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The guys I'm talking about Wylie have only white coats in the attic!
You never miss a beat!
Good to hear from you.

David,
"If every player stayed loyal to their club we wouldn't have half as many players as we do."
What does this mean? Club are full of loyal players all over Ireland including the North West. Player movement is not development unless you know something we don't. As for Limavady their problems were not just the money running out.

Just a comment or two on the article regarding Limavady.

Limavady are not the first club to 'fall on their sword' in recent seasons both North Fermanagh and The Nedd have withdrawn teams from Senior cricket to play in the lower leagues. Rather than a precedent being set by the NWCU I feel that they (we) have had little choice, no option was given. The teams in question all simply told us they were withdrawing from Senior cricket.

I firmly believe that allowing these clubs (add in Ballyspallen to the equation) to regroup and redevelop is in the long term interests of cricket in general and of the NWCU. If the clubs had been 'forced' to play out games in senior cricket perhaps they would have by now ceased to exist possibly mid way through a season.

Which ever way it is looked at some people will see one angle others a different perspective. The game is becoming more professional, whether we like it or not (personally I don't have an issue -I'm not going to encourage it either- with a player taking money, its not ideal but its been going on for years and is not just isolated to the NW or indeed Ireland).

What I would say is that I don't believe any of the clubs took the decision lightly, I'm sure someone somewhere at each club shed a tear or two when they realised that there club was in trouble.

If we had forced the teams to play Senior grade cricket with a below par or uncompetitive cricket team what benefit would the club, players or supporters got. While I believe you have to accept defeats their is a difference betweend being beaten regulary and being embarrassed regulary.

I don't think that going forward teams will decline promotion. NW cricket is too competitive for that and too proud.

For those of you that don't know me I'm an incomer to the NW (and Ireland/NI) but there is no better place to play cricket than the NW.Than places like the Rectory, The Holm, The Lodge, the list goes on.

I hope that Limavady regroup and recover just as I do North Fermanagh, Ballyspallen and The Nedd. Lets hope they can find a successful way to do it through self development of young loyal players but lets remember to that if every player stayed loyal to their club we wouldn't have half as many players as we do.

A proper and commensurate financial payment to all cricket umpires for the service they provide is obviously the correct avenue to proceed along in order to replenish dwindling ranks and ensure a full quota is always available to the appointments secretary, throughout the playing season.

However in saying that, this must be handled with diligence and professional acumen !

Sadly, to the demise of numerous clubs and in my view the game in general (Limavady C.C.being the latest casualty), we've all seen only to well the folly in dangling a juicy red carrot of a wad of cash to individuals and telling them their great fellows... Now go and win us a pile of trophies ! Fickle stuff indeed!!

With the umpire situation I feel alot more thought needs to go into the matter.
For instance, the relevant match fee should reflect the experience and the league level of the game at which each umpire is officiating over..ie...

Premier/senior 1: commanding highest fee
Senior 2/3: lesser rate and so forth..

Rates for the various cup competitions, again proportional to the league positions of the teams involved.

This way you reward and acknowledge the current crop of excellent umpires already on active service and further, by providing incremental payment incentives you encourage 'new blood', with the added incentive being they can further their careers and climb the respective leagues dependent on ability and application, in the knowledge that they will be remunerated accordingly for their efforts.

This should also help to attract senior players who perhaps rather than retire all together from the game, can go into umpiring and still be an active participant and a valued part of the sport!

( Much more fun than golf too !)

interesting timing of the debate on club finances on this forum with the announcement that Limavady have withdrawn from the top section of the NWCU league. Its not so long ago that they were spending crazy money on players. I see in this morning's Newsletter that Andrew Riddles has commented that several of their players are now considering their position. The word loyality hasn't much value there!!

It's blue coats now Clarence :)

For all followers of cricket I have not long finished two books by the author Marcus Berkmann. Named Rain Men: The Madness of Cricket and Zimmer Men: The Trials and Tribulations of the Ageing Cricketer. A hoot of a read basically about a hopeless cricketer and the setting up of a team of similarly hopeless cricketers with the trials and tribulations that go along with it. Available on Amazon and very cheap at that. For all lovers of cricket a must read!!!

Interesting points re the umpires. I have started the Level 1 ECB course a few weeks ago purely because it is something I have wanted to do for sometime. I would struggle to play anymore due to dodgy ankles/knees and having had a few years on the golf course I fancied being involved in cricket in some capacity. There are 7 or 8 on the current course which is a reflection of various posts on the forum re dwindling uptake and while I doubt anyone currently going into local umpiring does so for financial reward, certainly a few hours OT on a Saturday/Sunday would be far more benefit to me in that respect, however maybe that is something that clubs and or NCU could look at. Perhaps pay the cost of the Level 1 course or Umpires outfits. Not much in terms of what appears to be being paid to players throughout the leagues but might generate a bit more interest. These were not factors in me going on the course but maybe it would encourage others. I honestly hadn't thought of any fees but perhaps that will encourage my wife to let me out for a few more games than I had originally planned to.

Ryan,
It could open up a transfer market for umpires!
If a top Premier League club has no umpires and could be deducted points would it not make sense to offer a few dollars to entice some umpires to join their membership?
I know they don't do it for the money but everybody has a price. I can see a few old stooges looking into the attic for their white coats! It would be just as interesting as pre-season player movements.
Time will not age them.

"Premier League to limit spending
The Premier League says its clubs will be punished with a points deduction if they breach new spending controls."

Is this a way forward for cricket in Ireland?

All Umpires and Scorers and any other interested parties are reminded that the 2013 IACUS Annual Conference takes place on Saturday 16th February 2013. If you are interested in attending please let me know by Wednesday 13th February 2013. The day promises to be an interesting one with a number of excellent topics on the agenda and it will help those who wish to develop their skills and enhance their personal development.

Umpiring ...
This was to be linked into the CI "Clubmark" scheme as an accreditation requirement for clubs to play at the top level. Not sure how this process has gone over last 3 or so years though. I feel alongside quality facilities and other "musts" having 1/2/3 umpires for clubs in the PL should be implemented asap.

Jonathan,
Very noble words and in an ideal world they serve the umpiring fraternity well. However, we are not in an ideal world and much as the current stock of umpires have lofty ideals and virtues, the sad truth is that the numbers continue to drop and recruitment over the past 10 years has failed to match retirements. It is certainly not the Umpires' fault but it means we have to look at other strategies and try new ideas to effect a more positive response. I understand your appeal to "Cricket Authorities" but they have appealed and appealed without much success and as Peter says you can't make club members umpire if they don't want to. I'm not even sure it is a club matter any more either. We live in a material world and rather than look at the negatives of the current economic decline perhaps we should look at a positive spin and provide an income for a whole new bunch of umpires on a Saturday afternoon. Should we target students, the unemployed and perhaps more females? Should we ask our CDOs in the field for their assistance in promoting umpiring amongst the younger players? If we pay a decent wage for a job surely we could attract people that want to work? Just an opinion.
We have to do something and well done Terry for stimulating discussion on a major threat to the game.

Reference Clarence's reply to my earlier comment about the umpire shortage.
He has got my suggestions correct ie no fees to take the umpires courses/exams etc. plus free gear after they qualify and a decent realistic fee for the valuable job they do every week. If money has to be found to fund courses and supply gear etc. then if the NCU or NIACUS cannot afford to foot the bill then some sponsorship should be sought. Afterall if only a few new umpires join then the costs to kit them out will be minimal.
I like Clarence's suggestion that clubs who supply umpires should qualify for some sort of rebate on their affiliation fees - I suggest the more umpires they supply the greater the rebate. At the same time clubs who supply no umpires should have a surcharge added to their affiliation fees - this could perhaps generate some money to be used to fund a better fee structure for umpires.
What should the NCU do now before it is too late.
They should tell clubs without delay that there is a crisis regarding umpire shortage - afterall it is their responsibility and in the interest of the NCU to ensure the situation does not get any worse. The NCU should increase forthwith the fee paid to umpires - I assume they are responsible for setting the figure payable and collecting it from the clubs. The fee should this year at least double from the present 25 pounds per 50 over game to 50 pounds per game and it should be reviewed on an annual basis until it reaches a decent amount. Clubs should be told they will have to pay the new fee like it or lump it otherwise the situation will continue to get worse. If some clubs don't want to pay the increase it's simple - don't send them official umpires and spread the remaining umpires around the clubs who are prepared to pay a realistic fee.
These may seem radical suggestions but as previously said time is short and something needs to be done immediately.
Don't keep paying large sums of money to players who will keep mooving clubs year after year if they think they can get more somewhere else. Spend your money wisely elsewhere.

Re Terry - I had the opportunity to take part in an umpires exchange to Liverpool a couple of years ago and I was somewhat taken aback at the toss in Ormskirk when the 2 captains handed us our match fee that was certainly higher than is paid in NCU. I have posted before about a "naming & shaming" of the "club of origin" of the those on the "active" list and I was lambasted for even making such a suggestion. Perhaps the anonymous critics were from clubs who are falling down on their responsibilities. Just over half a dozen at the current training course - when are some clubs going face up to their responsibility? I would add that this is my personal view - I'm not speaking on behalf of NIACUS.