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Can anyone confirm how the bottom section of the senior league will be organised next year? With 13 teams left once the leagues above are reduced to eight teams each, I assume the only option is for each team to play each other once?

a few weeks ago there were postings about lack of media coverage and when AB expresses views he is lambasted. Surely we don't want a sanitised Press where the spin doctors try to make everything squeaky clean and PC. AB is entitled to his view and deserves our support, even though we may not always agree with his opinion. Compare the coverage in the Newsletter with what is laughingly called the "cricket roundup" on Radio Ulster on a Saturday night.

Is there any news from the Senior working group that met last night ?

I just wanted to praise Craig Lewis for a fine hundred at our place on Sunday. It was as clean a bit of hitting as i have seen for a long time... and good to see the first person hit the new house on the far side of the strangford road... anyone know a good plasterer lol

Its refreshing to see the new league set up is working to help find teams get to their level. JL 5 sees Waringstown IV midtable with 2nd XI teams.

Also what has happend to the Larne club - once a thriving club. 1st & 2nds bottom of their leagues and the 3rds having it hard too!

Finaly, its good to see Holywood 3rds getting some old faces out playing. Maxwell, Shannon, McMaster, Walker, & Johnston all names having senior experience! Could this be due to the new playing regulations introduced by the NCU?

Well done the NCU and the Working Groups!

Many wonderful & colourful characters have graced the cricket firelds of Ulster/Ireland - can we get a top XI or a list of those who hold a special place in all our hearts with their rapport, humour and banter..........i'm proposing a Lurgan man through and through Dickie Maxwell - one of the sharpest wits on a cricket field, a tremendous competitor and a joy to watch - gone but never forgotten.

Not sure that a national newspaper cricket reporter should 'wear his colours on his sleeve.' We assume they want to sell newspapers and there may be more readers in the Belmont area than Waringstown. However Twitter is not newspaper so give Bushy a break from his 9 to 5 as he is passionate about his club and the game.
Dk-'freedom of the press and twitter?'-did you not scold me for expressing an opinion a few weeks ago?

I agree entirely with Ivan.
I think AB does a superb job for the local game in what he writes for the NL.
Ali would be the first to tell us all that he wears his heart on his sleeve at times, but i genuinely believe he writes what he sees whilst at the same time offering his own opionion on the said game...ie what any any sports journo should do!!
From reading some of the comments made y'day i think he is as critical if not more so of his own club rather than CI!
Keep up the good work AB.

Alan - don't take it to heart - Waringstown have such high standards and it's what keeps them at the top - the odd tweet won't hurt anyone, maybe even stir them to greater feats with bat & ball - the boys at CI have thick skins and give as much as they get......modern sport. All for freedom of press and twitter!

Alan, I wasn't at the game and followed it via twitter. I agree with Ivan that if it wasn't for this technology I wouldn't have been able to follow that game and the others. However, I 100% agree with Alan about Alistair Bushe's comments, he may have slagged his beloved Waringstown off at times, but to say CI are not a Premiership team bar 3 players is a disgrace!! Did one of those 3 get Pienaar out?! Did they keep well or hit a six to win the game? There are a number of other CI players who other Premiership teams would welcome with open arms. Waringstown CC must cringe at times with his comments.

A fair comment Ivan and as a non 1st XI player I am looking forward to an exciting finish to the season. I too welcome the twitter reports but my objectin is when they become personnal.

Alan

I think the CI players can hold their heads up high after beating Lisburn AND Waringstown. However let's not knock Bushey's efforts to stimulate debate, promote cricket etc. Be thankful he's there. He is passionate about the game and what he and a few others have started on Twitter is brilliant.We now know what's happening live.He has followed on the traditions of Ian Callender making the News Letter a must buy for cricket followers not just in the NCU but the North West as well. I followed Bushey on Twitter from Belmont and I didn't think he was full of praise for Waringstown either. Isn't it better he's writing something about CIYMS."Dogs don't bark at parked cars." CI have bounced back brilliantly from a very poor show against Muckamore which I watched. But there's still a lot of cricket to be played.It looks like it could take 7 wins to guarantee staying up but that shouldn't surprise us as the last time Muckamore got relegated it was with six wins.

Just returned home from Belmont after a wonderful, if surprising victory against Waringstown. My comment is about the impartial (NOT!!) reporting and comments on twitter by one of our so called top cricket reporters. Some of his comments towards the CI players on twitter was nothing short of disgraceful and he should be ashamed of himself. These are lads you are busting a gut every week to keep CI in the Premier League and he has no right to insult them in the way that he did. I look forward to reading his report tomorrow morning as he left the ground before the end of the match!!!

interesting features on the Woodvale site - the only problem is that they seem like yesterday!

Strange goings on at Saintfield.
Need a player coach. What happened Marc Ellison, Billy Dale and Barnett?
Thought they looked a useful outfit last year, Seem to be going backwards this year. Dare we say relegation!