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well said ivan some first eleven players think they are too good to play at a lower level so called egos and the older ones have seen plenty of them standing about when they could have helped out the lower teams they have no interest and now with some games still to be played getting a no to every call or text some help would be nice

Unfulfilled fixtures.One of the main problems clubs face is getting experienced players to give leadership, discipline and transport for teams outside the 1sts and 2nds.
At Muckamore we have never had that problem and have fielded 4 sides for the past 10 years without failing to fulfil a scheduled game.
Should the NCU start a campaign aimed at ex Senior players called "Give something back" ? It is annoying to see guys quit playing 1st XI cricket and never be seen again. Do they forget that some experienced players gave them the time when they were young to help develop them into being Senior players.
Hence "Give something back". Some clubs have some real stalwarts like Billy Adams, Don Shields at North Down, Leslie Irwin and Alan Rutherford at Woodvale, Michael Shannon and Peter Maxwell at Holywood , Chris Harte at Bangor, Alan Waite, Garfield Harrison and Geffory Heyburn at Waringstown and I'm sure there are others but every club needs half a dozen of these guys to play 3rds and 4ths cricket.
They can make a bigger contribution to their club than standing around watching the 1sts. And with 30 and 35 overs now at that level they can still catch the last hour of the 1sts game.
I think those over 40's playing regularily should get together and see if they can convince others they have played with or against to get the whites out again. Even if they only play 6 or 7 games on a rota basis they will help develop the many youngsters now being put through coaching programmes but who are deprived of competitive Saturday cricket because the club or maybe the opponents don't have enough adults to fulfil the fixture.
Our game should be growing but every unfulfiled fixture is another nail in the coffin. Not only do you deprive your own club members of a game but 11 guys on the other side miss out as well.

I would just like to congratulate Donaghcloney on their league victory in JL9, it was a competitive league this year allowing for good close and exciting games throughout the season. The restructuring of the leagues has definitely aided this and i would like to thank all the clubs in Junior League 9 for the games in which ourselves at Victoria enjoyed this year, was a great season and i look forward to seeing all of you guys again next season.

Junior League 1

Just wanted to say a massive thank you to all the clubs, captains, match secretaries, ground staff and tea ladies from all the clubs in Junior League one that accommodated Woodvale 2nds season. It hasn’t been the easiest of seasons with having no ground but it has been made a whole lot easier with every club in the section being extremely helpful and accommodating. Very much appreciated by myself and everyone at Woodvale.

Thanks

Gareth

As the end of the season come near, I see all the leagues have champions - bar 2.
Junior League 6 see Inst 3rds ready to be crowned champions if they beat North Down 4's.

JL7 see Holywood 3s top but should be joined by Ballymena 4ths. As it seems Lurgan have given up the season and will concede Vs Ballymena again - giving them a 4th victory due to teams unable to field a team.

Well done to the teams that have won their leagues this season! I hope they have an enjoyable night at the celebration dinner!
There are still a lot of fixtures to be played, but no dates?

James Taylor.

I too thought it was a sad reflection on Waringstown and cricket in general that they couldn't field a 2nds.They and North Down are the two clubs that I think everyone else should take the lead from.
I think clubs should take their duty to fulfil fixtures very very seriously. When you fail to fulfil a game you deprive 11 individuals from the oppostion of a game of cricket so it's not only your own club that suffers.It's the sport.
How many times does that need to happen until people find alternative sports to play ?
Every game can't be a promotion or relegation game and dead rubbers are inevitable. That's not a good enough reason to scrub a game.
Maybe we need to see some serious financial penalties introduced or failing that maybe a 12 point penalty or whatever it takes to make captains think twice. ( maybe we could deduct points from the 1sts for unfulfilled fixtures by teams down the club )
I know at Muckamore we pride ourselves in fielding four teams and maybe a fifths soon and I think we have gone 10 seasons without having to forfeit a fixture. I think a lot of clubs focus on the youth when maybe a bit of focus needs to be on the not so young. These are the guys that provide the leadership, the discipline and the transport. I watched our 2nds at Saintfield yesterday with four guys over 40 playing for us and they each had the enthusiasm of a teenager.Our younger players can only learn from that.
If you want to contribute to your club trust me you can do more playing in the 3rds or 4ths than you can walking around the boundary watching the 1sts. I have just finished a season of spectating but intend playing a full season in 2012 for our 4ths to help bring on more young players.
I would appeal to every Ex senior player to think seriously about getting fit enough to play again down the club.Even you do so on a rota basis with half a dozen of your contemparies. I know from my own experience it's a great feeling to see a young player score a 50 or take wickets in the firsts knowing that you played some part in his development. I contend the best coaching is a combination of technical and being out in the middle with them. And at 30 or 35 overs now you can still catch the last hour of the 1sts game and be home at a reasonable hour.
Our sport should be growing with more clubs and more teams. I see an unfulfilled fixture as a nail in the coffin for the sport I love.
Lets make 2012 the year of " Shame on You" for not fulfilling a fixture. We owe it to our sport.

Just a week after the 1st XI lifting the Irish Cup Waringstown concede a saturday 2nd XI fixture.

Bizarre from one of the strongest clubs in the country...

re Andy
I take it you mean Section 1 of the 1st Division?
Based on the outcome of the 2010 NCU AGM it was decided to have 8 teams in Premier, Section 1 and Section 2, with the remaining teams making up Section 3 for 2012. This is why the NCU website shows 2 teams being relegated/demoted from the Premier League, 4 from Section 1 and 6 from Section 2.
I believe that after the three meetings held recently at which clubs discussed the NCU’s Senior Working Group’s report a consensus formed that the preferred structure would be 8, 10, 10, 9 team leagues. It is likely there will be a motion going forward to this year’s NCU AGM to enable this.
However, as the outgoing NCU President has pointed out to me the website should reflect the outcome of the 2010 AGM until then.

forgot to add "Section 1" in my last posting

could anyone clarify what is happening in Section of the 1st division with regard to demotion - is it 2 or 4 teams going down?

Calub remember the umpire is always right - just back from a function in Belfast City Hall and I met a guy who used to work in the Ramada at Shaw's Bridge and he was expressing his hope that all the trophy winners take the cups home at the end of the night of the NCU dinner.

Watching the current One Day series between England v India, isn't it very refreshing to watch the 3rd umpire review system (purely there for the entertainment of the T.V.viewers ofcourse) and note on how many occasions the on-field umpires get the original L.B.W. decisions correct !

Impressive to say the least and as it's there for their assistance on-field, the umpires use it for the close call run out decisions as well, but as I've said before they could do without it and still get 99% of their decisions correct !

Hope they never bring it over here !!

I'm sure all you blokes know enough about Andrew White as it is but if you're interested I have written an article on his amazing efforts for Ireland in the Intercontinental Cup. He also answers questions on his time at Northants during 2004-06 as well as the success of Instonians this year.

http://www.crichq.com/media/article/292/whites-simple-game-plan-prevails

Enjoy the read!

re: Billy
It would appear that the majority of NCU folk do not agree with you.
In a normal year the attendance at the NCU dinner has fallen to around 150-160 (at £25 per ticket).
For the NCU’s 125th Anniversary Dinner in Belfast City Hall (at £40 per ticket) I am told that already over 300 of the 400 tickets have been sold.
Also for those still wavering about buying a ticket the cost of drinks will be at "sports club" prices and not "hotel" ones I am informed!!

Is it just me or is anyone else put off by the ludicrous £40 for the NCU dinner ?

Also "a table of 10" is £400 - what's that all about, is that an incentive ?