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North Down CC require a 1stXI scorer for the 2015 season, anyone interested in the position please contact team manager David Irvine on davidirvine 8(at)aol.com
Downpatrick cricket club are looking for a scorer for the coming season. If anyone is interested or want to have a chat about it could you contact David Rea at David.Rea@davy.ie or 07766 477955
It was very sad to learn of the recent passing of Peter Russell.
Peter was a tremendous servant to North of Ireland CC past and present and a great source of historical information. On a personal level I greatly valued his friendship and the support and encouragement he gave to me when writing the History of Ulster Cricket and the story of the NCU Challenge Cup. He was a meticulous cricket historian, but above all he was a friendly and engaging person who loved the camaraderie of sport. We will all miss his presence and his company.
Our sincere condolences go out to his family.
May you rest in peace Peter.
It is with shock and deep sadness that I learn of the sudden death of Peter Russell. It is especially poignant as we were all at the IACUS conference in Monaghan on Saturday and he was in chipper form. A sad loss to CSNI and to the wider NCU circle but a deeper loss to his family who are in my thoughts at this time
Very sad to hear that Peter Russell passed away today following what appears to have been a heart attack.
Peter was a key person in CSN, involved in many aspects of the Club and to say that he will be greatly missed is a massive understatement.
Our sincere thoughts go out to Peter's sister, brother as well as his wider family.
All at CSN
Agh Billy son - cheer up!. Ireland doing well, the new season is only 10 weeks away and a Lisburn player featuring in a great catch for Zimbabwe!! Now give a big smile - there - doesn't that feel better already!!
Sorry to hear about Peter White. Nice man and a very good umpire, at least when I was playing! One of those guys who, when you arrived and asked who the umpires were and you heard his name, you thought great, no problems there then. Condolences to kith and kin. I hope to do the umpires course next week and, if Nothing falls on me, do the odd match this summer. The £250 match fee was the clincher. Or did I get that wrong? Anyway, no promises, but I hope to give it a go if I can and at least help in some small way (and I'm not referring to my height!).
Templepatrick Cricket Club intends to host a reunion lunch, possibly during August 2015, for former Belfast Cricket League cricketers, provided that there is sufficient interest for such an event. We have obtained a large collection of newspaper articles, some photographs, fixture books,. and other memorabilia, and would hope to locate and borrow at least some of the BCL trophies for this event, although to date the trophies are proving to be elusive. Nevertheless,a further posting about them will follow shortly.
We are also considering four short presentations (each of about 10 to 15 minutes duration) concerning various aspects of the history of the League as well as a question and answer session, plenty of time for browsing, informal discussion and reminiscing. Some more details about the presentations will follow at a later date.
Templepatrick Cricket Club will provide the lunch, however those attending would have the opportunity, should they wish to do so, to make a donation to the McMillan Cancer Relief, and the Donkey Sanctuary Templepatrick, the two charities which are supported by Templepatrick Cricket Club.
Mr Clarence Hiles, in his wonderful book, "History of Senior Cricket in Ulster" did mention the BCL a few times in passing and observed that it "holds a unique place in the history of Belfast cricket." It also interconnected, not inconsiderably it may be said, with the NCU, but this is something that has never been documented. We would therefore hope to be able to accommodate anyone with an interest in the history of local cricket that might like to come along, have some lunch with us, and hear a little about the BCL. NCU/Cricket Ireland Officials and umpires would course be especially welcome.
Finally, Mr John Major, the former Prime Minister, has observed that in the world of sport the story of cricket is the greatest story ever told. Could it be that in the world of cricket, the story of the Belfast Cricket League is the greatest story that has never been told? We can never know such things, but it just might be. Certainly, in our opinion anyway, it is a good story that up to now has never been told.
Hopefully there are many former BCL cricketers who read this forum. Should anyone have any photographs or other memorabilia, please let us know.
Please contact, Arthur Bowron, 028 90842070: arthur.bowron@yahoo.co.uk, to register an interest and for further details if you might like to attend.
Yours most sincerely
Arthur Bowron
TCC
Billy Dobbin its your choice to be sad (or happy) but please don't be sad for Muckamore. We are happy to have Jay and Ryan at Moylena and if the hard work those two are putting in alongside our very youthful 1sts squad (I think Ryan could be our oldest player) then they certainly aren't sad. We aren't sad that young Jason VdeMerwe decided to play at CSNI.That doesn't mean we were happy to lose him and we would be happier if he was out batting alongside his mates Craig Drummond, Sunny Stephenson and Gary Nicholl, but that's life. I can't imagine North Down want you to be sad for them just as they wouldn't have been sad for other clubs who over the years lost players to The Green and in years to come I can see players being attracted to Templepatrick so lets not be sad. Irish cricket is on the up again. People are talking to me about cricket this week who never mentioned it to me before. We are getting comments from people in Antrim that they can't wait to see Ryan play so it's only you that is sad.
Let's keep sadness in perspective. Sadness is losing a great cricket personaility, a husband and a father like Peter White.
I find it sad for very differing reasons to read that Hunter and Haire have opted to join Muckamore for 2015.
The contstant drip of propaganda on here will point towards all the appropriate buzz words and tired cliches but in my opinion its sad for North Down, sad for Templepatrick and most of all sad for Muckamore.
I was so saddened to hear about the death of Peter White. Peter was as true gentleman and excellent umpire who deserved praise for his abilities from near and far. His ability to make players feel at ease and promote the game was so evident and of course there was the social side which I enjoyed during a three day fixture against MCC in the North West many years ago and of course the many times at dinners and meetings. I know that I will miss a man who was filled with a great desire to enjoy life and to make cricket a fun game to be part of.
re. William Burns,
In that jnr league CSNI had a girl playing, and Bangor too if I remember rightly, maybe even Downpatrick as well.
I played for Colin a couple of times 2013, you might remember the wee lassie and her Father slapping my bowling around Tannaghmore gdns for fun. I guess that's why I'm making the tea these days.
Andy,
Sorry to hear the news about Peter. Great character and lovely person. Sad day for local cricket.
Rest in Peace Peter.
Really saddened by the news of Peter White's passing. A larger than life character who was always great company both on and off the field. He always was "affronted" when I would repeat the story about Michael Kasprovitch and him at Eglinton!!
Re; Alan Chambers comments.
I'm sure Colin Stewart of Laurelvale would confirm that in some games last season he thought he had a few "girlies" playing on his own side.
