Forum

Thanks Stuart - just picking up on the media coverage of golf clubs getting a few million between them.

It's only right & proper that local cricket along with other major, provincial sporting bodies received welcome financial support from the Government Dep. of Sport, ( though it appears some golf & soccer clubs have been particular well endowed ) but what I'd like to know is if any cricket clubs that applied, were turned turn much needed revenue or if not, received mere 'tuppence-worth?'
Point being, these grants/awards were based on last year's 'loss of earnings/profits' due to Covid-19 restrictions, compensation as it were, yet, I note that several junior clubs with lesser facilities ( bar, own ground etc ) are not on that published list of those that received remuneration, and as such begs the question, is it once again another case of the rich remain so, the poor as usual, go without?
NCU take note - Excuse the pun, forget soil sampling, grassroots will shoot up green blades naturally, but Grassroot cricket needs financial assistance in the form of greenbacks as opposed to nitrogen additive!

Andy, clubs had to apply for the SportNI Sustainability Fund. It wasn't a general grant like in 2020. If you didn't ask you didn't get. Why so many clubs are not on the list of awards only they can answer.

Sustainability grants - 13 clubs from NW, 9 from NCU. Just sayin’ like!

re: Craigs 2 posts.
I remember watching Gary Wilson, when he was a nipper, run in all day long in his whites and bowl against the Ballygomartin wall at Woodvale. He have a lovely action and i said, "this kid will play for Ireland one day".
Ok so he's a wicketkeeper/batsman but am I a talent scout or what? lol.
Secondly great to see financial support for struggling clubs, the fact that Woodvale seem now to be two clubs Wood-vale. do we get twice as much???

£330K secured for Northern Ireland clubs through Sport NI's 'Sports Sustainability

BELFAST – Sport Northern Ireland has today confirmed that 23 cricket clubs across Northern Ireland will receive a total of £330,119 from the Sports Sustainability Fund following a successful joint submission between Cricket Ireland, North West Cricket Union and Northern Cricket Union.
The Sports Sustainability Fund was established by the NI Executive to help address the economic consequences of the COVID-19 health pandemic on the sports sector. It endeavours to minimise the financial stress on the sports sector due to lost income as a result of COVID-19 lockdown and ongoing restrictions so as to sustain the sector.
Applications closed on 20 January 2021, and the announcement has now been made regarding successful funding recipients.
The recipient cricket clubs are:
Ardmore
Ballyspallen
Bready
Brigade
Burndennett
Donemana
Drummond
Eglinton
Fox Lodge
Glendermott
Killyclooney
Maghera
Newbuildings
Carrickfergus
Cregagh
CSNI
Dundrum
Holywood
Laurelvale
Lisburn
Templepatrick
Wood-vale

Brian O’Hara makes a valid point. The vaccination programme in NI is miles ahead of that in ROI so we may not be comparing like with like!

Lockdown easing in Northern Ireland and we’re heading for a earlier start to the season than in Leinster and Munster, maybe?
Just a little concerned to read this from Cricket Ireland a couple of days ago, ‘ We will update clubs shortly on how they can start preparing for a Return to Cricket in both NI and ROI.’
Are we really going to wait for them to tell us when we up here can get back out on the pitch?
It’s surely obvious that there will be two different speeds of Return to Cricket, holding back so that someone else can catch up will not be acceptable.

BELFAST – Ireland Men’s stalwart Gary Wilson has today announced his retirement from professional cricket, bringing to a close a 16-year international career and a successful first-class career that spanned English county and Irish inter-provincial cricket. He will take up the new full-time role as Head Coach and Pathway Manager for North West Warriors.
Holywood-born Wilson, 35, made his international debut for Ireland in June 2005 against the MCC and appeared 292 times for the senior side – the third most capped Irish international in history.
He finishes Ireland’s second highest wicket-keeper in terms of dismissals behind the stumps with 160 catches and 33 stumpings. In addition, given his career overlapped with Niall O’Brien, Wilson was also an excellent outfielder, taking 60 catches.
A very accomplished middle-order batter, Wilson registered 5,959 runs for Ireland, hitting one century and 30 fifties – his highest score being 113 v Netherlands in 2010.
He featured in the Irish squad at two Cricket World Cup finals (2011, 2015) and five T20 World Cup finals (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016).
His honours in international colours included:
ICC Trophy winners (2008)
World Cup qualifying tournament winners (2013)
World T20 qualifying tournament winners (2008, 2012, 2013)
ICC InterContinental Cup winners (2007, 2008, 2013)
In 2018, Wilson was given the honour of captaining the Ireland Men’s T20 squad, and oversaw the side’s qualification for the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 (which was subsequently rescheduled to 2021).

Re NCU strategy - Soil Sampling ..
In these unprecedented times we all find ourselves enduring, sport has been just one of many social casualties hit hard during the past 13 months of lockdown, social distance rules, mercifully though, we seem to be over the worst and life/society in general is gradually heading back to some degree of 'normality. '
That being said, bearing in mind cricket at local level even before all this craziness was thrust upon us, had already been under the pump and was in not in a state of rude health, I quote the Downpatrick downscale for example, so with this in mind, why are the NCU in all their wisdom concentrating or even worrying themselves about the condition of the soil around all the various clubs?
Trust me gentlemen, I can assure you of one thing, this little province of ours maybe behind everyone else when it comes to economics, NHS, infrastructure, political expediency etc. etc, but one fact I can state without fear of contradiction, when it comes to grass-growth and its quality, we are at the very pinnacle in world wide terms so unless I've missed something whilst lying low this last year, and we're developing some new brand of genetically engineered rye/grass, may I respectfully suggest rather than waste valuable time & money sending Professor Pikes around club grounds taking biopsies of soil for scientific analysis, such resources and acumen be put to better use, like working out just how we are gonna repair the loss of young player interest/participation in the local game before like lemmings, cricket and all who love it, finally go over the precipice, never to be seen or heard of again!!!
Just as E = MC 2 Sunlight + H2O = Grass-growth
(and when it gets too long, cut it, repeat as & when)

Interesting to see on the “other” site that Barry Chambers on “The View” has commented on the digging up of the pitches at Abbotstown. Questions must be asked about how this situation arose and what is the time-scale for when the relayed pitches will be playable?

Techfynder Cricket Official of the Year
Winner: Ian Houston.
There's never been a more deserving recipient of an award.
Ian is an absolute gentleman and has worked tirelessly appointing officials, seemingly for ever.
well done Mr Houston.
Lets see more of you at Woodvale CC this coming season.
(it must nearly be your round by now!!!)

Further to the earlier posting I would refer to the NCU site where Poots refers to “unnecessary concern” - this is different to the information issued about a week ago from his PlantHealth Inspection Branch, Dundonald House that started the concern. He wasn’t long in whistling up to Wallace Park to get his picture taken with Dean & Uel - a picture that resembles the one in the Newsletter. Well done to John Stewart of Carrick for highlighting this.

Looks like the Agriculture department has changed its mind! Amazing how this disfunctional coalition Executive can spin things to contradict previous instructions!!!

Don't panic Andy, sure haven't you heard of the new Borris burrow or Borris bridge, a direct link from here to Scotland and then you can drive down to Surrey, collect your soil and drive home again ...
How does that song go? ' The green, green grass of home' eh!!