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This Saturday Muckamore Cricket Club will field five Saturday teams for the first time in their 140 years history.
1sts v Instonians
2nds v Lurgan 2nds Home ( Moylena )
3rds v CLiftonville 2nds Home ( Parkhall College )
4ths v Larne 2nds Home ( Moylena back pitch)
5ths v Carrick 4ths Home ( Antrim Grammar School)

That's four games being played at the same time in Antrim. This in the same week when we have two scheduled Midweek League fixtures, had our first ever Ladies Cricket practice and had over 50 at Junior practice on Monday night despite it raining overhead ( we used the tennis courts ).

Cricket is the fastest growing sport in Ireland and I think it's significant that Muckamore must be the fastest growing club in Ireland at a time when our own Andy Clement is chairman of the NCU and of the Cricket Ireland Cricket committee. Andy sold us the vision of cricket at all levels and next season we would expect to field a sixth Saturday team and by 2020 to have eight teams meaning that their are four games being played in Antrim every Saturday.

We have a growing number of qualified coaches and have invested in the expert coaching of Uel Graham and Stephen Donnelly to enhance player development at both Senior and under age level.

We have a Presidents Day game scheduled for Friday 13th June which will allow us to " sell the club" to the wider community and act as a day to thank our growing list of sponsors.

I have been involved in cricket since 1971 as a player, captain, supporter, spectator, committee member, Grasshopper but I have never experienced a buzz or known of a buzz at a club like we have at Moylena right now.

We have two affiliated umpires in Andy and Johnny Kennedy and in Michael Kennedy the most enthusiastic , hard working, keen to learn up and coming groundsman in the country who is starting to see the fruits of his labour with fast and true pitches at Moylena and a lightning fast outfield.

Urgently required by Saintfield Cricket Club one full time / part time coach for Saintfield's junior section.
All enquiries will be welcome.
Noel McCarey
Chairman Saintfield Cricket Club
07767271366

It would be nice for captains to phone to tell teams that the game is off instead of a text and at a reasonable time not when teams are meeting to leave

Re : Starting times

Starting times are currently one of the main items being discussed by the Domestic Cricket Development Directorate. A paper is currently being prepared which will give clubs a range of options to give us their opinions on. If a majority of clubs are in favour of a change, it will then be our intention to prepare a notice of motion for the AGM

I find it astonishing that a recent 2nd XI game was allowed to be postponed as one of the clubs had 3 players picked for an NCU Under 15 representative game. I can’t find this ruling in the NCU book. The club in question has 3 teams and how they couldn’t find 3 replacements is beyond me. They appealed directly to the NCU management board rather than the league secretary – I wonder why. Shame on the club in question and shame on the NCU for such a ruling.

R.E Start times

After the latest fuss r.e start times is it going to be another case of all talk no action, why does a club not bring it to the A.G.M? Until someone does that newspaper reporter rants are pointless, citing "lack of initiative from captains" is pretty feeble, why would they disadvantage themselves agreeing to earlier start times?

I have always felt schools matches should be played exclusively on week day afternoons with Friday evenings left for club youth cricket. Players and coaches alike dont want to be heading away at 8am on a Saturday morning to play. Time to get this issue sorted or will it be a talking point this time next season?

The ideas for all my little stories are of course inspired by many cricket games/occurrences that one tends to be involved in as the seasons pass by from year to year and the fascinating people you tend to meet along the way.

And so with my latest piece of poetry there's no exception, very happy to report that both clubs mentioned therein have since gone on from strength to strength and the official gentleman who guessed the occasion with a surprise appearance, helped make the whole affair a very worthwhile exercise indeed; on his own at this particular match but nevertheless a colossus, he was.....

The Lone Umpire!

Mark this and mark it well,

for it was a fine, upstanding deed

he journeyed far to ring the bell,

so that others may succeed!

‘Twas with rumours rife of ill-health

a sporting constitution in decline

that some chose the sanctuary of wealth

rather than dig in and mark time!

But two cricket clubs of noted invention

each from nearby boarding lands

knew cure was better than suspension

thus set about employing new hands!

They called a game, a friendly match

betwixt the other, by the factory ground

encouraging all to play, bat, bowl and catch

And to this venue, folk flocked from all around!

A problem then became apparent

organized chaos may ensue

but fears allayed by the arrival of a gent

dressed in a smart attire, of navy blue!

Proceedings quickly fell into place

those unsure, soon got it right

for he guided each with a smiling face

as they learned to joist, with this noble knight!

Now all are not born with a midas touch

though deserving a fair chance

and the lone umpire knew as such

that’s why he took this forthright stance!

So if your club should become unmanned

don’t just crouch and hide behind the door

negate with resources found at hand

then like the lone umpire, you will know; ‘Esprit de corps’!

Ivan - I have no problem backing change. Everything must evolve but I was trying to flag up the implications. I am certain that there are a considerable number of clubs where "social" cricket is the ethos and resources are such that they can never aspire to be in the "top 4". I also see from today's Newsletter that the question of 1:00 p.m. starts is being raised!! Now where have we heard this before?!.

Rob, you indicated that Portadown folded because they lacked professionalism. What an absolutely silly remark to make. There were a lot of factors that clearly you are ignorant of, which led to Portadown folding. Unless you know the full details, you really should keep your silly backward opinions to yourself.

Not entirely sure what point this rob character is making? Should we just have a premier league and those not deemed good enough can scrap about for a game for a premier league's 2s or even midweek team? If we didn't have the likes of section 2 and 3 etc, there would be a lot less youngsters being exposed to genuinely competitive adult cricket. Have to agree with what the guys from Cregagh are saying, I've played against them several times at Junior League level and they have always had some of the best youngsters going, mainly due to the fact that they have a committed group of adults willing to help coach them. Not everyone can play to the highest level but it doesn't mean that it's any less enjoyable.

re Rob
What a terrible little existence you must lead! Why doesnt every team just pack up now and quit cricket. I have never heard such drivel.
What is your issue with VCC. We are trying to better ourselves, we may well be favourites for the drop but we will fight all year to stay up. Why should a cricket club fold just because we will struggle in the league we were just promoted to. I think the work rate and the fact we gained promotion with 6 straight victories at the end of last season should be commended.
I can just picture you, one of the sideline mouth pieces who knows everything about everything and has never put in a poor show!
If you are going to slag people off at least have the decency to let them know who you are so we can all collectively laugh at your arrogant little opinions!!
Good luck to all teams this year throughout the divisons and enjoy what is a wonderful game no matter how good you are!!

Andy, I think rather than fight change the best thing is to embrace it. Inter pro cricket featuring the best available 33 players has to be welcomed. I think if you can't beat them then join them so maybe clubs need to aspire to be one of the top four "big clubs".

I feel that I have to agree with Rob from belfast (not sure what Belfast club he is affiliated to, if any), but it is obvious to anyone that has been watching NCU cricket that the problem is junior clubs trying to become better and offering cricket to young (& not so young) people, when all resources should be used in importing ready made cricketers, after all, who would want Nelsons or Dennisons at their club knowing that they were from a club that once played in what "rob from belfast" says is nothing more than a "social league"
I will be in Saintfield tomorrow, the first time I have played there since as a very young teenager Alvin Spence scored his first 100, we may win, we may not, but we will fight to defend every run, every wicket, and we will continue to do so all season long, but at least we will have the courage to put our name and our club alongside our posts.
I can recall watching Lambegg CC, Crossgar CC, Crossbows CC etc, I can also remember playing against Cooke CC, Collegians CC, North of Ireland CC and NICS, If you feel that the best way forward for cricket in Northern Ireland is for clubs to fold, then at least do the decent thing and let us know who you are, cause I feel you are in a minority of one.

I think Rob's comments deserve more contempt than reply personally.

Sure its not that awful long since CIYMS were playing in the lowest Senior league and look at them now. Good job they didn't pull out isn't it?

The transfer of Shane Getkate seems to have slipped under the radar. I can fully appreciate his reasoning in that he hasn't made it to the Leinster inter-pro side so he is going to try his luck in the NCU. However on reflection I feel that behind this type of transfer is the potential to replicate what has happened in Irish rugby. Does this mean that others will follow for similar reasons? And what are the implications for what I describe as 'club' cricket? Will we see the development of "contracted" players being "allocated" to clubs to play when inter-pro committments permit? I can also see a situation where there may be a further "elite" developing where say possibly six clubs will attract the top players and the rest will be left to their own devices as per Ulster club rugby. Let's think of a scenario where the Northern Knights management are approached by a player who wishes to put himself "in the shop window". Will he be directed to what I describe the "big four" Premier clubs? As I said on previous postings over the past few years, the development of the four Provincial sides has led to a sea-change in club rugby - consider the demise of so many erstwhile Senior clubs. I welcome the Inter-Pro competition and look forward to seeing some of it this summer but I wonder if it has been completely thought through.