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I never knew that you would get enough people into that bar in Moira but there you go. You will be watching highlights tonight of champagne cricket from the number 1 side in World Cricket out in Abby-Dabby - not! Pathetic doesn't describe it.

A row nearly broke out last nite in Normans' Bar (Pretty Marys) in Moira!

I called in to watch the highlights of the 2nd days play of the Test match out in Abby-Dabby on the big screen, but found the 'footballers' in situ with their pints in hand waiting for a soccer match to come on and the motor-cycle club were also having their monthly meeting and wanted the screen switched off.

As no compromise could be reached, I wagered for a round of drinks, of the three sports...Cricket was the more dangerous! And therefore I should be allowed to watch it.

The football men howled with laughter and the motorcycle chaps nearly fell off their seats and both willingly excepted my proposition.

I had observed the barmaid clicking away on her laptop inbetween serving customers, I called on her to bring it down along with the said round and I typed in You-tube...Michael Holding v Brain Close, were upon everyone crowded around to watch!

Suffice to say after viewing the clip, the motorcyclists were so impressed they decided to move into the snug and have their meeting, the soccer men were for once 'gob smacked' and duely departed in a huff, to watch their game across the road in the Four-Trees bar.

But not before I made sure they'd paid for that round of drinks !!

PS
Sorry-On a point of information Andy McFarlane played post-war and was the star of the 1947 NCU Cup Final win by Sion Mills. Donald Shearer played for NICC post-war and not North-West. Both, like Flood, also starred between the wars. All three are missing but in my humble opinion would be in my top 20 post-war NI players.

Thanks Roger, I should add that I wasn't watching cricket in the 1950s but feel they should not be ignored. For your information post-war North-West cricket included John Flood and Andy McFarlane who would get into most all-time NW selections and of course Aubrey Finlay. Players like Sammy Jeffrey, Alex McBrine and John Cochrane were local legends. Irish recognition is irrelevant because the North-West was largely ignored by NCU and ICU for many years. But to leave out Flood and McFarlane is strange.
However, fantasy teams are personal opinion and quite often the selectors pick who they LIKE. Over and out on this topic.

Hi Clarence

The criteria was just the top 20 cricketers from Northern Ireland, and we were advised to concentrate on post war players.

The North West have already named 10 post war players for consideration:

O.D. (Ossie) Colhoun, Sion Mills & Ireland
J.D. (Desmond) Curry, Donemana, Limavady & Ireland
A.B. (Brendan) Donaghey, Sion Mills, Strabane & Ireland
P.G. (Peter) Gillespie, Strabane & Ireland
S.S.J. (Scott) Huey, City of Derry,Eglinton & Ireland
Alexander (Junior) McBrine, Donemana & Ireland
W.T.S. (William) Porterfield, Donemana, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire & Ireland
W. B. (Boyd) Rankin, Bready, Middlesex, Derbyshire, Warwickshire & Ireland
S.G. (Stephen) Smyth, Brigade, Eglinton, Limavady & Ireland
R.G. (Roy) Torrens, Brigade, Coleraine & Ireland

6 current players included and again not much representation from the 50's (maybe not such a golden era?)
They also mentioned EDR Shearer and Andy McFarlane if pre war players were included but didn't say who from the above they would leave out to include them.

That leaves the NCU with 10 to nominate. The final selection when it is made will be very interesting!

Hi Roger,
That's what selectors do week in week out, but I agree it is an impossible task. However, if you go by statistics then you don't need to select-you just need a calculator! From all accounts, Donald Shearer was a class act, Jack Bowden's performances speak for themselves as do those of Sonny Hool, Raymond Hunter, Stuart Pollock and Frank Fee. These were outstanding players and played the game of their day, the beautiful game, not the smash, wallop and bang of the modern era. And therein lies the challenge of marrying different eras. Perhaps representation from 1946-60, from 1961-1979, from 1980 to 1999 and from 2000-2012 would provide a better appreciation of the period? I ask again is the criteria Ireland or NCU?
I suspect the North-West Top Ten will not be as difficult.

gonna thrown Walter Fawcett's name into the mix

RE: Clarence/ J Irvine

If we're only allowed to nominate 10 players, then who to leave out is the difficult bit. My selection was based on the Ireland stats, otherwise it's all about different peoples' opinions on plyers. I do appreciate there's nobody from the 50's era in my selection, but I found it difficult to find any one outstanding player to represent that era based on figures, and I never saw any of them play. Fee is probably the only one you could perhaps justify selecting based on his Ireland stats. The final place in the 10 I selected was down to either Reith, Rea, or P McCrum, and the stats said Rea, although I rated Reith as a better batsman, certainly a more stylish one. The other 9 for me pick themselves and I think it would be difficult to leave any of them out.

What do you think?

Top Ten-
And what about Stuart Pollock, Sonny Hool, Larry Warke, Raymond Hunter, Noel Ferguson, Jack Bowden, Archie McQuilkin, Tom McCloy, Donald Shearer, Herbie Martin, Lloyd Armstrong, Billy McCleery, Frank Fee and et al? Post-war means after 1946 so we shouldn't forget a generation because we weren't around then. Also, are the selections for top players in the NCU or players who have starred for Ireland as we all know the modern environment is chalk and cheese to the old days? It's almost impossible comparing different eras in cricket but of course we all love doing it.

Roger Bell and top 20 - Rea - surely not Michael? Nowhere near my top 20 - what about P & C McCrum, D Heasley, J Patterson, P Jackson, A Johnson, R Hunter, A Nelson, R Eagleson & M Reith - much stronger & dominant players for Club, Province & Country. Appreciate it's personal choice tho!

I fear the painkillers Big Raymond Moreland is on for the knee replacement operation are effecting the memory.
I spoke to him in the Square two days ago. He agreed to act as my agent and said he was going straight to Peter Shields. Next thing I read N.Down are to sign Anwer Ali. RAMMIE How could you mix up Bumperdale And Anwer Ali!!!lol

The new Ulster Sports Museum has requested from the NCU and NWCU the top 20 post war international players who will be featured in the cricket section of their museum.

At this week's NCU Board Meeting we were asked to start the ball rolling by selecting the top 10 NCU players.

To start the debate, this is my selection: Monteith, Anderson, Corlett, Jackson, S Warke, G Harrison, Rea, McCallan, White, and Stirling

We would be interested in hearing opinions from NCU cricket supporters on their top 10's.

Yes I am lead to believe this is true and that CI have signed his mate, another leading Pakistani cricketer!!!

As we are currently enjoying an unseasonly mild winter....this morning being exceptionly pleasent, I decided to treat Oscar our 1yr old Shi-tzu dog to an extra walk and headed out over the park for another 'good dander'.

With signs of spring already in clear abundance, birds singing, despite as yet the lack of leaves appearing on the deciduous trees, the wild onion garlic is strongly peaking through, snow-drops well established, even the daffodils beginning to show signs of making 'a spurt'.
In this bright sunshine, my thoughts began lingering to the possibilities of commencing some very early out-door bowling practise.

The problem being ofcourse, it's not much fun on your own unless you own a 'good cricket dog' !
Now wee Oscar is many things.. the heart of a lion, will do any trick for a bit of sausage or chicken, but he just ain't into his cricket ! Don't get me wrong, he'll chase the ball ok, but trying to coax him into bring the dam thing back is nye on impossible!

Now as I have seen while out & about around various cricket grounds over the years, the larger cricketing fraternity, players, officials and supporters alike are broadly-speaking like myself, a family of dog lovers and I enjoy observing the many varying shapes and sizes that turn up at cricket matches throughout the season, even if an odd one breaks loose and joins a game as a 12th fielder!

Before Oscar I owned a half alsation/labrador cross Dougle, an excellent cricketer always returned the ball, although he tended to slobber a bit as he warmed up and chewed the ball, but he was still very sharp.
Before Dougle, as a boy and into my 20's I had Patch, a heinz 57 mongrel with a bit of terrier definitly in him and he loved cricket, faultless to a T. Stood at silly mid-on waiting for a catch, always retreived the ball, never chewed or dampened it, never tired and 'my best friend' !

The point of my story is....sad to hear at this time of year so many beautiful dogs abandoned, ending up in pounds and shelters or worse throughout the country, all because their owners can't be bothered anymore!!

A dogs for life ! Part of the family, will reward you with love & affection no matter what their breed and nearly all make super 'cricket dogs' but maybe not Oscar the Shi-tzu, though we wouldn't change him for the world !!!

Any truth that North Down have signed Anwar Ali?