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8/10 PREMIER LEAGUE.
My final comment on this topic.
The 8 team Premier League has served the ICC very well and is a major disservice to all clubs outside the Premier League.
When we had a 10 team league we had 10 premier league sides and 6/7 ambitious clubs in League 1 capable of playing and competing in the top league because they a pro, some very good players and some talented youth players coming through.
The 8 team league has produced 6/7 Premier league clubs and 3/4 yo-yo clubs.
The rest bereft of their best players and talented young players have not surprisingly lost their drive and ambition to be a Premier League team.
Come back in 10 years and the same6/7 clubs will make up the Premier League,
League 1 and 2 will be social cricket and we probably will not have a League3!

Well said John.
Time to get you into the NCU ranks now that you have more free time!

Re league structure etc.

If Neil's comments are accurate what is the point of a 10 team league if the teams in section 1 don't want to be promoted. Because of the money floating around the premier league I do believe the gap has widened and therefore do understand that it is very difficult to get promoted and stay up as has been shown in recent seasons - it is not fun to struggle each week. I don't believe however that the standard is better and do feel that every team relies too heavily on a small number of players. The lcu teams do seem to have better strength in depth throughout their top league. Performances across the big teams were in general below par last year with few stand out players - hopefully just a bad year.
As for the shared league - I feel the league should be won on the pitch so I would prefer a play-off.
And while I am on my soapbox I do feel there is too much money about. As a young cricketer you want a professional at your club who can put in outstanding performances and inspire you to a better playing level - there have been some brilliant pros in the last 20 years that have done exactly this and helped bring through some quality Irish players. Where you are paying players beyond ths surely the key criteria must be their ability and experience as a coach - not sure this is always the case which ultimately leads to money being poorly invested.
Time to step down off soapbox now

Right, just to get back to more sensible matters and the Bothwell story, we were playing at Laurelvale one afternoon when either Cyril or Eddie Vennard (can't remember which one, but let's say Cyril) got hit on the head while batting and went down. Needless to say, there was a bit of concern and a group gathered round Cyril. Next thing Bothwell appeared from the scorebox to check on his son's well being. "Get a glass of water", Bothwell shouted. Sure enough, out came a glass and was handed to Bothwell. Cyril, who was on the ground, propped himself up and stretched out his hand to take a drink. Not so fast. Bothwell took a huge gulp from the glass, filled his mouth with water and then proceeded to spit it all over Cyril! Needless to say, mayhem and merriment ensued as Cyril tried to get to Bothwell, but we managed to keep them apart. I've no idea who won the match or what happened thereafter, not least because most of us were in fits of laughter! Laurelvale was a great place to play in those days. Many, many fond memories, some of which might follow. I can still hear the formidable war cry of the Vale tea ladies - "More scallions Gerald?". And I couldn't not mention another meeting with Cyril. Arriving at Holywood for a home match against them, I turned the corner of the changing rooms only to find myself staring down the barrel of a gun - literally! Needless to say, holding it was none other than Cyril who greeted me with a rather sinister "What about ye Burrowes?" I'm not sure how my underpants reacted, but it was interesting preparation for the match! Still, I suppose that Cyril was a pretty sensible chap...........wasn't he? Answers on a poststcard....

It's a case of the Premier League clubs getting stronger and the majority of the rest of the NCU getting weaker. I would be in favour of a 10 team league, just looking at the free Saturdays Premier League clubs had last season in what is already a only a 5 month season.

The worrying thing speaking to a lot of guys from Section 1 clubs is that bar Downpatrick and ourselves last season no other team wanted to get promoted. This is very worrying and something that needs addressed, but as you say Clarence the AGM is the place to air each view and proposal. The NCU also made an effort to go to each club and get opinions and thoughts but it was poorly attended by a lot of clubs.

Giller

Stop paying 3/4 players/pros in a team and you may get people to stay and show more of an interest.

There are no conclusive answers to these questions and just like the professional debate there will always be two sides of the argument, be it an 8-team league or players moving club. The only solution to the former is the democratic process-an annual vote at the AGM, and a possible solution to the latter might be a signed contract between player and club whether amateur or professional. Perhaps a transfer fee is not unreasonable in certain circumstances?
We live in a professional era where money counts and whether we like it or not all the top teams have to spend to be there. Of course it's not a level playing field (perhaps it never was) and it won't be going forward. And it's not just about players. The clubs that have invested in facilities and youth development will still reap rewards even if they lose a player here and there. Look at David Kennedy as an example. A Ballymena man through and through he enjoyed several great years at North Down and then returned to his roots to continue his cricket with just as much passion and enjoyment. Even when he scores heavily against North Down the local supporters still love him!
It would be helpful if more Premiership and Section One players aired their views on the 8-team league as their opinions are very important in this debate. Let's hear it guys.

Ryan, I agree with you regarding players moving but clubs hardly want to invest money especially in todays financial climate to see other clubs reap the rewards for it with no outlay.
There are so many issues NCU cricket faces these days, and there will never be a simple solution that fixes them all. One thing is for sure, dwindling adult playing numbers has to be a huge concern for all clubs. I'm sure there a lot of people who volunteer their time on committees within the NCU who discuss these sorts of things but I think the Clubs need to get their act together and try and tackle these issues together rather than just look out purely for their own interests, were the strongest survive. As cricket lovers it has to be in our interests to maintain and try and grow playing numbers to allow cricket to survive. Unfortunatley NCU cricket appears to be on the decline, the growth being in the south of Ireland and CI will most likely invest most of their income where there is a growth in the sport. No easy answers but need to start somewhere.
P.S. I still think there is enough room for a 10 team PL without diluting the quality that much.

Re A Kenny
Andy I would tend to agree with your sentiments. It's the old adage when things get rough or complicated do you reduce and use the "quality over quantity card" or aspire to support and develop the clubs that are struggling to make up ground with the fortunate few?
It's the same as the issue at present with keeping teams / player availability. Do you call it quits and cut the 4ths / 3rds etc or look at innovative ways to tackle the issue.
On another note players will always move (and should rightly do so) to try and better their playing experiences. Sometimes for whatever reason their boyhood club just can't support their development - a pity.

Re Bumperdale
This is a very interesting topic and my views are that the negatives outweigh the positives and changes need made. I agree that best should be playing best but an 8 team league is too small with not enough league games (if there is too much cricket reduce the number of cup competitions). I think we should go back to 10 teams and 2up/2down. Yes people will say the two teams coming up wil be whipping boys but so what, there are still some very good players in these teams and it will allows those players to play at the top level (or at least aspire to) without having to leave their local clubs. Not only that but it will make all these players better cricketers having played against better opposition. You have to give clubs in the Section 1 some sort of achievable goals and aims and 1 up doesnt really allow for that.
Rather than say, oh we dont have enough teams strong enough to support a 10 team premier league, so we should have a closed shop. That needs fixed from the bottom up not the top down, and can only be done through quality coaching at schools and clubs allowing us to produce more quality cricketers. Currently if it stays an 8 team league then the life is going to be sucked out of clubs below premier league as all their best players are going to move on and what club wants to be a feeder club to the bigger ones. What incentive is it for a club to develop their own local coaches (getting the ECB level 1 & 2 badge), send them into local schools, work hard all summer with young players, eventually produce a few kids good enough for PL (who still wants to play cricket all day saturday with all the current day distractions) for that player to just say im off to play for so and so in the PL, I mean thats just a kick in teeth. Yes players have always moved clubs but the current situation just exacerbates the issue.

Dear all

RE - coach education

Just to let you know of a few spaces still available on the Cricket Coach Education course below.

You do not have to have previously taken a Level 1 qualification to be available for this course.

This is a good opportunity for you or your club / school to progress coaching knowledge.

Also note - slight date changes from what was previously published on NCU and Cricket Ireland site

Certificate for Coaching Children ( replacing old level 2 )

Week 1 - 23rd Nov
Week 2 - 7th Dec
Week 3 - probably a Saturday in January
Week 4 - 22nd March.

All sessions are 0930-1630 at University of Ulster, Jordanstown

You must be 17 or over on the first day to attend this course.
Cost = £200

If interested - please contact Stephen Moreton on stephen.moreton@cricketireland.ie
For more info use the link below
http://www.northerncricketunion.org/database/2013/news/articles/article342.shtml

The pros and cons of an 8 team Premier League.

Under pressure from ICU the NCU voted in an 8 team Premier League. Its merits are clear-
1.Generally the best players play for Premier league sides.
2. The fixtures are best v. best.
3. It assists with selection for representative teams.

The negatives are-
1.Good players with ambition to play at a higher level feel they must play in the Premier League and leave their home clubs.
2. We have seen players leave clubs that to me were always top clubs e.g. Downpatrick, Muckamore, Carrick, Derriaghy, Woodvale, Lurgan, Bangor and Holywood.
3.Clubs like the ones mentioned above must be deflated by losing players and the fact that only one club can be promoted.
4. Do these clubs continue to aspire to gain promotion or do they see themselves as whipping boys in the top league.

How can we best address some of these problems??

Very much Staffy!
Many years ago the NCU 'lost' another straight-talking Lurgan visionary and local cricket was all the poorer for it. There is nothing more stimulating and invigorating as debate and nothing more lethargic than its absence. The NCU AGM used to be a platform for healthy discussion but sadly it's powder-puff stuff and routine these days.
Well-oiled or hard-boiled-you tell us?

Congratulations to Mark Hawthorne on his appointment to the T20 qualifiers - and to Ian Ramage from Scotland who would be well-known to many on this side of the North Channel. Just thinking that in our current cold climate that somebody has to do it!

Lurgan's 3 overseas cricketers?

Charlie may have been from overseas but you are very kind to call him a cricketer! Would be like calling Bunter an athlete.

Re: NCU AGM

Clarence
Surely you are not missing me?