LONGTIME SERVICE AWARD-Lisburn Cricket Club on their 175 years anniversary
KNIGHTHOOD-Cur Robin Walsh for services to cricket journalism. (One does expect this sort of honour doesn’t one?”)
CBE- (Couldn’t Bat up an Entry)-Too many to embarrass!
OBE (Oh to Be in England’s team)-Eoin Morgan
POLICE MEDAL-John Craig-the finest sportsman of our generation
GROUNDSMAN-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD-Big Ray Moreland at the Green (also best wishes for a full recovery. First time you have been speechless since your wedding!)
LITERARY AWARD FOR GREAT INNOVATION IN VOCABULARY-Most of the North-West posters on the Cricket Europe website. (Hay r u 4 rell up ther?)
THE IRISH SENIOR CUP REPLICA TROPHY-The great northern clubs of Ulster.
WEBSITE PUNTER OF THE YEAR-Jeff Maguire
WOODEN SPOON FOR POT STIRRING-Big Andy “Old Codger” Kennedy from Buckna.
THE INVESTMENT GONG-CIYMS CC on winning the Twenty20 Cup
DR. MURRAY POWER’S PRESIDENT’S MEDAL-To Dr. Murray Power for a lifetime service to cricket in virtually every role imaginable.
WEIGHT “ROSE” CRICKET AWARD (sponsored by Waitrose)-Tie between big Roy Torrens and big Ivan McCombe
FORGOTTEN MAN AWARD-Paul Stafford (Come back all is forgotten Staffy!)
PRODIGAL SON AWARD FOR GREAT RECOVERIES-Wayne Horwood for helping rejuvenate Muckamore CC and bring them back into the big-time.
WHITE STICK GONG FOR UMPIRING-Mark Hawthorne (going up the umpires pecking order like a steam train)
OUTSTANDING TEAM OF THE YEAR-North Down CC
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR-The NCU Management Committee (for no known serious cock-ups in a calendar year) Outstanding achievement.
THE ABSENT FRIENDS AWARD-JD Monteith one year on.
HALL OF FAME AWARDS-The great Ivan Anderson, and Stephen Warke
HALL OF SHAME AWARD-The club delegate who went to the NCU AGM and voted for himself and not the club! (Fine exhibition of self-gratification)
THE APATHY GONG FOR DOING NOTHING-the website critics everywhere
THE SECRET SERVICE AWARD FOR VALOUR BEHIND THE PEUSYDENOM LINES-The same website critics
THE VISIONARY AWARD FOR SEEING A BRIGHTER FUTURE-Lurgan CC and their popular and ageless new player-coach Derek Heasley
THE PIED PIPER AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP-NCU Chairman Roger Bell. (Great leaders lead with their chin and the Carrick man has done a fine job in his first year)
THE INTERNATIONAL AWARD-Cricket Ireland president Basil McNamee for his outstanding service to cricket all over Ireland, Guyana, Africa, England and beyond.
AUTHENTIC CRICKET GONGS-To all the genuine lovers of cricket who make their own personal contribution to the betterment of the sport we all love.
Happy New Year and many blessings.
