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Ireland v Austalia
Most local cricket supporters will have been disappointed to have seen only 10.4 overs in to-days match but I'm sure Cricket Ireland will have been delighted to have seen the mandatory 10 overs behold to ensure they did not lose a small fortune on the day !!
Huge credit to Phil McCormick and his team for even getting the game started - a huge huge effort no doubt !!! I sincerely hope his efforts do not go unrewarded by Cricket Ireland and hope he is well looked after in his next pay packet !! Well done Fluter and co.
On a different theme, I would like to congratulate all involved in todays ODI at Stormont.
Two sides that wanted to play cricket, two umpires (or is that three) that gave it every chance, a team working on the ground that excelled in the most extreme of conditions to allow even the limited play we had.
The entrances to the ground worked well, there were duckboards to keep people out of the gutters almost all the way round the ground, toilets, beer and food points close to all the seating areas (though a bit dear for my liking), and a PA system that from where i was seated wasnt overly loud.
Sadly we cannot control the weather, but that certainly wont stop me attending again.
Though one small thing to consider, the front rows of block F were a long way back from the advertising hoardings, the camber of the ground is such that this would mean that if the ground was full and your ticket was on row A, you would be unable to view any shot on the ground towards the pavilion.
As I say, a very minor gripe on an otherwise superbly organised day (apart from the weather), & something hopefully that can be rectified (if possible) before the next big ODI in Belfast.
Clarence,
"Well spoken on the Senior Cup! But don't blame the NCU blame the clubs that voted for it at the AGM and if you feel strongly let's start a campaign now. It may not save anyone this year but there should be no place for Bowl Outs in our premier cup competition. From what I see over the past few years there are more and more reasons to play less cricket infiltrating the game. Neil's comments also support that view."
While i agree that the Senior Challenge Cup and the Junior cup should be the most prestigious games in the local calender,the problem is that more competitions are appearing meaning that more demands are on players (certainly in sides doing well in all competitions) than any time that I recall (about 35+ years playing or watching my father or accompanying my grandfather to games).
Do we want to return to the days where the final of the senior cup is won one week after the game starts? or sides have to travel every evening in the hope of playing some cricket?
I know that when we had Monday night run-ons, on at least one occasion I was phoned about 3pm on the Monday afternoon by the home skipper to say that they had declared their innings and we did not need to travel.
T20 and the Club Turf have been very enjoyable to watch, but is it to the detriment of the more established competitions?
Well spoken on the Senior Cup! But don't blame the NCU blame the clubs that voted for it at the AGM and if you feel strongly let's start a campaign now. It may not save anyone this year but there should be no place for Bowl Outs in our premier cup competition. From what I see over the past few years there are more and more reasons to play less cricket infiltrating the game. Neil's comments also support that view.
Seen today on the Cricket Ireland site that Irish rail have a special offer for those from Dublin heading to Belfast to watch the rain fall tomorrow, and was wondering could Cricket ireland and Translink join together to offer a special deal for the England game at Malahide next year, £60 from Ballymena Bangor, Larne or Carrick, £55 from Belfast or £50 from portadown for train and match ticket, would ease the traffic congestion and parking round the ground and could encourage more to attend in the new 11,000 stadia
Have to toatlly agree with Bumper.
The 2 biggest cup competitions the Challenge Cup and the Junior Cup in the NCU are slowly have their reputations deminished by being reduced from 2 innings to 1, 60 overs to 50 overs in the case of the Challenge Cup and now this ludicrous Bowl-Out scenario for this weekends Quarter-Finals.
Come on how can the NCU possibly hope to secure sponsorship for a competition that could be potentially won by a team winning every round by bowl-outs??
On another matter if cricket is going down the bowl-out route to decide fixtures why not do away with "No Results" in leagur games by having a bowl-out if the final rearrangement is a wash-out????
bumper... I couldnt agree more. When i was growing up the challenge cup was the pinnacle in NCU cricket and for me it still is. I suppose there are a couple of ways of looking at it.. the rules were agreed at the agm so why did we not vote against bowl outs then, but surely in a situation like this where the weather is going to wipe out all 4 quarter finals the NCU can step in and make a common sense decision? I would assume all 8 teams want to play cricket
The Challenge Cup should be the premier competition within the NCU.
It has been reduced from 60 to 50 overs.
The final is now a one innings affair.
Now we have the prospect of all 4 games being resolved by a bowl out!
What made this competition unique and special is being erased and no-one seems to care!
Best of luck to Ireland at home to Australia for this Saturday, ( I'll not mention the weather forecast after today)!
Re: Neil Fullerton
Completely agree. I don't see the problem with waiting to the morning of the match and seeing if things have improved.
Our 3rd XI played away to Downpatrick on Saturday in the only other NCU game, and the grass was a bit damp and it was a bit squelchy in places, but so-what!! The game went ahead. At the end of the day, we want to play cricket, so why not play cricket!
Our 1s XI were due to play Dunmurry last Tuesday/Wednesday, it had bucketed for days, but stopped on Tuesday. The puddles were mopped up, the outfield was damp in places, but no lying water. The wicket was damp, but again had no surface water and wasn't "squelchy". Both teams arrived but were told that the ground was unplayable and dangerous. If we are going to wait for perfect pitches, the only cricket we will see this season is on TV! If its dry and the grounds ok, lets play cricket, its the same for both teams at the end of the day!
Moving back to NI next year.
My kids (7 and 5) currently go to practises with a village club. Is there a local club scene for kids in the Comber area, outside of primary schools?
Found some general info on teams, but little on lower age group coaching.
Cheers, GG
Graham, email Ryan Haire at North Down CC haireryan(at)hotmail.com for information about their youth teams, he is the cricket development officer.
Re - Ivan
Sorry completely disagree
Do you think there is anything to be achieved by a 'limited' youngester consistantly bowling 10 ball overs because someone thinks there should be no difference made betweem the Prem league and JL8? - maybe he should be whipped off and banished to fine leg for punishment as well ?
by defination most 'young guys' are playing down their clubs for a reason - most may aspire but will never play any higher - therefore it would be ridiclulos to try and achieve parity...
Cream always rises to the top and any 'young guys' who have more ability will sort it out when they get the harsh reality of higher grade cricket...
Once again another example of tinkering for tinkering sake - if it aint broken don't fix it...
Good man Ivan, but you need to stop re reading the 'rules' trying 'improve' things...
Just wanted to thank everyone who has anything to do with the ground at Eaton Park.
While groundsmen all over the country were dealing with wet patches, soggy outfields and drainage problems, those in Ballymena were simple looking to the skies.
Eaton Park is a much criticised ground - probably because it's a dual sports ground - but today it proved it is the best draining ground in the country.
91.3 overs later Ballymena Seconds had defeated Bangor by just eight runs in a game that produced 429 runs and 19 wickets.
Lessons learned:-
1. Ballymena's ten year sand slitting programme (we are in the seventh) does work.
2. NCU should not allow games to be cancelled until the day of the match.
3. Cricketers throughout the NCU should stop being so precious. We are not internationals and it's only a bit of rain and a bit of damp. We should be used to it.
Re Ivan
How does being called for a wide in your first experience of adult cricket build your confidence? By all means have international standard wides in the top leagues but the youngsters need leeway, somewhere to learn the game. How can you encourage a youngster to bowl quick or give it a big rip if you are giving wides left right and centre. I play in the two counties league in England as a keeper and left handed opening bat and the official umpires are very lenient in the top leagues, which can frustrate me. Therefore It is good thing that the top leagues in the NCU try to mirror international standards but the lower leagues is not all about creating players for the Premier league and Ireland, it is also a place for recreation cricket, for fun and enjoyment. I am afraid as a teacher and a coach, I believe there needs to be an opportunity for players to develop their skills with freedom at an early age and the accuracy will come later. Keep giving wides early in their careers and the captain won't bowl them and they will never learn. I feel on this issue we will have to agree to disagree.
Paul in Ipswich.
Read my post again. I am asking the umpires in these games to use common sense. You explain to me how a young bowler bowling a foot down the leg side in one game and getting called for a wide when he plays higher up even he just misses the leg stump helps that young players confidence.He then finds the senior skipper can't bowl him and his confidence goes again. The leg side wide is now as much part of the bowling discipline as overstepping is a no ball.Those that agree with me can start developing better bowlers those that don't can carry on regardless. I just like the opposition captain to know that I support the calling of leg side wides against my bowlers as it's part of them becoming more useful to the senior team.
