyth has been a great source of support for the cricketers. The Woodvale tournament will be part of the “Support for Sport Scheme” and the club certainly benefitted from the presence and support of former Ireland batsman Ryan Haire within the City Council. No doubt Ryan has already planned his pre-season preparation around the tournament!
It is over 40 years since the last indoor cricket tournament took place at the Shankill Leisure Centre and it says much for the North Belfast club’s enthusiasm that they have attracted some of the “Big Guns” in local cricket North Down, Instonians and CIYMS. Newly promoted Muckamore are also in the frame, plus Holywood, Saintfield, Cregagh and the Ballygomartin Road hosts.
Matches with start at 2pm and there are plenty of other attractions at the Leisure Centre to keep the rest of the family occupied while the boys enjoy three hours cricket. The full fixture list is on the highly-entertaining Woodvale website www.woodvalecricketclub.com
A website tells you a lot about a club. If there was a cricket website league Woodvale would be vying at the top, and if there was a cricket activities league then they would be setting the pace. It says much for website master David Scott that he has captured so much of the club’s spirit on the website. In recent times the Woodvale members have successfully organized a charity golf day at Belvoir Park featuring celebrity guests football legends Pat Jennings and Ron Harris, an end of season barbeque, and their usual ribald club dinner. Woodvale dinners are legendary and renowned for their “no holes barred” freedom of expression and unrivalled hospitality. It is always a Who’s Who of local cricket personalities and this year it featured big Andy Kennedy from Bucknall, Cricket Ireland president Basil McNamee, the inimitable Denis Godfrey, Michael McAteer and IFA crusader and government minister Nelson McCausland. You have to admire the Woodvale sense of humour, so perhaps the only surprise was the absence of former IFA president Raymond Kennedy proposing the toast to the Union!
Woodvale may have just missed out on promotion, but there is plenty of evidence of resurgence at the club. Their history is impeccable, and even at the height of the Troubles visiting clubs were always given a warm welcome at one of Belfast’s most colourful grounds. The clubs has produced a bevy of outstanding players down the years and won numerous senior cup competitions. Ireland players included the legendary football and cricket international Billy McCleery, Charlie Billingsley, Charlie Posnett, George Wilson, Ken Kirkpatrick, Graham Crothers, Ian Johnston, Robert Wills and of course, father and son former Ireland captains Larry and Stephen Warke. Big “Warkey “has been a huge favourite with everyone over the years, and fittingly the Woodvale website pays tribute to his recent elevation into the Cricket Writers of Ireland Hall of Fame. There is also an article on local umpire Ronnie McAlpine who has been a stalwart down the club for many years, and lists his greatest achievement captaining his club to Minor Qualifying Cup success in 1990. I remember it well as I presented the trophy to a proud skipper and a great bunch of teammates!
We all have warm memories of trips up the Ballygomartin Road and it is great to see the club coming out of some lean years and setting a high standard on and off the field. The Indoor Sixes may be the springboard to launch another great era for the Ballygomartin Road faithful.
We wish them well.
Clarence Hiles
Editor
