Please click here to leave a message.
The Ulster Cricketer reserves the right not to publish submissions written under pseudonyms or which make gratuitous personal attacks.
Hi Simon.
Great to hear from you and hopefully the discovery of the Forum will rekindle your interest. I'm certain Holywood CC hasn't been the same since you dropped out of the scene. We have some great memories mate.
Didn't know this forum existed! Haven't been involved for some time in Ulster cricket, but congrats to Holywood for winning league this year. Don't tell me Hiler is still at it!? Nice to see some names from yesteryear. Any of you guys out there interested in Wisdens? I've developed an unhealthy interest, if you'll pardon the expression.
If I was "Phil" I wouldn't get too excited by the way rugby in Ulster is run. Club Ulster is relatively sucessful on the back of financial support of some high profile sponsors. The proposed move of Mr. Pienear to Toulouse reflects where "loyality" lies. The "Senior club" game is in decline as a look at the AIL tables will reveal where the current power base lies. Thus so many aspects of rugby are mirrored cricket in Ireland.
Phil,
If Boyd Rankin followed your advice he still be milking cows in Bready. I don't have the same confidence in rugby management as you do either. North sold their ground to developers for a new beginning with the old Collegians and then lost their soul to their new partners. There was a happy ending at Stormont albeit at a considerable cost. As for irish league clubs I'm told they are all in debt. I doubt if many cricket clubs are in similar debt as I'm told most of the professionals are paid by sponsors and patrons. by the way what or who are the barrow boys? Sounds like an old pop group.
Richard,
I do not sit on the commitee of Lurgan Cricket Club and I can assure you I do not agree with us having 3 overseas players. It is not a case of kettle and black.
All I see at the moment is clubs wasting money on players. I could see taking a chance on paying players if you collected £50,000 by winning the Ulster Bank League but this is not the case.
Sad email "Phil.'
Thankfully there are plenty more people with more positive attitudes.
By the way why do you keep changing your pseudonym? If you have the courage of your convictions then put your name to them? Or do you want us to do it for you?
Anything that would add to the pro debate has already been said. I would add a couple of items to Neil's list for the Premier league - proper sight screens and scoreboards that work! By that I mean screens that don't have to be hauled at every left hand right hand combinations and scoreboards that don't require bashing by a brush to get started! Then again that has been the position for the past few seasons so I'm not too optimistic for 2014
ref mr hunters comments
i find it laughable you talking about other clubs spending money on players and not on grounds when your own club lurgan flew in 3 overseas players !!
pot kettle black comes to mind afraid
Neil.
Old machines work just as well as new machines if they are looked after, and cared for. Thing is these days, most regular club people have no clue how to carry out even simple maintenance, servicing or any troubleshooting on grounds machines.
When I asked for views after the creation of an elite 8 team league I wondered when the mention of what you have raised Clarence- an elite 'professional' league and an 'amateur league' of social cricket.
A lot of clubs seem to lack any real ambition to be promoted to a higher league and be the whipping boys.
Even famous clubs with a great tradition like Lurgan, Woodvale, Carrick, Downpatrick and Muckamore can they compete with the mighty Waringstown, Instonians, North Down.
League 2 is the same yo-yo clubs, those that have found their level and wish to stay in that league and those struggling to survive.
League 3 is a poor level of cricket with some clubs close to going under.
Re-Clarence
Sorry, but i will have to fundementally disagree with most of that.
Rugby is run, in the main by business men - football is getting that way after the ineptitude of the 'barrow boys' period that was recently the case.
You are also trying to compare apples with pears and when that happens the problems start.
If there was an elite cricket league then no one would neither watch or really care about that either !
Maybe ND can attract the same number as Ards - is that supposed to impress ?
Maybe Waringstown could attract a similar 'massive' crowd - but i'd say you could throw a small blanket round the spectators at the rest...
The people running the local game at the top are no less dellusional than those running the clubs
We will not maintain or move forward until the reallity of what we are is accepted.
there are those who clamour and yearn for recognition of our game - I'm sorry, it's not going to happen
Really, Really Really no one cares about Cricket in this country - So lets just enjoy ourselvs and play with our mates !
Phil, perhaps we would be best forgetting the whole thing and taking to the golf course or Tesco on a Saturday afternoon.
By far the most depressing posts I have had to read on this forum!
IPS
Sub-Ed
Phil that's not the world we live in I'm afraid. North Down get similar support to Ards Rugby Club but we know a lot less watch cricket elsewhere. Rugby is a much more professional structure but like local soccer the finances are handled by amateurs hence their heavy debt and poor management. I said it some time back and it may come to pass-cricket may split into an elite professionals division and an Amateur League just like local football. Sounds idealistic as I'm told players have been paid in the Amateur League for years. Maybe Robin will tell us what he got for scoring goals at Comber Rec all those years ago?
Lol.
Gents, there have been a few interesting comments in the last few days in relations to the paying of players in all there various capacities.
During this year, I have visited quite a few grounds in my NCU grounds capacity.
One thing I find is that the majority of machinery that most clubs have could appear in the antiques road show.
People can complain about the standard of grounds all they like but if clubs want to improve them, the majority of them need to upgrade their machinery.
To give people an idea of costs for new machinery, approximate costs are as follows:
Lawnmower £3,000
Roller £7,000
Gangmowers £7,000
Scarifier £2,500
Spiker £3,000
As you can see it is not cheap so the 2nd hand market is the option for most clubs. If you add on top of this maintenance costs and the cost of putting you square to bed each year, you can now see the issue for clubs. Do they spend it on machinery or on players. RSVP
Re Peter Woods
And a fundamental diference is that Rugby can regularly fill a stadium with supporters...
Clarence the 'negligable' spectators you alluded are actually 'NON EXISTANT'spectators !
People want to see and Support Rugby - sorry all, but no one gives flying fiddlers about cricket apart form the people who play it - and that's debatable...
Why don't all clubs get together and vote out all paying of players, overseas or otherwise at the next AGM...
Lets have eveven locals v eveven locals for goodness sake and stop trying to be something we're not or never will be...!
Just for clarification - when I said that the players were the "Morgans and Rankins of their day", I was indicating that their play was of Test Standard. On reading it back it could maybe be interpreted as something else!
