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Haven't seen any predictions this year yet so i thought id get the ball rollingCan't speak for the Premier league but here is my prediction for league 1 for what it's worth. (Providing no major pros or player changes between now and season starts)

1- Muckamore
2-Carrickfergus
3-Woodvale
4-Derriaghy
5-Downpatrick
6-Cliftonville
7- laurelvale
8- Dundrum
9- Donaghcloney
10-Templepatrick

Any more people moving clubs or clubs bringing in pro's this year?

Has anyone got league predictions for premier and or section 1?

Excellent article on the NCU site by Neale Matthews - aged 49 and a half on his umpiring experiences. Puts a lot of objections in perspective.

Great to hear of the business planning seminar! Hopefully a good NCU Development Plan awaits.....congrats

Muckamore 1sts are looking a friendly game at Muckamore on 20th April. Any interested teams please email me on neilgill@hotmail.com. Thanks

Shaws Bridge Sports Association (where Instonians and Cooke Collegians play) wish to appoint a Qualified Groundsperson. Must be able to prepare and maintain cricket squares. The Salary is £17000 pro rata. The work is 3 days a week during the winter and 5 and a half days from approximitly mid-March to mid-September. Shaws Bridge Sports Association is an Equal Opportunities Employer. Closing date is Monday 4th March at 5pm. To apply please email myself at info@norman-shannon-solicitors.co.uk or post to Norman Shannon Company Solicitors 3-5 Union Street, Belfast BT12JF

C Boomer

I'd say there's too many 'motions' out there, maybe some people need a trip to the nearest chemist

And for the Record, it wasn't me that alluded to the 'Monumental' £100

Maybe you should scribe some poetry highlighting the 'Passing of Motions' in local cricket, I'd say you could find plenty of material to draw from

Great poetry BTW, don't give up your day job

As regards the Chancellor,

Even if a motion is passed to award NCU official cricket umpires a fee increase, I doubt very much it will equate to the monumental £100 per match you're chirping on about !
So don't get too worked up as I'm also pretty certain, whatever the fee they may or may not get, you'll still have the hand out for you're slice of income tax for the coffers !!

On a separate issue, my sincere thanks to the editor of the Ulster cricketer for posting all my poems & stories over the seasons on this forum.

I am very proud to announce that they have now been added to a new official poetry section on the bibliography of Irish cricket, which can be found on that particular website, so I'm am very much appreciative of all the support I've received on here through the publishing of my submissions...thanks again! And to Andy Kennedy (once more) and other forum users for their often supportive words & advice.

(Wonder will they start paying me a fee for these poems ?? Better watch out incase the Chancellor gets wind of it!!)

Totally Flaberghasted at the hellbent desire to throw money at anything and everything

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but is there a 'Monet Pit' or 'Tree' I've missed ?

I read with incredulity the comments made by some well respected voices in the local game.

We need to stop this obsession with trying to take on the world and realise that locally, Cricket has achieved nothing but virtual insignificance, despite all the efforts.

The day umpires are paid £100 a match will be the day I hang up the boots.

Have one umpire per match if necessary, he can face both ends, with square Leg from the batting side ?

Failing that Umpire it as per the lower leagues.

If you don't like it, then take up a sport that the average Joe in NI actually cares about.

Maybe that's too obvious !

UB Account holder
Typo mistake on the population. If you did the calculation you would have worked that out although you aren't too good at working things out reading your comments. You are a sad person with a chip on the shoulder. Are you an ex NCU man perhaps? Maybe a website S*** stirrer with your own agenda? I replied to your postings for a laugh and I've been laughing ever since.
If pigs can write they can fly!

The Dawn of a New Cricket Season

As the cricket season draweth near, the winter doldrums fast do disappear
Players and officials most revere, search for crumpled whites and dusty gear
The great fraternity from hibernation reappear, an awakening bear, stern and austere
Then imbue each other’s speculative ear, with various conundrums, intended sincere
Their curiosity doth blend and cohere, as prophets gazing into a crystal sphere
Before a ball is bowled cavalier, or struck back eagerly without fear!

Will the sun from a blue background adhere, to shine warm, bright and clear?
Which team will lift the cup in cheer, or sit proudly atop the summit of the premier?
What bowler and which batsman will domineer, to top the averages for this year?
Long into the night shall they persevere, about the game all do endear
From common man to noble peer, the answers all must wait, patiently to hear
As no mortal human mere, can ever hope to interfere,
With father time, as he rows a pearly craft of rich veneer, unceasingly forward, at an always, steady steer
....The Celestial Gondolier!

By Caleb Kirkpatrick Boomer

Re UB Strange

I must have a couple of pints of what you are on.......I will then see all the thousands of players and supporters at NCU matches in future.
I presume the matches will managed by PAID administrators with full time PAID groundstaff,umpires and scorers.
Hope the matches can be fitted in between end of winter sports season and the following pre season matches otherwise the television sports programmes and newspapers won`t have enough resources to cover and report on them all.....I`m sure soccer,rugby,gaelic will take a backseat anyway.

New cricket clubs will be springing up everywhere with no inherent sign or human behavioural attitudes of pomposity,arrogance and with respect to other clubs by not suggesting that they should consider themselves as feeder clubs for the cricketing gods in Norn Ireland.[population 1.7892256 million of which 0.1% play cricket]

AND PIGS WILL FLY

AND

Re UB Strange

I don`t think you should in this instance equate acceptable human behaviour with a "greater than thou" attitude which contains elements of pomposity,arrogance and which may insult "feeder clubs" who have been in existance for decades and even over 100 years within their communities. Remember that in the world of cricket WE ARE VERY VERY SMALL FISH irrespective of what league we play in within the NCU.

Clubs BUYING umpires from other clubs doesn`t solve the overall problem of umpire shortage, SO IT DOES MATTER WHERE THEY COME FROM if the "feeder clubs" get fed up doing all the work developing people without getting the benefit.

I doubt if England/West Indies will be regular visitors and when they do visit it will be to the Malahide development for the forseeable future.

Re Playing Numbers..... just check the number of current clubs against 40 years ago......I seem to remember clubs at Queens,YMCA,North or Civil Service,Collegians or Cooke,Shorts,ICI,IEL,Crossgar,POSC to name but a few. How many new clubs have there been in that period?.

I think you will find that only 0.1% of the population play the game NOT 1.0% as you state.

Re Advertising/Marketing, compare the coverage of the JUNIOR FOOTBALL with Senior cricket in provincial press,eg 12 page pull out EVERY Monday in the Belfast Telegraph covering leagues from lakes of Fermanagh to Scrabo Tower not to mention Seenior football coverage.......LOCAL cricket coverage on TV/radio ??????.

I am still looking for ALL these paid groundsmen/administrators at local clubs.......perhaps you could let me know where they are at our 37 clubs.

Sports Quiz
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Teams £10 entry.Please support this great cause. Email for details if required.

Regarding the shortage of umpires I can't help thinking that everyone is missing the main point - and that is that people can simply no longer commit the time required to participate in the game. This is the main reason why the number of senior cricketers is rapidly declining and I would imagine that the same applies to umpires. Given that a 50 over match can last 7 hours, and that teams try to turn up an hour before the game and may stay for a drink after, and depending on geography could have a possible 120 mile round trip players and umpires alike can be looking at a 10 hour day. Society has changed in the last 20 years and it is no longer the norm for someone with a family to work 5 days a week and then head off all day Saturday as well as some Sundays and games during the week. So the reason that players are no longer going in to umpiring is that the very reason they have stopped playing in the first place is because of other priorities at home and work. Until a situation is reached were players and umpires are no longer required to dedicate so much of their time to what is essentially a hobby then the drain of players and umpires is set to continue.