Forum

The 3 day game at Osborne Park this week may be used by some to say which Union in the North is in the rudest health, however should the NCU come out on top it will be a particularly hollow claim. Dougherty and Eaglestone where enticed by offers of work to play here while Larkin and Cameron - Dow were good overseas recruits by North Down and similarly Waller and Ervine by Lisburn. So are we going to celebrate the recruitment qualities of our clubs or the entrepreneurship of some of those within NCU cricket if we win or are we going to claim that our game is in a better state with better coaching and player development plans. I have no problem with the six guys being selected as it helps the Irish selectors identify the one or two qualified players who may be capable of stepping up having performed against quality opposition .
What I think can be very misleading is us claiming that we are producing players of a senior standard and that's what should focus the mind of the coaching personnel around the country. While I think it's a good thing to have inter pro cricket to bridge the club to country gap I think it is a long time before we will build a team of the required standard that local cricket followers can identify with.

Jonny,
While I agree that it is strange that volunteer umpires have yet to be contacted to stand when first elevens games have had no umpires on a number of occasions (especially those clubs that have qualified umpires and had members attend the volunteer umpire sessions at Shaws Bridge), but while I was speaking to a member of Ards (that you may know)that attended the session in Belfast and he would have been available, the Victoria member that attended was otherwise occupied yesterday.

No umpires today for Ards v Victoria.

Individuals from both clubs offered at the start of the season to be volunteer umpires - but have not been contacted and would have been available to stand today allowing a redistribution of other umpires to cover all fixtures.

No umpires either for Dunmurry v Donaghadee, yet I believe Donaghadee have supplied several umpires in recent years.

Whatever happened to giving priority to clubs who have supplied volunteers as per NCU statement pre season?? (see link)

http://www.northerncricketunion.org/database/2013/news/articles_2013_older/article246.shtml

Can't quite understand this?

It was a real pleasure to see Jonny Kennedy at Stormont last night. He looks good & best wishes to him for the next "hurdle".

Davy,
I don't get to attend many AGMs but last year I felt it lacked genuine debate and discussion across a host of topics. It was almost as if everything was going along OK and everyone was in agreement. The Forum sometimes indicates otherwise but where do the protagonists go when it comes to AGMs? That's where decisions are made and where everyone's views should be aired in meaningful and constructive debate. Obviously a decision has to be taken but at least it is democratic if all viewpoints are aired.

Clarence, the key word in your comment is "most" issues.
At last years AGM two clubs were against the forced reduction of overs in section three, the two clubs that this year are playing in section three.
There may have been other section 3 clubs represented, but none that I recognized and have been playing around these clubs for about 20 years now.

For the record, our young 1st XI and Colts batsman Peter Bell scored a majestic 104 not out today in the Colts Cup quarter final versus North Down. This was on the back of a one hour long one to one session with Yogesh Takawale earlier this week. That is what Derrighy get out of having Yogi on board.

Harry, NCU voting is by team not club. This means that the bigger clubs with more teams are already looking after junior cricket interests and when it comes to AGMs the delegates have already been told how to vote. Big clubs versus small clubs is a myth on most issues as neither has anything to fear from the other. We are all interested in doing the best for our sport.

Re Davy and Pro's

All very well saying that Davy - but the NCU are elected by its members

Is there a fear that if a Vote went ahead the smaller clubs would de-rail the big boys ?

I was involved in a great game of cricket the other evening, in fact it was so entertaining even the horses in the fields on the other side of the boundary fence tootled over to watch.

And while I was fielding down at deep third man, one of them put his large head over the fence and told me a story which I found quite incredible and hard to believe.........

A village team are playing a Sunday match and find they are one short. In the adjoining field is a horse so the skipper asks the horse if he can make up the numbers. The horse thinks he has watched enough games over the years from the next field so agrees to play.

The skipper wins the toss and decides to bat first. Obviously he puts the horse at number 11 in the batting order below the local vicar, the village blacksmith and the landlord of the village pub.

As the wickets gradually fall, the horse starts to pad up (well having four legs he has to do this sooner than the others). Finally the 9th wicket falls and the horse walks out to bat with the vicar at the other end. The horse takes strike and is facing the opposition opening bowler who has taken most of the wickets. First ball the horse swings the bat and the ball whistles away for four. The bowler goes back to his full run and steams in, again the horse swings the bat and it goes for 6.

The vicar at the other end watches this and decides that the best thing to do is to get the horse back on strike for the next over as the horse is clearly a better batsman than he is.

On the last ball of the over the horse again connects with the ball but the fielders are all back on the ropes protecting the boundary. Non-perturbed the vicar calls "One Run!" and sets off running to the horses end. As he gets there he is surprised to see the horse has not moved and the vicar has to double back and try and regain his ground at the non-strikers end. The vicar is run out and as they walk off the field he approaches the horse to ask why he did not run the single on offer.

The horse replies

"Run a single? If I could run, I would have been at Epsom and not in that field you idiot...."

Without a Troll posting a comment to stir things up what else would we use the forum for?

Getting fed up reading about Pros. The NCU have approved them so how about the rest of us man up and get on with playing cricket.

Re - Pro's debate

To avoid to the continual cycle...

Why can't we simply vote?

1.Every Club ballots it's members (secret if possible)

2. Then every club submits their vote

3. Everyone shuts up

Thoughts ?

You are Old, Skipper!

Said a precocious nipper, to his experienced skipper;

"You are old, yet still a cunning critter,
a very handy hitter, you never miss a sitter
over point a classy chipper, of the pads a crafty clipper!
And you can bowl a deadly dipper, a floating flipper,
mixed with the odd, rotating ripper,
the batsmen's knees tremble and jitter,
as you run in patter-pitter, the only sound a little titter,
when you release that stealth, stump splitter
to claim another 5 for, or double hat-tricker,
not forgetting, you are a serial, specialist, first slipper,
a great catcher, grabber, gripper!
Pray tell, what makes you such an all round, cracking, cricketer"?

Replied the experienced skipper, to the precocious nipper;

"Now listen very carefully, young snapper-whipper!
Time is much too precious, to throw away or fritter,
for if you choose to wander, or simply be a quitter
you'll end up on the shelf, like a mouldy kipper
so here are my proven tips, from an expert tipper!
Practice makes perfect and helps get you fitter,
so don't lay around too long, tweeting on that twitter
sending silly messages, by electronic transmitter!
Avoid smoking, or risk being a cougher and a spitter
though a social beer is recommended, or a pint of bitter
but don't go the way of many and be a steady sipper,
or you'll waste all your money and end up in the litter!
Find a supportive wife, who does not nag or nitter,
enjoys cricket, is domesticated, a thrifty sewer, stitcher, knitter,
don't fall for the first one, who flashes long lashes,
with a flirtatious flitter!
Finally, enjoy the game and your career shall surely glitter,
but remember, the umpire is the adjudicator,
judge, jury, the sole arbiter,
his decision is final, so please, no back chat or silly chitter
and if you prove yourself, someday my son, you shall be the Skipper"!

I have to agree with the guys regarding yogi. There was never a problem when ab de villiers or obus were scoring double hundreds so what is the big issue now. The only way youngsters improve is to play against better players. His presence in section 1 can only be good for the league.

Also huge congrats to Aaron cairns for his 200 yesterday, some achievement., and James Magowan for a sublime 132 not out on Saturday.