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4 bowlers, quarter of the overs each.....ive heard it all now, why go against what all limited overs cricket throught the world adheres to.
Caleb:
I have your new umpires coat, I've had it for about two years but never managed to track you down to deliver it.
Was in Santorini and learned about the Caldera that was formed after the volcano that erupted 1600BC - that's where cauldron comes - as in pot that maybe was't stirred here for a while!!
What with Knossos Palace, the birth lace of Zeus and the home of civilisation there is no better place to sit back and contemplate reality Clarence!!
People keep talking about earlier starts, fewer overs etc etc, but the problem is too many competitions, meaning too many saturday and sunday weekends.
If players were safe in the knowledge that after a game on the Saturday they would have saturday evening and all day Sunday to spend with their nearest and dearest, they would be more willing to don the whites on a Saturday.
The reduction of overs in junior cricket from 45 to 35 or 30 has not seen any increase in the numbers playing the game, so I dont think it will have any effect on first elevens.
One cup competition per side, and matches rained off o be played during the week as 20 overs per side, of even 15 from the second week in August
The pessimism on here regarding the aspirations for local cricket is rather disturbing to say the least!
Have folk forgotten already the beautiful weather last week and did they fail to observe during all that glorious warm sunshine, that it brought everyone out to their local cricket clubs to enjoy practicing, playing, watching and generally socialize throughout the entire week?
Deary me! Some of the below posts remind me of a line in the theme tune of a repeat comedy series from 30 odd years ago I watched last night...
'The only thing we have to look forward to is the past' !
One possible improvement I would suggest for 3rd/4th teams, even possibly 2nds if they are playing 40 overs. Minimum 4 bowlers, very hard to see 5 quality bowlers in the senior sections never mind down the club. Would be easier for teams that are hard pressed to get out 11 with 5 bowlers, would also create more of a challenge to batting sides.
Jeff
Just to back up what you are saying I also feel that an introduction of the fielding circle at U13 level upwards in youth cricket would have its merits (captaincy / improving bowling one side of wicket / batsmanship emphasis on placement etc). All of this maybe will sound petty to some forumites yet after over 10 yrs of youth coaching I can testify that good habits learned early on stick! Ps takes 2 mins to throw out a few discs...
Andy sounds like you are "up the Crete" and in a bad mood. Loosen up big man and enjoy the Mediterranean sunshine. As for overs reduction we've heard it all before-good points for and good points against. At the end of the day there has to be a decision to allow us to go forward and it is made by the clubs themselves at the NCU AGM. There are some similarities with rugby but we are in control of our own destiny within the NCU not in professional national leagues with no money to support it. The rugby and football business models are seriously flawed unless of course you are Linfield!
The debate about reduction in overs is only a further indication of the continued decline in interest in cricket. There has been the facility in junior cricket to reduce overs and there is little evidence that this has stemmed the decline
Perhaps we are fast reaching the point where we accept that club cricket, like club rugby, is in terminal melt down and we just keeping with fewer and fewer teams until the last to leave turns out the lights
100% in agreement with Jeff and 40 over cricket and i hear it from other players every week. No guarantee that it would stop the current player drain but it certainly cxouldn't hurt and would make life much easier for all current players. I would guess (without any evidence) that even in the Premier League many players would be happy with this. Teams getting home from away matches after 9pm on a Sat night and then maybe again on the Sunday has just become ridiculous. And aside from the whole time issue, I also agree with Jeff that it could actually produce better games and the Ulster Cup / Shield would back this up.
WATCHED what I consider A FARCE last night at under 13 game and this is not a dig at CSNI as any club can abuse this inc Dundrum as you are allowed below first team cricket to drop 9 players out to the boundary get the dangerman of strike then bring them ALL IN NEXT BALL surely we must teach our juniors the proper way to play cricket and improve the standards ( I watched the same in a second team game few weeks ago and it is sole destroying for the game of cricket ) I spoke Ryan Haire this morning and he also agrees so I will be proposing at NCU AGM as it would take 5 mins to put circles out and it would benefit all who plays . On the plus side seen THREE outstanding under 13 players last night for CSNI Morrow & Mcgonangle and Dundrums Andrew Foster 64 not out and his 42 last night was worth far more .And the best catch ive seen at junior cricket by Dundrums Conor Moag that had all the home support clapping in amazement. Good luck CSNI juniors in rest cup.
R.E 40 overs
It is inevitable all 1st XI leagues below Premier will become 40 overs before long, the day is just too long for guys with family/work commitments.
Cricket Ireland tells us the game is thriving and growing, not in the NCU from what I can see.
Jeff, Based on what i have seen this season so far you boys will be fine, you wont be relegated as your bowling attack is pretty strong. I dont think 40 overs in our league would be a good option as its already a huge jump from section 1 to PL at the minute, if teams got used to playing 40 over games they could struggle to bat 50 overs if they were to go up to the PL.
And what exactly is wrong with "test match pace" as its called? Since when did protecting your wicket, playing your way in, and waiting on scoring opportunities become a bad thing?
We played Portadown on Saturday, and they're opening bat was in all sorts of trouble for 8 overs or more, but kept his cool, managed to stay in, and went on to score 66. Probably an innings which won the match. In a 30 over game, that wouldn't have been rewarded.
Cricket isn't all about who can slog the first ball of their innings and get a streaky score....
