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So there you have it - Ireland's formula was coloured clothing and it worked! So let's all go coloured.
What a load of nonsense.
Coloured gear is about marketing. Ask Manchester United and Arsenal how many kits they have and why they change them so often. Sales make money.
Sometimes I despair at the comments that are made on this website.
However, there is a place for both. Same as test cricket. If you think test cricket is boring you haven't watched much of it. Ask the top players and look at the television figures and attendances. Why does Ireland want test cricket if it is so boring? We don't have to copy everything that happens at the top, we just need to take what is good for our game and apply it.

Try to imagine the scene: 3rd XI match, 35 overs, young guy gets to bowl 4 overs, gets hit a bit, drops a catch and gets stuck at fine leg for the rest of the innings. Over tea he has a sandwich with one slice of ham and a thick spreading of flora but he is pleased to get a couple of nice buns. As his team goes out to bat he is given the book and asked to keep the score then later to umpire an older bowling attack who question every decision he makes. He may or may not get in to bat, most weeks he gets a couple of overs. On the way home he says to himself, "Ah well, at least i got to wear coloured clothing and the ball i dropped was white so Ill come back for more."
Ok, ok, this is maybe a bit OTT but the point is, coloured clothing etc will not make up for other failings in how we play the game.

Every season I witness the excitement of a group of year 8 pupils getting their school whites just before the season starts. They could not be more excited about this. They wear their whites to every practice. Giving them a coloured shirt would not increase their excitement. The fact is that they have come to love the game and want to play it no matter what they have to wear. I go back again to how junior cricket is coached, played and organised. That is much, much more important than the colours in which we play. It is the quality of coaching and the approach to how we play matches and how we practise that needs to be addressed seriously if we want to keep people playing.
The excitement of a game of cricket depends on what happens on the pitch, not on what colour the teams are playing in. If the basic product is wrong then colour will make no difference.

I think the cosmetic side of cricket in this country is a major topic to be discussed.

If you ask people about what whites and a red ball represents I reckon you would get the majority saying "5 day test cricket" or "long days standing about with not much exciting happening!" I believe this is a major reason for people leaving cricket to go do other things on a saturday in the summer.

Ask the same people what coloured clothing and a white balls represents I'm sure the majority of answers would be " exciting, colourful, loads of runs etc.... Mainly positive things.

If the change was made would it drive more people away from cricket than it brings in????

For the younger generation starting they wouldnt have to go to all the expense of buying coloured gear like they currently have to do with whites. Tracksuit bottoms and a club polo shirt could do for starters could it not??

Steps have to be taken to stop the dwindling numbers in the game and from my point of veiw this is a must. The majority of cricket on TV is ODIs, 20/20 and the ECBs 40 over competition so why should we not benefit from that type of cricket exposure??

How many times has Ireland beating England come up in a cricket conversation, England's exciting matches, Ireland v India, Stirsos ton v Holland, KOBs ton to win the match against England etc etc....?? None those games were played in whites so surely that shows some sort of mental shift in the way that cricket is looked upon.

We can go on and on about the "cosmetic" aspects of the game and about what will attract young kids to play cricket but the point I was making is much more about what will keep them playing cricket and there I think the colour of clothing and of ball is not important. I suppose there are two issues - what will attract kids to cricket but what will keep them playing the game is the hard bit.

Anyone who scoffs at the idea of playing in coloured clothing, white balls, full ODI fielding restrictions including power plays is surely stuck in the dark ages. Are you suggesting it would have a negative effect on the game in Norn Iron? The one bouncer an over rule needs to come into play as well to promote short pitched bowling as an option to those who can get it that high. To me, if the officials in Norn Iron are serious about promoting the one day game and producing players for the next level then it's a no-brainer to bring the game into line with ODIs and domestic one day cricket at least. The fact that the Leagues have the Duckworth/Lewis system in play yet bowlers aren't even allowed to make a batsman think twice by bowling an 'allowable' bouncer an over is ludicrous. The NCU needs to get on the back of Ireland's success at the Cricket World Cup by initiating a change in rules otherwise how are you going to produce tactically astute cricketers who think about the modern one day game and are successful in it by being able to execute a well thought out plan in the middle. Where did Eoin Morgan learn to do so? Surely he's the yardstick and if Irish cricket can 'produce' a player of his ilk, surely it's possible to produce more...

I have to smile when I see comments about playing the game in coloured clothing and with a white ball and how it will prove more appealing to young players. Why will it be more appealing? Who says it will? Do we have any research that says this? Do we really believe that it is the colour of a shirt and a ball that is either attracting or putting off 11 year olds?
I would suggest that what will attract young players to cricket are good, enthusiastic coaches, well organised practices, regular competitive matches played at the right level, a sense of belonging within a club or team and above all, fun. I'm really not convinced that going to the expense of buying a lot of new coloured kit and more expensive white balls will make a pick of difference.

Just had it confirmed that the Golfing Union of Ireland have decided to play 12 holes in a round of golf in their competitions this year and the Irish League are making the goalposts 24 yards wide to facilitate bigger scores and make it more competitive. The matches are also being reduced to 60 minutes duration as the players want get out on Saturday night and wear their coloured clothing.

Must agree with Neal's point...there is certainly alot of practical sense for all cricket to be played with white balls and coloured clothing etc...currently most clubs invest alot into ensuring that they have both for various competitions.

Agree that this would certainly raise interest, and appeal for the game, especially amongst the younger generation of players....we should be doing everything possible to encourage them to play our game and not other competing sports which seem to greater appeal to many. Also shorter formats of the game should cotinue to be introduced at Junior level, up to 50 overs at 1st XI, progressively adopting the one day international codes/rules.

very defensive jeff lol, you love beating us? what is it 3-1 to us? Let the battle commence, great to have the derbies with ourselves you and saintfield again this year. You might get a bowl yourself jeff if all those boys arent available

Not so sure about the English rugby team Andy, but now that the Ireland cricket team are homeward bound, I'd like to see England go on and win their next three matches and lift the 50 over world-cup.

We've seen the good, bad & the downrite ugly side of their various performances throughout this tournament and while they haven't been the best team in the competition, they've been the most entertaining one so far to watch and in their skipper Andrew Strauss they have a magnanimous leader and a fine opening bat too boot.

Anyway who-ever wins it, the Irish cricket team's overall 2011 cricket world-cup adventure has been a great success as has been the competition as a whole.
Great advert for 50 over one-day cricket and should help provide a further 'shot in the arm' for our own local game by getting even more young-uns' out with bat & ball.. mad to get at it !

Now all we just need is a long hot,dry summer!!

this is DEFINITELY my last word on this subject ahead of the England q-final. If they get beaten will they be producing a video along the lines of the rugby Grand Slam winners? Oops - whadda mistaka da maka! Eerie beeping noise in Dublin on Saturday night - the sound of Martin Johnston's open-top bus reversing back into the garage! My old grandpappy used to talk about enumerating chickens prior to hatching!!

Surely its about time that cricket here acted on the success that Ireland have had at the past 2 world cups!!

It most be about time that cricket in the NCU moved with the times. If we want to achieve increasing participation numbers then surely steps need to be taken.

Unless I'm mistaken there is no 4 day or test cricket played in this country so that only leaves 50 over cricket in the Senior Leagues and less over in the Junior Leagues. In that case should we not be jumping on the Ireland World Cup band wagon and be playing in coloured clothing, using white balls, fielding restrictions, powerplays etc...

These steps might help boost numbers but surely one major benefit that it would have would be to help boost the number of NCU cricketers that could potential be included in future Ireland squads due to having played the type of cricket they would be playing at ODI and World Cup qualification level.

Just a thought......

YES good luck to the grasshoppers touring team. anyone know who the squad is ? tayto RUMOUR had it you paid the 40£ you owed me but it was also bull$hit. dont you fear about Dundrum as we love beating yous .Just like add our sympathy too the Taylor an Mccann family circle on the death of Davy Taylor a stalwart at Dundrum who was a very underrated opening bowler who will be remembered my all at the club for being a gentleman on an off the pitch . RIP Davy Taylor

Like to wish The Grasshoppers a thouroughly enjoyable and successful 17 nights in Antigua and Barbados. Especially Neil Russell who i know has put alot of organizing into this trip, whilst not forgetting the others who have put work in behind the scenes and to the guys who helped with some fundraising efforts.