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Games being called off due to international call-ups. In principle, I agree that a team should be able to postpone a league or cup game if they have players away on international duty, but where do we draw the line is it one, two or three players. However as it is not in the competition rules, I find it hard to see how it can be enforced. Only a few weeks ago we had the farce of the quarterfinal bowl outs, which the NCU stated the blame lay with the clubs as they had voted for bowl outs. Move on a couple of weeks and a game that has always had a reserve date of the 8th of July is postponed until the 15th July despite there being no rule to back up this decision, indeed I am led to believe that this rule was in fact removed at the request of the clubs some years ago. As I am getting towards the end of my playing career I want to play as much cricket as possible, however I would just like some consistency from the NCU as it appears from the outside that the powers that be are making the rules up as they go along.
I would have imagined that those members of the Emergency Committee whose clubs were involved would have declared an interest and abstained. But then again I had direct experience of a past Emergency Committee and a dispute between the now defunct Collegians & Ballymena. No prizes for guessing the way the ball bounced on that one.
I understand why a club wants to put out its best players and morally it is the right thing if both teams are at full strength. But if the clubs have struck out the old 3 player rule from the ncu rule book after due process at an ncu agm then how can that very rule be resurrected by an "emergency" committee especially one with potential conflicts of interest among members (both parties)?
Now an ncu corporate governance issue.
Frank
The chairman and vice chairman surely couldn't have sat in on this one and as two of the directors would have a vested interest does that mean it was a two man committee.
I am sure the new p.r. Man will issue a statement to clarify this.
Re Challenge cup debacle.
Let's say this wrongful decision is upheld and just by chance it happens to rain on the 15th. Will this Emergency Committee as they are referred to make up another rule to suit the blazers and TELL Muckamore they MUST go to Shaws bridge for a game instead of a bowl out. Ps. Do emergency committees not function in case of an emergency after all these dates were set at the start of the season or am I missing something.
The chairman and vice-chairman are both connected with the clubs concerned, so would have to declare an interest (I would have thought). The vice-chairman is also a director, so in effect this decision was made by a committee of 3 people. One of which is finance and sponsorhip, one forward planning, and the last competitions director. But thats assuming there were interests declared..............
Hardly good for the forward thinking of our union to apply a rule that has been defunct for so long!
And to think Lisburn got such condemnation for what they did a fortnight ago and they in effect only applied the current rules....who is the shame on now??
re Ivan Mc Combe
So it is an autocracy. It is in effect a sub-committee that can modify or re-interpret the competition rules without impunity. I'm sure there is some manner in which it may be appealed or else we have a dictatorship.
re Michael Kennedy
Have to agree with you Michael that this is a disgraceful decision that goes against the wishes of the majoriy who agreed at an AGM to drop the rule about fixtures being postponed when any player was on the Irish team. Can't blame Big Phil for this because he's just right to want his players available for coaching, practice or whatever in the days before.
The Emergency Committee consists of the Chairman, Vice-chairman and the four Directors. Would the full Board have agreed to this I wonder.
Frank apparently it's part of the Management Board .
I think this latest decision is a complete joke. Given the fixture backlog should we not be trying to get games played and not put back? Here we have 19 guys not getting a match because of 3 guys travelling to Dublin, (2 of which probably won't get into the starting 11) which starts a day after the match in question!
Was an 11am start considered? Given the travelling times to Dublin these guys could have been there by evening time.
Who sat on this emergency committee?
re Ivan McCombe
22. (a) A club may appeal against any ruling of a sub-committee or official of the Union.
Is the Emergency Committee not a sub-committee? If not then we're dealing with an autocracy.
No right of appeal to a decision by the Emergency Committee.
re Andy Kennedy
There was a rule that permitted this some years ago in the times when Cliftonville were at their pomp but this was withdrawn. However now that the Master Race are disadvantaged the Blazer Brigade have decided that it shouldn't have been repealed. The Emergency Committee seemingly have the power to override the wishes of the constituent clubs. There could of course be an appeal against this decision but I wouldn't see it getting too far. Old school tie still prevails and there are still senior clubs and junior clubs.
have had a good look at the playing regulations and I cannot find any rule that supports the decision of the Emergency Committee to defer the reserve date for the Challenge Cup semi-final. Perhaps someone could direct me to the relevant section. Also - was this the only reason put forward by Instonians or had an earlier plea, based on a different premise, been rejected?
Cricket Books available
I have a surplus stock of "A History of Senior Cricket In Ulster" which I would like to offer to clubs for sale as a fund-raiser. The books are available at a quid each to cover delivery costs and can be sold by the clubs throughout the season for whatever they like to members and friends. They were retailed at 18.95 in 2003 so even at a tenner they are good value. The offer is also open to schools that wish to raise funds for a project. Anyone interested can email me at clarence@caribbeanmortgages.com or call me at 91870155 within the next two weeks. Minimum order is eight.
Hiler - is there not an old maxim "never meet your idols"?!!
