Forum

Message for saintfield. I was in HSBC Donegal square south office last Thursday. They are clearing out and came across an inaugural 1984 club trophy. Contact me if you want this collected or collect yourselves.

Just to follow up on the BCL stuff. We have a number of players who used to plan in the leagues. Richard Walker, David Harris and Maurice Coates all played for Loopvale. If you want more info let me know and I can pass on telephone numbers. You can always catch Richard Walker at Cregagh on most nights.

Belfast Cricket League.
As a boy of 8 I learned to score and followed LOOPVALE. Every game I counted our players 10 men and I got a game.I recall a game on the mat at Ormeau Park when I had to bat 11 with the team needing 1 to win. 'Get forward, bat and pad together!' was my instruction. Difficult enough as the adult pads went as high as my belly button!
I followed instructions facing what to me as a kid was Freddie Trueman: the ball smashed into the pad and away for a leg bye. That was the first time I was called a hero on the cricket field.
I have a photo of the League xi v. Eglinton in July 1967- some players were
Ernie Mccormick, Richard Walker, Heaslip the others I have forgotten. I also played a cricket match at FALLS PARK against Hillview!! Happy days!

Instead of merging Section 2 and 3 and still having separate junior and senior leagues, why not merge the senior and junior leagues ? Isn't it that way in Leinster and the North-West ?

So you would have 1st XIs playing against 2nds in league play, not just junior cup. Open leagues from Premier league to Junior 8

Would take a bit of time to shake out the leagues based on playing strength.

Donaghcloney CC are hosting a 50 over match at the Factory Ground on Tuesday 9 July between an NCU U17 Select and The touring Pune Cricket Masters Academy starting at 12 noon. All welcome.

Ref ncu 2/3

Asolutely urgently required a look at ncu divisions 2/3.
Both leagues have to be amalgamated, playing each other once. Dave Rheiman shouldnt worry about the gap in leagues because the difference is basically one good player and at most 2.
The joining of the leagues should only help div 3 as the current system with teams pulling out seems to be a serious issue. 40 over cricket is a must as even in division 2 teams are averaging 40 overs per innings.

RE ANDY
Reference to not having ideas to promote clubs in need. Well here are a few.
1. Financial incentives from cricket administrators for teams struggling to find funding
2. Bigger teams making grounds available to smaller teams who may be struggling with ground issues
3. Loan system (aimed at teams struggling for numbers) where a upcoming younster playing 2nd, 3rd cricket could be loaned to a nearby club who are up the leagues for a seasons better experience. Happens in football and no issues
4. Giving clubs more scope to get games played. To me if weather doesnt permit and game wiped and void is wrong. If teams can agree down the line then play the game and enough of this void nonsence.
5. As Davy McDowell mentions get the coaches into the schools. I know some of the pro's go into the schools but get the administrators onside and promote this to benefit as many as possible.
People may read these and think drivel but forums are about ideas and opinions and a few of the above ideas could go a little way to helping teams out. As in any sport things will be geared towards helping the big guns but the simple fact is the big guns always have the scope to help themselves in almost any situation so lets start looking around to see where the game needs the help.

Davy I can only speak for my own club but rest assured that schools in the Lisburn area are well serviced by coaches going into them. Both at primary and secondary level.

Peter/Arthur

My father played for Willowfield in the BCL. Who, if he is to be believed played in Ormeau Park and used the Parkview Bar as their watering hole. I think he might have a club trophy or two in the loft. Will investigate further

I am writing this on behalf of Templepatrick Cricket Club President Arthur Bowron.
'I am researching the Belfast Cricket League (1902-1977) and would like to hear from any former BCL cricketers. Should anyone have any team photographs , scorebooks, fixture books or other memorabilia I would appreciate it if I was contacted.

During the 1960's and 70's the league representative team played matches against CIYMS, MID Ulster Group, North, Pedagogues, Waringstown and in 1966 the leprechauns in Dublin. If anyone has any memories of these games it again would be very much appreciated if you would get in touch.

The BCL had several trophies, for example the Harry Shaw Memorial trophy which I believe is with CIYMS, the Belfast Telegraph Cup which dates back to 1902 and I believe is with Woodvale (The first winners of the trophy). Could I ask that members of these clubs contact me to confirm and if any club has any recollection of the Belfast Cricket League trophies then again please contact me.

Templepatrick Cricket Club began Life as 1st Templepatrick BB Old Boys in 1969 playing a few friendly matches initially before joining the BCL in 1971 and then onto the NCU in 1976. Without the BCL we as a club would not have gotten started so I am naturally grateful that it was there for us at that time. We were in fact the last club to join the league and the only other club going from that final season as far as I am aware is Wheatfield who play in the midweek league.

I am about halfway through my research into the BCL and if anyone would like to contact me to share memories, photographs etc then please get in touch.
Finally to mr Boomer, Research into the 1930 McMullan Cup won by Hydepark BA CC is ongoing if you would like an update please call.

I hope to organise a number of events with Templepatrick Cricket club as part of my research so watch this space.

Thanking you all in advance

Arthur Bowron
President
Templepatrick Cricket Club

arthurbowron@yahoo.co.uk
marketing@templepatrickcc.co.uk

Ref Andy
I know that this might not work in all geographical areas, but if one of the NCU coaches was to go into Portadown College and or the Portadown Campus of Craigavon Senior high once a week between easter and the end of the summer term, maybe another to Dunmurry High etc, it might get more youngsters playing the game, they then could feed into their local clubs.
I know from way back when, John Solanki at Lisburn used to spend quite a few afternoons on the Magheralave Road, and it didnt matter to him if you were playing for Waringstown under 15's. Lurgan, Donacloney, Downpatrick or Lisburn, if you were willing to listen, he was willing to coach.
As a 12 year old in first year I had a cricketing "coach" that even at that young age I knew more about the game than, so to have someone come in that loved the game, then this enthusiasm would rub off on some of the pupils he was coaching, encouraging them to "get involved"
If the schools do not have the facilities, then i am sure that the local club (that would be most likely after all to gain from such a venture) would be willing to provide a wicket or practice strip to use.
It may work, it may not, but cutting the length of games has been tried (& imho failed), doing nothing is not an option, so why not go into the schools and get them involved.

"and some of the teams have only played 4/5 games...teams at the top of the league have played more games in the same weather conditions as everyone else...why I ask , well they are interested in making grounds playable and playing all days of the week . Ards for example played a match over 2 days midweek recently...why are the other teams not following suit and getting games on!!."

If you had been around section 3 (or section 4 as it was until recently called), you would know what the pitches these clubs play on are like for drainage etc, Ards have played 7 games and should be credited for that, Londonderry Park is also one of the best draining grounds in the section (especially compared to Lurgan Park and Dungannon Park), and you are quite right that Victoria have only played 5 league games, had one called off due to the G8 summit, and had an extra game postponed due to a game in the junior cup, so if matters were equal in this case VCC would also have played 7 games, so to try and accuse (which is what you have done), VCC and other clubs of "not being interested" is in my view a very serious slur against the players and members of a club that have worked very hard in recent years to keep the club going, and are now in a stronger position with regards to playing members than we have been since the club was formed in 1954.
Oh, and I have said (as I always do) what club I am a member of, if you wish to do like wise than I feel we would be in a better position to understand your knowledge of the game at this level.

Postings about the decline in NCU cricket always have the same platitude that "we should be doing more to help the struggling clubs" - but the same posters have never come up with any meaningful proposals as to what that "help" should be. There has to be a recognition that there are about 4 top sides who have the financial clout to win trophies, about 10 or so wannabes who are spending hard-earned cash to pursue a dream that, realistically, will never happen and the rest playing "social" cricket at a level where Power Plays, free hits, etc. mean absolutely nothing. There is a continuing and worryingly increasing gap in playing standards between the likes of Instonians and Waringstown and the "rest". I know that there are those who will point out the odd "rogue" result that occured last weekend but our Premier League will be won by one of the two teams mentioned above and the rest will sleepwalk throuh another season!

Well said Neill. Attitudes like Rob's will not promote the game. I have outlined some of the difficulties faced by some clubs and he still wants to put them down. The location of the clubs in Section 3 is wide - there are are a fair few miles between Ards and Portadown so I am sure they dont enjoy the same climate!!! Fair play to Ards for playing mid-week - I am sure the boys at Portadown, Dunmurry, PSNI etc are doing their best to though. Simply dismissing these clubs is quite frankly ridiculous. Who do you play for Rob as a matter of interest?

Looking forward to another local derby on saturday at the second best meadow in county down. Should be a tight game as always. Plenty of banter flying about aswell no doubt.