With our Golden Boy Rory romping home in the US PGA, big KP throwing the toys out of the pram only for him to be thrown out after them, the North beating the South at Bready, Waringstown moving ominously to the top of the Premier League, Muckamore winning two trophies in two days, and two cricket doyens celebrating birthdays. It made up for our Irish Senior Cup demise the week before and the return of the rain, so every cloud has a silver lining.
Congratulations Cecil Walker and Ivan McCombe our birthday boys and well done to the Lisburn and Muckamore teams for celebrating it on the field as well as off it. Although there are a few years in between Cecil and Ivan, both have served cricket royally over the years and remain two of the nicest people you could meet in cricket. The same could be said for Arif Shah of Dunmurry, who recently passed away. Arif was one of the stars in a colourful Dunmurry team of 30 years ago led by the irascible Martin Hawthorne. Their team included Sammy Stewart of football fame, Robin Salters, Peter McFadzean, big Roy Glover, Stanley O’Neill, always a Connolly and an Irvine and the genial Arif, who was without doubt the rose amongst the thorns. He was a loveable soft-natured character amongst an abrasive bunch of volatile cricketers on the field, but amazingly off the field they were terrific company win or lose. Martin’s long awaited autobiography will be a best seller and will certainly have plenty of references to his great friend Arif Shah. Sincere condolences to all the family and the Dunmurry club.
It doesn’t take much to ignite the overseas professionals debate and as soon as the man from Buckna threw some oil on the fire there was a barrage of rebuke, some not even making the Forum. There’s really nothing new to add to this 43-year old saga other than to say everyone is entitled to their opinion and each to their own. If someone wants to see them banned then put the proposal on the Agenda for this year’s AGM and see if the support is there. We all have our opinions, but few people have changed them over the years and the camps seem as well defined as they were in 1979 when the late John Solanky ignited Wallace Park. Value for money or not, our cricket would be nowhere if we hadn’t embraced professionalism in the modern game as times have changed. Was there ever an option to stand still?
Would the same money have been spent on the grounds? I doubt it.
Would the same money have come into the game? Certainly not.
Have overseas professionals improved the game? Who knows?
There are so many angles and opinions on the subject and unfortunately too much bias to get honest and objective views. At least the Buckna man and some of his critics have the honesty to put their names behind their opinions and therein lies the respect that anonymous correspondents can’t compete with. After all, if you hold a strong opinion then stand up and be counted.
We have now moved into the second half of a wet and frustrating season and maybe those frustrations are getting into our heads. It takes a clear head to see the bigger picture so let’s celebrate Rory and Muckamore’s success, wish Cecil and Ivan a belated Happy Birthday, remember little Arif Shah, and savour the good things in life.
Clarence Hiles
Editor
