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Just another thought - The section 1 clubs could agree not bring overseas professionals and use the money saved on salaries, accommodation and flights to pay for a full time year round local development officer sharing his time around the clubs.

Re: Nile

I am not for one instant suggesting that amateur clubs play social taverners cricket.

I see many benefits such as :

1. Taking the financial pressure off clubs in trying and compete with the elite.

2. Redirecting resources to developing coaches and a youth system in your club. There is enough local knowledge in cricket to improve the standard of amateur cricket massively without bringing in overseas players.

3. Redirecting resources to improving pitches/outfield and off field facilities.

I see no issue with a twin league structure. Fully amateur clubs play a vital role in providing a leisure outlet in their communities for young players and adults alike. Not every club has to aim to be the best in Ireland.

It is quite feasible for an amateur club to produce players with the potential to play for Ireland but these players will naturally gravitate towards the nearby semi-professional elite club at a young age if they wish to pursue a career in cricket.

Over recent years, the overseas professional has come to completely dominate most matches in section 1 often scoring about 50%-60% of the runs scored for the season and taking 25-35 wickets. While they are very good players it is doing nothing for local player development.

The alternative is to provide excellent coaching in your club to produce a squad of players of a good standard. On match days it is then up to your local players to produce the goods and not sit back and rely on the professional.

This would make the matches more competitive and enjoyable.

Amateur does not mean that you do not strive to improve standards, it just means that you do not pay players.

I am not anti elite semi-professional clubs striving to be the best in Ireland and all credit to them if they can raise enough money to bring in players, coaches, set up coaching systems and develop facilities.

I just think it would be a good idea to formally separate the elite league from the rest.

Stephen,
You need to step back and observe the bigger picture. Those guys you mentioned are all great legends of our local game but was our interprovincial and Nationals teams stronger then? No.
The current system is driven towards a stronger National team whether we like it or not.
Your view on professionals is a little one tracked. There have been many professionals throughout the years that have helped to shape clubs throughout the province.
Maybe the true of the matter is somewhere between my ideology and your rather blunt assessment of things.

At "player recruitment" clubs local youth system youngsters carry the pros' bags. The 1st XI is usually 70/30 recruitment.
At "player producing" clubs youngsters bat and bowl up the order and the club lives with the inconsistency. The 1st XI is usually 70/30 youth system.
An amateur league will result in social taverners' style cricket destroying "player producing" clubs. "Player recruitment" clubs will come and go at whim of private backers.
I never use the term "village cricket" as disparaging: waringstown donemana and Bready are villages and produce top cricketers

Thanks to Steven Wilson for his comments and I totally agree with his posting- its not everybody who wants to or can see the "big picture". Also a big thanks to the folk at Derriaghey for their arrangements today - you know who you are! Also saw a great prospect in young Millar taking a "7for" for the NW.

Re Robert

The short answer is NO

All they learn from hired guns is to be more of a mercenary than a club man - they learn that's it's acceptable to flit from club to club with impunity.

Therein lies the problem with the local game.

A good player will always be a good player and will rise to the top, they'll also be coached by the plethora of local 'experts' (another story)

I'm old enough to remember true quality club men that to me seem so superior to the current crop of 'Local Legends'

I remember Great local players like John Elder, Simon Corlett,Chris Harte, Stephen Warke,Ivan Anderson,Garfield, Michael Shannon etc etc to name but just a few.

Tell me how much did they take from their Clubs ? I have no idea, you'd need to ask them - but I'd be shocked if it was a penny, oh and btw how many clubs did they wade their way through ? - Where are their Likes today ?

Furthermore you cannot compare local cricket with any other sport, it's worse than comparing 'apples to oranges'

cricket is a miniscule sport in any context domestically - and that makes the ludicrous monies bandied about even more ridiculous

Wake up and smell the coffee, if CI and those like them want to spend silly money, I just wish they'd bugger off and do it somewhere else.

Last time I checked most other sports didn't allow Professionals to compete on a level with amateurs.

Also, while I'm on a rant - I would just like to applaud Andy Kennedy for his common sense views, frankly it's pretty desperate that some simpletons can't figure out objectiveness from pointedness - perhaps that's just a Northern Ireland trait.

I appreciate that many clubs are well into their seasons but just want to offer my services as a scorer to anyone out there. I have scored for over twenty years at all levels and am experienced in both Frindal and scorebooks. I an be contacted at jonathan.lyttle@nihe.gov.uk

I respect that everyone has their own opinion on these matters and it’s difficult to offer statements on forums which everyone will approve of. That said, we have to be careful what we wish for, it is my view that a league with no professionals will lower the standard of cricket in general. Would the young stars of CIYMS be better cricketers if they were not playing alone side Rassie and Co? These young players will learn much quicker playing alongside these types of players. Many of these ‘Pro’s’ are also offering genuine and progressive coaching to young club members.
By maintaining the current system a small number of clubs will continue to become ‘super clubs’ and the gap between the top and bottom of the Premier league is becoming greater. This happened in club Rugby and it will happen in Cricket. The outcome in club rugby is that our interprovincial and country teams have become much stronger and the mainstream club scene moved back to a slower pace club league with no pros.
If we continue to follow the course that we are on (Rugby path) then it just might suit everyone as we will be left with a mainstream club scene of no professional but have a much stronger interprovincial and national team......looks like it’s going to unravel to everyone’s satisfaction 

I agree with Bruce topping

Cricket is currently sounding it's death rattle

Time that any decent club votes to Ban ALL overseas players, wouldn't it be great - like it used to, when playing for your Club meant something.

Or as Bruce says Restructure and let them all bugger off to an all Ireland league.

Imagine the investment we could all make within our clubs if we didn't have to pay the incredibly 'ordinary' locals or the overseas mercenaries

Any Cricketer that has played for more than two clubs in their career, should hang their head in shame - Equally any 'Club' men that take monies from their club should do the same.

Bruce, in an ideal world your proposal is an excellent one but as we all know, we don't reside in an ideal world.

Sooner or later those little brown envelopes and backhanders would appear again, something that's nigh on impossile to regulate today, just as it would be under your terms & conditions.

I much prefer Terry's suggestion, transparency is the key. It's a fact that if you pay the best wages you get the best workers, Ulster rugby has gone that route and look at football nowadays, the premiership in particular, need I say any more?

As Terry say's, like it or not, we live in a professional era were the pound seems to rule 'the roost' so just let whoever play for whoever and may the best and not neccessarily the wealthiest team win!

At least that way everyone knows where they stand and so what if one team has a squad of 'galacticos', the league may even become ultra competitive, irresective of how many teams are involved and it will certainly be interesting to observe who turns out to play for who and against who!

Or perhaps this already is the case ?

Perhaps it is time for 2 completely separate league structures. One which offers a semi-professional environment based on current NCU rules and another completely amateur league. Under the amateur league, each club would sign up to rules including no overseas playing professional (I would allow an overseas coach) and no paying of local players by any means. Each senior club could then decide which league structure they want to sign up for. Clearly the fully amateur clubs would have to agree to abide by the rules as the strictly no payment rule would be difficult to police

Haven't been on this forum before but just looking through some of the posts from the last few days.
Regarding the situation with clubs spending money on local players, I'm of the stance that it is their prerogative, but it certainly makes playing against them, and beating them (seldomly happens) all the more pleasurable. Clubs that do this have to expect the strong opinions that will come.
Personally, unless all your mercenaries are coaching I really don't agree with it. That being said, it's not the players fault. In some universe where I was offered £30k I'd certainly think twice.
Also, don't think anyone should have a go at unpires on a public forum, we are in short enough supply and they all make mistakes. Without them cricket would be a farce.
Andy

as we move towards a more professional era i would love to see a ten team premier league with 2 up two down and the restriction on pros lifted you can have as many as you want in all sections at least it would be transparent with all the cards shown on the table the best league has the best players so why not invite them all and be done with it instead of circumnavigating the rules which a lot of people say has been happening for years it definitely would be interesting and isnt that what cricket ireland wants ultimately ps my views are my own and this is a forum

Ref. Ivan and Bruce.
Quote Ivan. " Some of the nastiest people I played against are some of the nicest people I know off the pitch" , does not cut it for me.
I am sorry, but I myself took a string of abuse from 2 players last May when I agreed to help Donacloney out in a game. I did have my say in retaliation but have to admit, I don't enjoy this sort of thing. It is especially hard to take when it comes from someone of limited ability.
I tend to agree with Bruce's comments. I truthfully believe that the Asian pros that a lot of clubs had when I was in my prime set a great example both on and off the field.
I for one have never had a drink with anyone who has called me any sort of b and never will even if I play again.

Templepatrick Cricket Club Golf Day

This years event is taking place on Friday 14th August @ Hilton Templepatrick.

Tee times are available from 1pm - 3pm
£30 per person which includes, bacon butties prior to your round of golf and a bbq afterwards.

Contact me via marketing@templepatrickcc.co.uk to confirm your booking.
Thanks
Peter Shepherd
Templepatrick Cricket Club