Forum

Andy, you won a game today in a most convincing fashion, be happy.
I can recall a Waringstown player flying home every weekend from university to play for the club he loved, (dont think it was paid for though), and I had a very enjoyable day at the lawn today with little of no controversy (although i have heard that things got a bit heated between the aul hands and the new generation lol).
Sad to hear reports about a game between W'town thirds and bangor thirds, though i will wait until i hear full details before commenting further, and would like to agree with M Parks to apologise if a member of our club reascted in an improper manner regardless of the circumstances.

I know I'll be accused of hiding behind a question again but I really have to ask "has the world gone mad?" Is there so much money slushing around the local game that enables clubs - and note I say clubs plural - can afford to fly guys in on weekend "contracts"? This has been happening since the start of the season and I wish someone would explain on the forum the logic of such expenditure - or what has this added to our game? Is there no real recession in Northern Ireland?

Just to add to the discussion about the Victoria v Academy fixture. (Sorry editor, I know you said end of topic)

As a committee member, and captain of the Victoria 2nd XI, I would like to apologise on the behalf of the individual. Unfortunately, the actions of an individual can reflect on a whole club.

Victoria C.C. do not condone the use of foul language, especially when directed at a child.

Thanks for the inside information ed!
Off to the Lawn and will probably see some of the North Down and Lisburn players there. I think the NCU need to ask a few questions of Lisburn with the cup final just around the corner.

Just read the Newsletter. It seems a lot happened in 2 hours yesterday. The premier league match at Wallace Park was cancelled at 2-30 but was back on at 5 o'clock. In the meantime some of the North Down players had made other arrangements for Saturday. Why was the match called off on Friday when it has a noon start today? Was it not possible to switch to Comber? Or is everyone going to the Lawn to watch Obus Pienaar?
Bushe has it right-A Shambles!

Of the other grounds, Lisburn would be a cracking venue but for the poor pitches, CIYMS has potential but needs a bit more time to 'bed in' and Carrick is ok, but suspect during a wet period of weather.
Muckamore would certainly come into the reckoning if their new pitches work out and Bangor should be up there, but theirs seemed to have gone off the boil a bit in the last 2/3 years?
I think out of the league below Saintfield and Holywood are possibly the best on their day?
I suppose the other major factor given our climate is a ground/clubs ability to deal with wet weather, which would include man-power, covers available and drainage...

Wylie
I think that for any premier cup final the the grounds with the best playing and spectating facilities should be top of the list.
Based on what I've seen and heard this year, the best pitches seem to be at Waringstown, Downpatrick and Comber. Lets face it, most people want to see runs galore so give the players the best chance...
I don't mind 120 plays 110 in a tight one but I'm a purist, the modern way is boundaries and the bowlers getting hammered everywhere. I think Shaw's Bridge has tended to favour the bowlers in the past?
Those three grounds are also excellent grounds for watching, which is probably a consequence of them being 'cricket' grounds and not sharing with another sport.
Stormont is obviously capable of producing good pitches but tends not to for the club game, and it also lacks atmosphere without a couple of thousand spectators!
This email is not intended to knock anyone elses facilities, but when it comes to a final serious decisions should be made.
As far as the 'when' is concerned, I would have thought a Friday evening or Sunday afternoon like last year would have been ideal.
Without a sponsor, the competition seems to have been pushed to one side which in my opinion is completely the opposite of what should happen, give it a high priority and try and attract a new sponsor to the table.

re wylie id personally play both finals on same day at either Downpatrick or Saintfield or Newforge superb grounds with good bar facilities close to the action which will surely add to the great action and hopefully make the host club a lot of cash .ps and even if Dundrum wernt in final ill be at the games

Due to circumstances beyond control Saintfield Cricket Club require a quality player/coach for the remainder of the 2011 season. Please phone on 07767271366 for further details.
Thank you
Noel McCarey
Saintfield Cricket Club
Co Down
N Ireland

I definitely do not condone the swearing at a 14 year old, your right its disgusting. I'll have a word with the guy who i likely suspect it was. And tell him he needs to think more carefully when in that moment. In fact i'll be telling all my guys that.

I was just going by what my wicket keeper told me and what others in the field also said about the LBW being pretty certain.

I have a lot of respect for numerous Academy players and indviduals and have always enjoyed competitive games.

No point getting into tit for tat arguments.

OK guys both sides have had their say so let's move on. We have to live with "friendly umpires" and we all know the challenges, the problems and the potential damage to club relations and young players. We live in the hope that people learn from their mistakes, including young players (who are not all angels) and that the 'spirit of the game' will come through. Like I said we all live in the hope!

JT.

Thanks for your well thought out and adult response to the issue of swearing at a 14 year old. The turning down of an LBW appeal is clearly grounds for such a disgusting outburst. It marred what was a great game of cricket.

I was scoring the entire game and didn’t hear any such singing you speak of. Yes, when a catch went down there was a cheer from one of our 13 year old players, who was immediately reprimanded by a club official.

You clearly missed the point I was making.

Can I ask Local Cricket Follower when and where he thinks the T20 Cup Final should be played?

As skipper of Academy 2s I have had some good games with Victoria. There have been occasions when both sides have crossed the line as it where (No 4 or 6 pun intended). I could take time to de-construct your post JT as a large number of the points are, shall we say, more than slightly subjective and I do not take kindly to the inaccuracies that it contains. However life goes on and I am not up for a slanging match.

I was at game on Wednesday and must say that I was horrified at the abusive language and aggression aimed at a 14 year old umpire who was doing a sterling job. He had not been briefed to deny LBWs or anything like that, but even if he had I can't see any possible justification to speak to a child in that manor. I'm sure the player who hurled the abuse regrets it now, but really there can be no excuse for it.

It is something I hope to never see again on the field but sadly the way the game is going I am concerned it may become a regular occurance.

JT - the "spirit" lives on. I recall captaining a Ballymena 4s versus Downpatrick many years ago when their captain, at the non-strikers end berated his young umpire for giving a second LBW with the words "f***s**e" - you've already give one". He was less than impressed when I asked him which Law covered the "quotas" for LBWs. The problem arises when there as so few adults playing so young guys are press-ganged into umpiring or indeed scoring - an art that young guys don't seem to learn. The only question I would ask JT - if you weren't at the game how can you say the guy was "plumb"?