County matches, ODIs and test matches have all been affected, and we don’t need to look too far too see how local cricket has been struggling to keep its head above water, excuse the pun. 
The recent pictures of cricket grounds at Dundrum, Shaw’s Bridge and Malahide under several feet of water in the heart of the summer were depressing, and the number of games postponed and re-arranged is getting close to epidemic proportions. Perhaps it’s not surprising that a number of people are getting cranky, because the season is fast coming to a close, and unless there’s good weather in September, some important issues are going to be decided by the elements rather than the cricket.
It’s easy to take pot shots at officials and the rule book when things go wrong, but they are cheap shots and usually not worthy of recognition. However, many people will feel the snide remarks by a few critics of the Stormont groundstaff in the past week are unjustified and totally misplaced. Worse still, to come from people who were not at the ground defies logic and credibility. You hardly need to look at the NCU fixture list from early July to see what the weather has been like in the greater Belfast area, and the number of postponements and abandoned games has been horrendous. Unfortunately there’s not much you can do about the weather except manage the situation, and to their credit the union officials have done a superb job in getting the cup finals played, and re-arranging the most important league games. The clubs have also been under pressure, with both Lisburn and North Down declining to stage the Junior Cup final because of club commitments and ground challenges. These situations are inevitable, because it’s getting harder within clubs to justify the resource, commitment and expense to stage other matches, when the members are being deprived themselves, and footing the bill for the pleasure! Of course, we will always need clubs to host international matches and cup finals, but we can’t put the boot in when things don’t go as expected, because there’s not a lot to be gained from hosting these games other than goodwill to local cricket. And in the circumstances, you certainly don’t expect criticism, especially if it’s the weather that has been the cause of the problem.
If there’s one certainty in cricket, it’s the number of critics that you inherit when you agree to stage a top match. This is particularly so for international matches when they come from all over Ireland to enjoy a day’s cricket, and although the overall experience may be good, there’s always a sting in the tail about toilets, refreshments, parking, scoreboards, clubhouse access, seating, ticket prices, and on and on. But let’s get real, there’s not a cricket ground in Ireland that has everything in place, and whether we like it or not, there will always be compromises in search of perfection.
And there will never be perfection!
As the designated premier ground in the NCU, Stormont has had its challenges over the past few years meeting the requirements expected from all and sundry, but the club has done a marvelous job and deserves the highest credit. On a sunny day when all the seating and marquees are in place, it is a majestic setting with Parliament Buildings and Stormont Castle in the background. On a wet day it is like anywhere else in the world, because cricket is not played in the rain. It’s the most frustrating thing in cricket but we have to accept it. After all, last year’s World Cup final at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown was ready to start with a capacity 28,000 people seated in the stands, when rain intervened, and despite the ensuing sunshine, the match was delayed for three hours and effectively ruined. Belfast is not Barbados when it comes to weather, so before the critics start blaming the groundstaff perhaps they should look at the prevailing conditions and give proper recognition where is it due. To get any cricket played on sodden grounds is an achievement in its own right, especially when many of the workers are doing it on a voluntary basis for the good of the game. Yes, it’s very frustrating when matches don’t take place, but when you look at the cricket that has been played in the midst of all this appalling weather, you have to applaud the local groundstaff for their superb achievements.
These are the unsung heroes of the 2008 season. Buy your groundsman a drink because he deserves it!
Clarence Hiles
Editor
