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As Director of Cricket Development within the NCU, it’s been very interesting to read the recent postings about the restructuring of leagues below the current first division. Readers of the forum may be interested to know that the first meeting of a “Junior Task Force” took place on the 8th July where representatives from 7 clubs discussed various topics relating to Junior Cricket including amongst others restructuring of leagues, start times, promotion & relegation and rearrangements. I’m delighted to say the meeting was both positive and productive and this group will be meeting again shortly to discuss other issues relating to “Junior” cricket such as Cup Competitions. Following on from the next meeting agreed recommendations will be drawn up and the Union will consult with all clubs on the recommendations made by the Task Force with a view to hopefully bringing them forward to the NCU AGM in October.

If anyone else has opinions on this subject, please feel free to contact me – I’d be delighted to receive any more views or suggestions anyone out there has.

Andy Clement

I agree M.Parks, a similiar motion was proposed at last years A.G.M. of the N.C.U. regarding a reduction off teams in the senior league, Andy McCrea himself put up a vociferous case, as to why it should be and the benefits to be had, but alas it wasn't to be !
So like you say, if it's tweaked and evened out for teams in Div. 2 for next season, maybe the reasoning for Andy's proposals he and others put forward for the higher leagues restructuring, will seem much clearer.... we'll see what enfolds !

Good to meet & chat too Graham from the Cooke 2nd string who we played against on Sat.past, doing alot of great work through the N.C.U. for young players and how to encourage them to take up the game and stay at it.
Hope your chat with Greg was helpful Graham and I was very pleased to hear you say you had heard of my 'work' and indeed read some of my books !

Dear Robin, Ryan, Andrew & the Haire Family- deepest sympathy on the passing of your Father Sammy. A truly wonderful man and the lifeblood for many years of North Down Cricket Club - always a smiling face for me at Comber whether i was a clubmate or in opposition...........great memories and never forgotten.

Andy... Perhaps something that could be addressed at the next NCU meeting, especially if other teams in the section feel the same. Although I have a feeling that it would prove too much hassle to the powers that be...

It is with great sadness that we have to inform everyone of the sad passing of Sammy Haire, father of Robin and grandfather of Ryan and Andrew. Sammy was an institution at North Down for over 30 years and he gave the club great service in many roles. Above all, he was a lovely man who had a friendly welcome for every visitor to the Green and even when his health declined he never failed to support the club.
Rest in peace Sammy.

Maths all wrong... there are 33 teams.

Could this work?
Sect 1: 10 teams
Sect 2: 8 teams
Sect 3: 8 teams
Sect 4: 7 teams

Re - M Parks from VCC

I totally agree

Possibly not of any interest to a lot of readers, but, does anyone think that a restructure of Division 2 would be beneficial. At the minute in D2 Sect 3, there is 13 teams, playing each other once a season. This leads to a huge spread in standard, with the top two or three teams miles ahead of the bottom 3 or 4 teams, reducing the number of competitive matches. With 23 teams in division 2, would it be too much hassle to change to 3 sections of 8, and one section of 7?

Editor - totally agree with your comments about Alastair Bushe and the Newsletter. I just have a thing about the BBC coverage - and as for UTV! No comment!!

Twenty teams in T20.

I think the problem is that you would have too many meaningless matches or one sided affairs. It tends to be the top clubs who get the most committed players. Why not have a top 8 team competition held over 4 Sundays then a Finals day..

Two sections of 4 with playing each other home and away. That's 6 games per club but have each club host a "Super Sunday " when they play the other 3 teams. 1st game at 10.30am 2nd game at 1.50 pm and 3rd game at 5.30pm.

That day the club could enter into the T20 carnival atmosphere with kids amusements, bbq, music and beer promotions. Make it a real family day out. Maybe have the semi and finals on 12th July and have it grant aided as part of the OrangeFest activities which the government is keen to promote.

With 2 venues operating on each of the Super Sundays all the press and spectator focus would be on those two grounds. Especially if they are family friendly. Get one of the breweries involved as sponsors ( who better to sponsor a T20 than TennenTs.).

Each club only has to host one Super Sunday per season so it could be planned as a carnival event with all sorts of OFF field activities. Attract the people who want a day out as well as those interested in seeing the best cricketers play in a highly charged atmosphere. This format means that the away team can choose when they arrive. They can make it a day out watching the other games or simply turn up for their own game and go home again.

as you say Ivan - our T/20 is only cricket. When it was introduced there was the coloured clothing (taken up by some clubs), etc. But the travelling to away mid-week matches, weather, etc. didn't help. Cricket in Ireland is very much a minority sport and will remain so. The reported 300+ attendance on Thursday is a big improvement on the West Indies A game but again there is a lack of media coverage and this is despite a former NCU President being an BBC NI ex-Controller. Where is the report of yesterday's game in today's Newsletter? about 12 pages in behind stories about golf & the new Liverpool manager. I have posted before about the Radio Ulster Saturday night cricket input - blink at 11:00 p.m. and you've missed it yet on Sundays we get every GAA result from every hole in the hedge. My big pal McDowell tells the story, and you've heard it Ivan, about the Boat Race coverage taking precedence over a local Big Two football derby. The bottom line is "it depends who is in charge". Newsletter

Andy Kennedy T20 .

I read an article in the Daily Mail by Martin Samuel last week that highlighted the dramatic fall in attendances of this year's T20 competition at county level. He put it down to the fact that those that attended in the early days loved all the hype and razamataz and the chance to have a drink with your mates in the open air after work. Maybe a few dancing girls to make it even more fun AND the only bit they didn't like was the cricket.

Our T20 competitions were ONLY cricket. Is there any appetite for cricket outside of Saturday anymore ?

interesting to see "visitor's" comments about T/20 and while he is referring to the NCU competition, his posting comes at a time when the County players are questioning the value of the competition in England. I predict the NCU one will go the same way as the East Antrim League, the Mid- Ulster Cup and the other mid-week competitions that we used to have.

"the other semi-final"? - as I posted earlier it appears that, despite the info on the NCU site, this game will now be played at Shaw's Bridge on 20th with a 6:00p.m. start.

Is last nights semi a final nail in the coffin of this competition?

No Bushe, McCallan, Hall or Kidd for Waringstown....disappointing