Forum

Thanks Clarence. I just hope that this rain relents and gives us a chance! Apparently dogs were seen swimming on our square today...

Apologizes to Saintfield for my faut-pas. I thought the season was already over because all the proposed matches were taken off the NCU website. If they can still beat the drop then good luck. I have many happy memories of matches against Saintfield and wish them well.

As you will see from the NCU site we aren't quite relegated. We have 2 games next weekend and if we manage to win 1 of them we are safe due to our superior run rate to BISC (who are finished their season) and Drumaness, who we play on Sunday. Hopefully this weather clears off and we get the chance to secure our Section 2 status for next year.

I'm sure Saintfield won't be too pleased at the recent article on the site!! Surely they can still survive relegation by winning their 2 T20 games this weekend?

Just wanted to congratulate our friends from Dundrum on their survival in Laegue 1. Hopefully things will not be as big a struggle next season. Well done boys.

Congrats to dundrum yest in securing their place in div one...Full credit to Jeff and the team for giving us a chance and playing the game...not many teams would have done that...best of luck for nxt season

Well done to Dundrum for their win yesterday and also for their efforts in ensuring that the match went ahead.
If Holywood are wondering why their 1st XI has suffered relegation this season, then they need to look at both themselves and also Dundrum CC.
Part-time players at 1st XI level with other conflicting "interests" simply does not and will not work, especially after losing so many key players at the start of the 2011 season.
The contrasting fortunes of Holywood and Dundrum in the league table are clear testimony to that.
"a man reaps what he sows"

its good to see that the positive "spirit of cricket" is alive and well as evidenced by the postings regarding the Hoylwood & Cregagh games. Contrasts with a wee whisper that I heard of where a player was complaining that to play "unstarred" players on the 2nd XI was not "in the spirit of cricket"!! Could this be the new dawn of mutual respect in our great game?

Some of you may know that this season Portadown CC have been without a home ground due to essential drainage works being carried out by the Rugby Club. As the season is all but over, I would just like to publicly express our gratitude to the people and clubs who have made this difficult season run more smoothly.

Firstly to the clubs in Section 2 who were reversed the fixture and host the game at their ground. This happened on the majority of occasions and their willingness to do this, especially on week nights in some cases, was much appreciated. Thanks also to Lurgan and Victoria for their help early in the season with training nights, and for late season T20s.

The 2nd XI were usually able to play on council or school artificial wickets throughout the season, but thanks must go to Waringstown for reversing their fixture.

On the rare dry Saturday we could not reverse the fixture there are a number of clubs who generously lent us their ground – a big thanks to Tom Irwin and Laurelvale, and Peter Shepherd, Arthur Bowron and Stephen Fettis of Templepatrick. Both clubs were a great help on different occasions, and couldn’t have been more hospitable.

Also, to other clubs who were willing to help, but due to poor weather or rearrangements the game never took place. So thanks to Derriaghy, Muckamore, Lisburn, Lurgan, Dungannon and Dundrum – your efforts were much appreciated.

Lastly, I would like to thank the NCU, particularly Neil Hunter, Bryan Milford, Wylie McKinty, Andy Clement and George Whitten, for their cooperation this season. They had to deal with countless email requests, and last minute fixture details. Also, to echo what other people have said, thanks to Ian Houston for organising umpires this year. He also had to deal with plenty of correspondence from me, and we were very grateful to have officials for every game this season.

We will be back home next season and hoping for a drier and more successful season. Thanks again.

On behalf of Cregagh CC we would like to thank Donaghadee CC for their hard work and effort in getting the game played yesterday as they were in a sort of similar position to Dundrum. A nothing game for the Dee but a huge game for us. Would have been easy just to call the game off but the strip and the outfield were a credit to you considering the summer we had!! Good luck next season lads.

The truth is the umpires said it was up to Dundrum if game starts and after a brief discussion with the team (and yes there was a QUITE A few said very few other clubs would take the risk of getting relegated when they didnt have play) but common sense and the great game of cricket we all love was the winner . It left me with a few tears seeing capt Philip Mccormick have his team talk to his team on the square after they went down after a tough season for everyone but they are a fine club and id bet they come back up next year.The two Adair brothers are no doubt PREMIER all rounders and nice lads as well so im sure they will attract interest from quite a few. As for Dundrum we survived again and im sure we gained a fair bit respect for ensuring that we try play the game in the right spirit and even Cliftonville said fair play for working hard to get a fixture on that was severly in doubt all week. ps Ian Housten is a GENTLEMAN and deserves a massive thank you from all clubs

Congratulations to Dundrum CC for getting their game played Vs Holywood. I had left a message before suggesting they may postpone the fixture (which was not posted) but credit to them. It would have been so easy for them to have the game void and save themselves. However they played and won!
What now for Holywood? 3 tier cricket surely will not interest Ross or Mark Adair - Premier League waits for them? And Phil McCormick must move to at least a section 1 club - Woodvale? Could be a long time back to section 1.

commiserations to my colleagues on the result in Dublin - I am led to believe that it was a "damned close run thing"!

Taito

Your point of view is of much interest and thought provoking and its good to get a perspective from outside your own clubs environment.

On a different note, I think there is a man who, without him, we all would be lost and that is Ian Houston, the umpires appointment secretary.

In what has been the wettest summer on record, how he has the willpower to keep sorting out umpires appointments is beyond belief. In my books he deserves a Knighthood.

Neil, Dont get me wrong your exactly right that the stats dont lie Lurgan have dominated section 1 the last few years. I just felt it was more of a team effort this year with runs and wickets being shared amongst the team rather than certain people standing out. I could be wrong because i havent seen the averages etc but i think last year you had better individual performances.