Forum

our local paper is running a series of "old photographs" and featured one of Galgorm who used to play close to where the public carpark at County Hall Ballymena is now. I remember hearing rumours of Walter Crosgrave of Donacloney playing for Galgorm as a "ringer" - but of course that never happened

Andy K,
I can remember playing a two night game in Armagh some years ago and on the first night there was a churches league game going on on the wee pitch and the second night was a pubs league game goin on (at least I think thats what they were, but it is probably 20 - 25 years ago), and I am certain that there used to be a pubs league in the Lurgan area (i was asked to play for the Four Trees, but couldnt, then about 5 minutes later got a call from the Planters asking me to play for them, yes, the Four Trees were playing the Planters.
I think there was also a churches league round here 30+ years ago.

Andy, Alan Burns played a part in that night's escapades! Sadly Miller and Jimmy have passed on and you are right-where have 30 years gone? One of the nice things is meeting up with people you haven't seen for many years and John Craig, Wally and the RUC boys are up there with the best of them.

Interesting reading about all the local cricket that was played throughout the province at 'a time'.

Certainly seems to have been alot more played very locally between villages,towns and work places etc. than what we have now, despite the greater population numbers and easy excess to modern transport.

You'll understand it wasn't all necessarily played before 'my time', but most of it was all before 'my time' playing and getting into cricket...(I was a late starter).

Still facinating reading though, wonder why the interest seemed to wain as the years progessed ?

I know, Sky T.V. football, computors and fast-food must be to blame !

speaking of that night Clarence - I was in the company of Alan Burns last week at a lunch in a very prestigous venue in Belfast city centre - not back for a wee lad from Buckna!) and he was asking after you. The frightening thing is that the Ballymena 6s were about 30 years ago. My memory of the night was Welsey being somewhat irked that no-one was ready to go home and Millar's face about 2 hours later when he discovered that your transport had in fact left. And what about the night a Dunmurry player was given a lift by the late Jimmy Galway as driver & ended up in Banbridge! Great memories of some great nights with George Wilson, John Craig, Bob Magee and Wally Shannon - I wonder how our livers survived!!

Come on Andy you were knocking around when the Ballymena and RUC Sixes were in their prime. Did you not double up as a tourist guide when we had trouble getting home one Friday night. Long walk from up there! The late jim Barry blasted you guys for cashing the winner's cheque behind the bar. At least that's all I remember of that night. The Hong Kong Sixes have nothing on Jimmy Boyce's Sun Life Ballymena Sixes.

Caleb - you heard wrong I don't even know what this form of cricket is! My experience however goes back to the old East Antrim League (I'm starting to sound like an aul' man!!) - the original 20/20. I'm sure there were plenty of other such leagues organised around the country. At Downpatrick's dinner I was told of one such - but thanks to Taito's hospitality the memory of the conversation is a bit vague. Perhaps someone could remind me. Also was there one in the Saintfield where only players who couldn't play on Saturdays could play? Or again maybe I picked it up wrong. Apart from the Mid-Ulster Cup there must have been a lot in the mid-Ulster area. can anyone remember any?

Andy,

Did I correctly over-hear somewhere you weren't so fussed on the latest form of fast cricket....The Hong-Kong super-sixes?

I'd agree it's a little 'hard on the eye' for the true cricket traditionalist/purist, but don't knock it too much.
If Chinese and even the Japanese get 'potty' about cricket the way they are now about snooker, well who knows what could happen in the next few years?

A Test match in Tokio maybe ?

Keep them at it I say !

Billy - maybe the applicants are checking to see if their graany ever visited Blarney Castle on a cycling tour so they can qualify for an Oirish passport

That's a good job concerning those three Pakistan cricketers, found guilty and jailed for cheating, accepting bribes and using their most priviledged position to conn the world and his dog into believing they were honest sportsmen!

Hansie Cronya was at it too a good few years back and look at the way he ended up !!

I must confess I once cheated as well, many years ago while swishing away at the crease to every ball I could get near to, I feathered one to the keeper.
He appealed loudly,the bowler half-heartedly did likewise, but I just stood there looking at the ground, Gerald was umpiring and was oblivious of the incident so naturally declined the appeal.

Two or three deliveries later I let a looping half-volley/dolly creep underneath my bat and I was bowled, justice rightly prevailing!

The moral of my story ofcourse is:

1. Crime doesn't pay & 2. When you know you're out......WALK !!

Any sign of the new CIYMS player/'coach'...

I'll stick with the cricket predictions Andy, don't get me started about football & likely results!

Suffice to say, what about that charming 'football star' who couldn't be bothered coming of the bench for the last 20mins or so during an important match and help his teammates & manager out of a tricky situation !

What is he on a week ? £200,OOO or did I hear £25O,OOO........either way....

Enough said !!!

(Good luck with the score draws anyway tonight).

you called the cricket result right so any chance you could have a look at the fixed odds football coupon for Saturday as the tipster from Dundrum seems to be off the air!!

Thanks Andy for the good old sympathy vote, but for a while anyway I really thought I was in with a good shout.

Then again I suppose my 6 for 20 odd against Indian Gymghana ( between ourselves mostly the tail-enders at that), way back in the late ninety's wasn't ever really going to 'cut the mustard' as it were ; combined with my naive admission to an ever increasing corpulent waistline, I guess from then on...I had shot myself in the foot !

Did you notice I called the India v England ODI result correctly yesterday and that was when England were 129 for 0 at the time and going well, so just proves I do know something about cricket........but doesn't matter now.

Pity though.. 'I could have been someone' !!

Caleb - don't be too disappointed. The whispers that were going round Belmont in early September 2011 would indicate that this was a "done deal". I notice no-one from CI has picked up on the late season rumour of a player making the reverse journey!! But then it might have been just a rumour!
P.S. - congratulations to Mr. Angry for looking so well at the Lisburn dinner (see NCU site) - he cleans up well!!