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re Paul Stafford - its a while since I have played but having umpired a few games over the last 2 seasons and watching games on almost every Saturday/Sunday of the season you have hit the nail on the head - lack of respect, sledging and no sense of fun.

Clubs need to be investing (time not money) in youth and instilling values of respect on top of wanting to win. Excellent youth set ups like Cregagh should be lauded and the kids playing there hopefully will stay and help Cregagh rise through the leagues. There are other good clubs out there too but what is the point of playing in a team if you look around a dressing room and 6/7 or more of your team mates are only there because they are getting a few quid. Invest in kids and your grounds. The better players I assume will still want to play if they are not paid or will they take to the golf course and earn a few £ there?

I cannot comment on 8/10 team leagues nor cricket development officer but it is clear from even a cursory glance of the lower & Junior leagues that clubs need to step back and take a look as we have went from all clubs fielding U15/13/11s plus 3or 4 senior teams to what is currently looking a bit sparse in terms of fixtures.

Much like Andy Kennedy these are my own views and not those of NIACUAS nor Templepatrick.

Hi folks, I am helping out with Templepatrick Under 13 B's this season and am looking to pencil in a few more B fixtures in August. We have a squad of 22 at Under 13s this year and are very keen to get all of the boys playing as many matches as possible. I have emailed everyone mentioned in the Fixture book but would be happy to travel if anyone out there can provide a fixture. If so please text me on 07837413222.

Clarence
You asked the question 'What is the benefit of 10 teams over 8?'
You can follow that logic through: What is the of 8 teams over 6 (good argument at the moment)? or 6 teams over 4, or 4 teams or 2? Where do we stop?

What is that really matters? The strength of North Down, Waringstown, CIYMS, Instonians and CSN or the strength of the NCU as a whole?

Should we care if Downpatrick, Lurgan Bangor, Carrickfergus, Woodvale and Cliftonville (all recent top flight clubs) dwindle and diminish?

If those clubs continue to have their best players cherry picked then other remaining good players tend to quit rather than join another club. The gap widens to the point that they no longer can compete. At this point the club merely exists rather than having any great driving ambition to move forward.

Those clubs that do want to move forward are left with no choice but to throw money at it. Helping young players develop is a long term strategy and won't yield results short term. In the meantime top clubs can pick off those young players and pass them off as their own in a few years if they succeed. If not well no loss if they drift away from the game, someone else is bound to produce a cricketer for us.

Thus we have the law of the jungle. 8 team top league has shown very quickly that the top players go to the top clubs. That was exactly what it set out to achieve. But at what cost?

League fixture are sacrificed for 20 over competitions and Ulster Cup/Shield competitions that by and large people and players don't take that seriously.

Let's grow the Union for the benefit of all clubs not just a few. Let's create space to develop young players so the sport here has a future rather than for the benefit of the mercenaries with their hands held out.

It's good to hear from Staffy again. Some good comments. Where do you start on these issues?
In agreement with the 10 teams 100%. Why should there only be a couple of teams fighting it out at the bottom. Obviously clubs do have their own interests at stake. Lurgan will see themselves in a similar situation if they go up as in 2013. They brought in a second and third overseas player to try and stay in the top league and probably will do the same again. In their defence however, they are no worse than any of some of the top teams who do it for success.
It's hard to understand any of it coming from my background. Dinosaur, has been and washed up are all comments thrown at me in the lower sections, but everyones entitled to play the odd game and have an opinion. I come from a village which didn't need a pro, played with great successful teams like Lurgan, North Down and Strabane who only had one overseas player so could somebody please explain to me what's going on in local club cricket. Maybe the prize money has increased dramatically because the crowds certainly have not.

Totally agree with Paul Staffords post in its entirety... apart from about the NCU Development Ofiicer, he has been down at Armagh several times and has a real interest and passion for the job if the clubs want to work with him. Running about after Kwik Cricket tournaments, youth coaching and Ladies cricket isnt the most glamourous of roles but it shouldn't go unnoticed.

Clarence I'm not too sure about the 8 team league better preparing players for rep. cricket because as Staffy points out a lot of these players are coming through passport control. A 10 team league would at least give the bottom 5 sides a chance of a few victories when they play one another. Whereas at the moment the bottom 2 in the Premier League are getting stuffed week in week out, and as we all know getting beaten week after week is no fun at all.

Don't even get me started about Cricket Ireland!!

Just noticed the last word of the second line of the last stanza should read ..
'' throng '

Typo error, my mistake !

Please support Neale's appeal regarding the Graham Cup Final. Well done both teams, but particularly Cregagh who have struggled in the past few years but appear to be fighting back at all levels. I'm sure several premier clubs would be delighted to have a team in the Graham Cup Final.
Good luck to both teams.

Have to agree Gareth, Staffy has hit a lot of contentious things on the head. Not sure how to deal with some of them particularly the money involved as I think it is madness in the current environment. If I could highlight one point Staffy where is the benefit of 10 clubs over 8? Like many people I was swayed by the argument that the best should play the best to prepare players for representative cricket and I think that has been achieved. There are at least six competitive teams at the top as opposed to three a few years ago. Bringing another two weaker teams into the fray doesn't convince me we are moving in the right direction. However, I'm willing to listen to your argument as I did with the pro-8 advocates a couple of years ago.

With the recent fine summer weather we've all been enjoying and our cricket season in full swing, why would anyone want to pack up and head off on a foreign holiday ?

Beats me......

A Perfect Holiday !

They say a relaxing vacation, to a far off, exotic location
will chase those blues away.
Roasting daily in the sun, till you're baked and overdone,
for many, is a worthwhile holiday!

Or perhaps a foreign cruise, is even better news
to boost that flagging drive?
Indeed what could be finer, onboard an ocean liner,
watching playful dolphins, leap and dive?

Yes, no doubt it is pleasure, to recreate at leisure
on golden sands or becalming, deep blue sea.
But what if I get badly burned, seasick and interned?
Alas, neither destination is for me!

So I've conceived a master plan, I'm renaissance man
to fill my summer days with blissful glee.
Guaranteed, cheerful fun, neath a temperate sun,
and all are very welcome, to this jamboree!

Dressed in white glad rags, my kit in zipped up bags
I'm setting off to join a merry throne.
For my golden holiday ticket, is spent playing cricket,
why don't you pack your case and come along?

What a brilliant post from Staffy, he hits all the pertinent nails on the head. I couldn't agree with him more!!

Billy - nowhere did I say they were playing for free, simply that the figure quoted was by no means realistic.
If you are that interested in how Muckamore spend the vast majority of the money we work so hard to bring in, then swing by the club some day and look around!

GRAHAM CUP FINAL

The Graham Cup Final will now be held on 13th August at 2pm, and hosted as last year by Holywood Cricket Club.

The finalists are CREGAGH and CSNI.

Everyone welcome.

Would it not be a good idea for more clubs to try and keep twitter updated in the league they are in, especially as we are getting to the "meaningful" stage of the season, it might just lead to a few players whose game is over early deciding to stop off for a pint on their way home

Templepatrick Cricket Club Golf day 15th August.
This years event at the Hilton Hotel Templepatrick will be part of Tcc's fundraising efforts for their chosen charities this year (Macmillan Cancer Nurses and the Donkey Sanctuary )
All support from the cricketing family is welcomed , contact me at marketing@templepatrickcc.co.uk to book your tee time.
The price is £30 per person for your round of golf and BBQ after.
Thanks