Forum

Umpires...
Clubs should be made to get clubmark accreditation which should have by now introduced mandatory umpiring no.s based on size of club and a host of other grounds requirements to increase playing standards.

Good luck Ireland. Another great adventure is about to begin and we are there on merit and totally respected by our peers. That hasn't happened by chance so credit all round and let's give total support win or lose. If we win one match that is progress at this level.

Hi Andy,
More a case of discussion points rather than whinges. I have no time for whingers including the oracle Mr. Nolan. It costs nothing to talk and every topic doesn't need to be tested by a vote. I'd like to think it is progressive, transparent and engaging for the people involved. We love our cricket and we should always strive to make it better. The article is a catalyst to help stimulate thought.
Agreed on Muckamore and thoroughly deserved.

I am somewhat bereft reading the litany of problems rehearsed in your "features" blog. It certainly is a long list. The reduction in club's teams means that there will be less delegates attending the AGM and my experience - admittedly not all that recent - was of a degree of partisan voting so I'm not sure such a meeting is the catalyst for change. But the opportunity for discussion should not be missed. On the subject of the "forum", we live in an increasingly whinging society. One example is the Nolan Show where views can be expressed in the safe knowledge that responsibility for improvement lies somewhere else. I'm surprised that no-one has been taking a swipe on the forum at CI. I'm sure we all recall the bile that Derriaghy caused a few years ago but this year nothing. Perhaps the editor has taken action or perhaps we have all become a wee bit more mature in our thinking. On a partisan note - a great year for Muckamore and congratulations to all concerned. I wonder if we'll be able to see JRW behind all those trophies at the club dinner - we'll certainly hear him!

Paul.... I played all season in section 1 and i couldnt agree more. The standard is nowhere even close to the PL league. Even more so now the PL is an 8 team league. Section 1 clubs will more and more struggle to hold on to the best players too. It just shows you how poor the standard is that i can open the batting......

I watched Lurgan V Bangor end of July this year and was really shocked by the standard in section 1- Top & Bottom
Pro did get 100 that day but not much else on offer to threaten at a higher level

Clarence... Similar to Jeff the reason i didnt include anyone was that other people from other clubs made better individual contributions to their team than the lurgan players i could think of. I dont know the exact stats but guys that were close to making my team were Grieve, Chambers and Johnston, but at a guess the guys i picked either scored more runs or took more wickets than these boys.

I have been wrong before.

yes id say next season is only possibilty but no reason when losing as as charity will be winner. CONGRATULATIONS CIYMS ten years ago below us in section three = if CARLSBERG do dreams theres hope for everyone and great year for Muckamore winning lots trophies . ps Clarence my late dad told me that first sentence quite possible he was passing the CLASSIC line on as it just about covers everything , id love see lots forumites post there teams up in all sections?

Thanks Jeff. That first sentence just about sums it up!
Moving on a charity match is always good idea but I suspect too late this year and the start of season is never safe because of the weather. Match is a bit of all to lose for premier team and it would be quite a shock if they lost given the quality of team they could field. But then if it was all predictable the favourites would win every race.

Clarence OPINIONS are like ar$eholes everyone has to have ONE. The reason o didnt include any lurgan players was we played them in 50/20 games and no one impressed me enough (yes they beat us both games and the SUPERB nirjan godpole was out early both games ninja was supposed to score 1200 runs there next best 350) thats not a DIG by the way as every club would love have him . They won the league (congrats)but imo they wernt the best team i seen this year but leagues dont LIE! I will say this i picked my team as a team that i also think could give the premier side a DECENT game as imo this game will take place next year as a FUND RAISER for charity ?

Love to add my 5 cents worth to the PL team of the season (Irish qualified players only).

1. Jeremy Bray (CIYMS)
2. Chris Dougherty (CIYMS)
3. Ryan Haire (North Down)
4. James Shannon (Instonians)
5. Nigel Jones (CSNI)
6. Kyle McCallan (Waringstown) (C)
7. Taimur Khan (CIYMS)
8. Corin Goodall (CSNI) WK
9. Zach Rushe (Instonians)
10. Eugene Moleon (Instonians)
11. Stephen Hughes (CIYMS)

Love to see a match between this team and the Section 1 lads...

Michael Foster
I put my name forward to Ian Houston and was given three games to umpire. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would encourage others still playing to give it a go on your " days off". I'm surprised others didn't get a call when available. I had Alan Neill , George Gillespie and Sam Alexander as my partners and it was obvious from all three that they got real enjoyment from being in the middle.
When Cyril gave me out LBW off the middle of my bat last Sunday I must admit my reaction was different than it would have been if I hadn't been an umpire this season. It is certainly easier being an official umpire than it is umpiring your own batsmen. In those matches players just assume that you are cheating.

Am I the only person who can't understand how the Section 1 League winners can't get a pick on any of the ace selections by the experts? Are they not eligible?

R.E Umpiring

As ive said before on here the problem is attending the courses over a weekend in Belfast, its just too big a commitment for people involved in winter sports and the travel associated doesnt make it attractive either.

Im sure if there were a few regional beginners courses maybe over 2 or 3 Tuesday nights attendance wouldnt be an issue.

I thoroughly believe there's a fairly obvious answer as to WHY there is an ever decreasing number of local cricket umpires as each season ends and comes round again.

I'm referring in particularly to new recruits, willing to give it a go and just as importantly, stick at it !

Alas, although as I've already stated, it's pretty obvious to me anyway and I dare say to most other folk despite the 'deafening silence', there's little in my opinion that either NIACUS or the NCU can do about it!

I've heard it diplomatically referred to as player 'decent', but I've much more colourful language I could use to describe the individuals and what I think of it and them, but the editor would quite rightly refrain from putting it up on here !

Let's spell it out plainly for what it is ! A lack of respect to put it mildly to:( Not necessarily in any order)

1. The Umpire /himself & colleagues
2. The spirit of the game
3. Your skipper/team/ & opposition
4. Watching spectators, supporters, the general public, ( All or some of whom may be very young and impressionable)!!
5. Yourself !
6. Your parents ! (Were you brought up that way ?)

Sort this out and we'll happily find both new and returning umpires, merrily joining and re-joining the fold !

But like I've said, NIACUS or the NCU have no magic wand to wave !

It begins and ends with.........

'The man in the Mirror'!!