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GRAHAM CUP FINAL

Is between Lisburn and Derriaghy and will start at 3pm at Lisburn CC on Friday 24th.

Saturday's incident at Moylena was certainly unprecedented and it's great to hear that Gordy is making progress.
Great credit must go to all concerned, from the umpires, captains, players and officials, including Andy Clement, who all had to face a very difficult set of circumstances.
The decision to abandon the match was the correct one and having spoken to some of the Carrick players it's clear they were in no frame of mind to play on. The 'game' became a secondary consideration...
Above all else, Gordy's health is the most important aspect arising and all, I'm sure, would wish him a speedy recovery.

Northern Knights wouldn't beat current Waringstown side!! Class apart.

re Arron Robinsons comment...
Seem to remember a couple of seasons ago a north Belfast side close to both our hearts travelled to the north west TWICE to play the same cup fixture. they were promised remuneration for their travelling expenses......last I heard they are still waiting, so don't hold your breath on those ideas

Tomorrow Muckanore host Carrickfergus in the A J Gallagher NCU Senior Cup quarter final and it's going to be a real carnival atmosphere . We are promoting Ladies Day at the Cricket with prizes for best dressed lady and best dressed couple , a marquee for 250 people with hot buffet , strawberries and cream and a glass of champagne for £10 a head . We also have about a dozen VIP tickets available for our 3 course lunch and champagne on arrival at £20 each. Meal deserved at 3.30pm. The match starts at 12 noon and at the interval we wil have a "nearest the stump " competition and a raffle . There will be entertainment and Carrick's Ally McCammond will be helping spectators from the PA system. The weather is forecast to be sunny and warm so why not come along to Moylena for a great day out as we aim to "make cricket mainstream "

The exhilerating live draw really went to great lengths to breathe life into the Irish Senior and National Cup...I jest! It is my belief that both of these competitions need to be given more of a chance to thrive by changing every round of fixtures through the competitions to Saturdays. This will ensure that games have more chance of being fulfilled which has been a problem to say the least, moreso in the latter competition. The Saturday fixture would give the competitions prime position in the weekend fixture list with Sunday being filled with a league fixture or allowing a break after some exhaustive travel. It seems difficult to ask sides to play on a Saturday, travel in the early hours to a destination possibly 4 or more hours away, travel back that night with work commitments the next day and the change of day may also bring forward a sponsor which proves the current dwidling interest. This is not a sure proof way of making these competitions more successful but may bring them into the forefront of clubs agendas otherwise their existence ought to be reconsidered.

1st time posting on here. Should the ICU help pay for clubs travelling for Irish cup/national cup fixtures? Either by petrol money, overnight accommodation, mini bus, dare I say it even flights!!!

Graham Bryans:
24.1(a) is pretty simple.
The umpire at the bowler's end must first up ask the bowler what his mode of delivery will be. Then the umpire tells the batsmen what the mode (left or right hand, over or around the wicket)will be.
If the bowler then changes his mode of delivery without first informing the umpire/s of the change, then that will/should be called a noball.

Ryan McBeth reportedly 'No-balled for not telling the umpire his mode of delivery'!!
No limit how far an umpire will go to prove he really does know the laws it seems.

I would like to remain anonymous but would like to back up Mark Shields in the Ulster Schools debate. My son is clearly not good enough for US selection - 100% fact.
As a parent, sometimes you have to accept that your child is not good enough for selection - sometime regardless of their surname! The schools selection committee simply trial the boys proposed by their schools and select a team from this. Perhaps there is some loyalty deep down, but I believe that the group simply pick the strongest team based on what they see.
So the Co Armagh stalwart needs to wise up and accept the team - or perhaps get involved in schools cricket, rather than sling mud anonymously on this forum.

Andy Kennedy correctly points out that the readership of this forum exceeds those who contribute. I have considered this forum a mechanism to allow concerns to be aired and debated for those who would not otherwise have a voice.
Posts from 'Co. Armagh Stalwart' and 'disgruntled' might have had the ability to stimulate a debate on this forum in relation to whether individual performance in trials (good or bad) influences the team ultimately selected. If trial performance is not relevant to selection then this needs to be indicated upfront; the logical debate that might follow is if this approach contributes to ensuring the strongest team is selected or if having a narrow focus results in non-inclusion of promising players.
We must encourage future participants when posting to loose the anger or there will be no debate. Respondents need to recognise that debate is actually healthy and could stimulate ideas with the ability to improve systems, even those that are working well. Wishing all of our young players selected success.

Hello Co. Armagh Stalwart

Another critical anonymous post....

A group of 7 teachers (representing 7 different schools and 6 different clubs) and a chairman without affiliation to any school or club picked the schools trials teams from proposals made by schools (not all good players were proposed by their school).

Don't often disagree with '100% fact' but the team to play the MCC has 9 different schools represented (only two players come from schools represented on the committee that pick the team)...doesn't seem that much evidence of picking one's own to me !

Also, the Ulster Schools picks pupils from Form 5 upwards to ensure that as many players as possible are given the opportunity to play. Jack Carson is only Form 4 and so was not proposed by his school (Banbridge I think), though I strongly suspect he will be in the frame next year.

Hope this clears things up....

The posting by Richard succinctly highlights the wide disparity between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' - the gulf between the high spending clubs and those struggling to keep going week after week. I recall Victoria having problems a couple of seasons ago with their landlords, the Council and while that may have been resolved, there are many issues that I and my fellow umpires pick up on when travelling around the country. I wonder if any of these sort of matters are discussed at CI level or is there just a bit of hand wringing and 'let's move on'. The points that Richard has raised is, I believe, a much truer reflection of what is happening in grass roots cricket than some would have us believe and I commend him for his input

Thank you Bumper for your kind words re Millpark CC. 6 defeats out of 6 is certainly testimony to our generous hospitality to opposing teams! Look forward to seeing you again later in the summer. We may have even won a game by then!But I wouldn't put any money on it!

Can I just say that trials for selection for Ulster Schools should now be disregarded ! No matter how you perform it really doesn't matter ! In fact in all honesty schools cricket should now be totally and utterly treated as a non-entity ! Coaches involved pick their pupils or kids involved with their clubs ! No matter what anyone says that is 100 per cent fact ! Can I also ask how one of the NCU's brightest talents - Jack Carson was not even involved ! Good enough for Sussex developing u17 but not NCU ?

Time for the coaches involved to wake up and appreciate the talent you have in front of you and put to one side club/school loyalties !!!!
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