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“Imaginative”, “innovative” - not words that spring to mind in the same sentence as NCU! But perhaps the highly paid full-time officers will surprise us!! What about “home and away’ (10 games) then a division into two 3s like the Irish League would mean 14 games? I really should get out more!! Best wishes to all at UC for 2020!

I see that with the amalgamation of Drumaness & Belfast Super Kings there will be 6 teams in Section 3. It will be interesting to see how imaginative or inventive the powers-that-be will be in sorting out that one. I don't see a "10 game" season as being conducive to developing cricket but I await with interest to see how this pans out

UC Christmas Quiz.
You have only two weeks to respond as Saturday 18 Jan ends.
Send any answers as you could be the winner!

Read Editor Clarence Hiles preview of the Ireland tour to the West Indies in January in our Features section now.

The annual Ulster Grasshoppers CC dinner is booked for the 29th February 2020.
Crowne Plaza Shaws Bridge
Laganview Suite
Time: 6-30pm
Price: £40.00pp
Dress Code: Shirt and tie
Speakers: Sam Beckett & Paul Stafford
In recent times, the dinner has been a great success and non members are more than welcome to attend.
Anyone that would like to attend please free to contact me on richard@finlaygrahamproperty.com
Many thanks
Ricky

Delighted to announce Cleaver Black as a new advertiser on the site. You will all know Philip Black, a Principal in the Company - Philip is President elect of Cricket Ireland and a well respected member of CSNI CC.

Cleaver Black are a firm of chartered accountants and Registered Auditors formed in 1986. Full details can be found in the business section of the site.

Feel free to get in contact Cleaver Black to arrange a free consultation to discuss their services.

E-mail - office@cleaverblack.com or tel. 028 9032 2904

Andrew White NCU Cricket Academy 2019 - 2020
The Andrew White NCU Cricket Academy is now an established part of the cricketing education of young players within the Northern Cricket Union (NCU), with sixteen cricketers making up the 2019-20 Academy. Selection was based on players who fall in the 12 to 15 age range, who have been identified as having the potential to play at national level and begin to challenge them in a more testing environment.
2019-2020 Andre White NCU Cricket Academy
• Mohammed Aahil (CSNI)
• Sam Allister (Waringstown)
• Ashton Clark (Carrickfergus)
• Tom Crothers (Instonians)
• Harry Dyer (CSNI)
• Rory Ellerby (Instonians)
• Ryan Hunter (CSNI)
• David Kane (Templepatrick)
• Adam Leckey (CSNI)
• Finn Lutton (Templepatrick)
• Ryan Matthews (Donacloney Mill)
• Ben McCausland (Instonians)
• Carson McCullough (CIYMS)
• Max Shannon (Cregagh)
• Sam Topping (Waringstown)
• James West (CSNI)
Aims of the Andrew White NCU Cricket Academy
• To select players in the 12 to 15 age range, who have been identified as having the potential to play at national level and begin to challenge them in a more intense and focused environment.
• To help prepare the selected players so that they have a greater chance of success at national level through innovative coaching strategies.
• To successfully develop an athlete centred programme that will lay the foundations to enable our cricketers:
- to develop the necessary core skills to be competitive;
- to create a culture of excellence and to excel in years to come at national level.
Andrew White NCU Cricket Academy Programme
The NCU has reviewed the past four years of the Andrew White NCU Cricket Academy Programme and have extended its duration, increased the amount of contact time with coaches, tutors and mentors, included transferable skill workshops and specialist skills workshops delivered by ECB Level 4 coaches.
These sessions will run primarily on Friday nights at the Ulster University, Jordanstown, in February and March 2020. In addition, the NCU has partnered with the Department for Communities who are supporting the delivery of Specialist Skills Workshop. As well as the support from the Department for Communities, the NCU is offering Transferable Skills Workshops, Academy Clothing, and cost free Winter RDS Programme.
The NCU is exploring the possibility of a training tour to La Manga during the February half term holidays for three days.
Confirmed Events
• Sunday 8th December 2019 @ Ulster University Sports Centre (1pm to 3pm) - Fielding Workshop facilitated by Steven Croft (Lancashire CCC)
• Sunday 15th December 2019@ Ulster University Sports Centre (1pm to 3pm) - Batting against Spin Workshop facilitated by Matt Spriegel (Surrey CCC)
Andrew White said, 'The Academy has developed over the last number of years into a really important part of the NCU youth development pathway. We continue to strive to deliver a high quality programme for our young players and having Simon Johnston as the Head Coach is a key aspect of this. I look forward to witnessing the players grow, not only as cricketers but also as individuals through the different challenges set.’

The Annual Ulster Grasshoppers CC dinner is scheduled for:
29th February 2020 (it was originally January but the venue had double booked) at Crowne Plaza Shaws Bridge at 6-30pm.
£40pp
Paul Stafford and Sam Beckett will be the Speakers.
If you could let me know if you are free to attend that would be great.
Cheers
Ricky
T: 02890 328076

Just a note to say that the Club Facilities Grant is now open for applications and Cartwrights Sports would be delighted to provide Clubs with competitive quotes if they are going to apply for this grant.

All Clubs who obtain a quote and finalise business with Cartwrights Sports will be entered into a draw and the winning Club will receive £100 worth of cricket balls for the 2020 season.

Full details can be found in the article in the Features section of the Ulster Cricketer website.

Young Cricketers Preparation for 2020 Underway
As the 2019 cricket season becomes a memory, preparation for the 2020 season has now commenced, with the Northern Cricket Union (NCU) facilitating a number of different winter initiatives for boys and girls in their respective age categories.
Coaching Camps
The NCU received over 350 applications, from over twenty five cricket clubs, for boys and girls aged 8-17, to attend in excess of 70 coaching sessions at the University of Ulster Jordanstown Campus, Wallace High School, Lisburn and Campbell College, Belfast. With the help of over thirty coaches these sessions commenced on Sunday 13th October.
Performance Groups:
Initial training squads have been selected for Under 11, 13, 15, and 17's with each age group receiving four dedicated sessions between now and Christmas.
Specialist workshops:
In conjunction with Cricket Ireland, the NCU is running specialist workshops for pace bowling, spin bowling and wicketkeeping. Sixty-six boys and girls from the NCU Pathway Programme have been invited to over 24 hours of specialist coaching before Christmas.
The Northern Cricket Union is grateful for the use of the three facilities to provide the young cricketers with the opportunity to enhance their skills during the winter months, and to the dedication of the participants, their parents, and the coaches.

Just a word of thanks to the NCU for the invite to last nights Annual Dinner & Awards. Much appreciated. A very enjoyable evening and good food. Guest speaker Angus Fraser, I thought, did very well.

Thanks again NCU.

Derriaghy Cricket Club are celebrating their centenary year in 2020 and recently we have teamed up with local mental health charity, Emerge Counselling Services, as our official centenary charity partner.

Throughout the next 8-10 months Derriaghy CC have various events planned and we will keep you informed here on the UC site

Thanks to all who supported the memorabilia sale for the Wooden Spoon Charity. Over £200 was raised. Still plenty of cricket items left if anybody wants to make contact me at 07799 711914. Again, all proceeds to the charity.

Just a reminder of the sale of signed and unsigned Sporting memorabilia items at Belfast Harlequins from 7 to 8 on this Thursday night, with donations for the Wooden Spoon Childrens Charity.
There will be over 150 items (mainly photos and prints) with cricket items in the majority. Most are Test Cricketers from over the last 40 years or so. But please do not expect any current players from the recent World Cup or Ashes series!
Any enquiries to 07799 711914.

Just for the record Woodvale pro Dario Boyce hit 36 off an over in final game of the season at Cregagh. 38 off the over with 2 no-balls!! Great season for the club and looking forward to going face to face with the big guns in the Premier League without the finances that most of them have!!