Forum

Wylie,

Andy is only trying to wind people up. I heard the facts which you kindly put on the forum at the weekend. Andy, you should really get the facts before using index finger

Isn't that the point of a forum ?

Everyone can chip in with their opinion,great to have a say on all things about local cricket or further afield, and the one thing about the Ulster Cricketer,whether your the Big Cheese,or the 'small fry',theres no distinction..... everyone gets a speak !

Super stuff and keep it going, The Ulster Cricketer !

thanks for that Wylie - its funny how things get distorted. Hope the one about a team not "doing teas" is in the same category.

Re Jonathan Lyttle
You're having a laugh right?!? YOU were the one who introduced the topic of Umpires' new clothing on to the forum. I (and clearly others) was unaware that we were not allowed to provide our opinion.

If you don't wish for something to be commented on, don't introduce it on to a forum.

Re:Andy and no spikes
None whatsoever - Larne's match secretary miss-heard what the Saintfield match secretary told him when they said they would not be coming down to Larne.
The reason it was cancelled was that Saintfield were informed that the match could be voided as Division 2, Section 2 games are not allowed to be played on artificial wickets unless it is the re-arranged match – hence they decided not to travel.
I should point out that when the fixture was made and put in to the NCU fixture book, Saintfield were told that the match would be at Larne Rugby club and on an artificial wicket as Larne firsts were already due to play that day at the main ground at Sandy Bay. They were happy with this at the time.

Any word on when the draw for the next round of the Ulster Shield is?

The introduction of new clothing is the way forward and should be considered so by all. If you watch games at a higher level umpires have moved away from traditional look and the new look is far from tacky as some may think. We debated the colours and type of clothing during the winter and the Association was quite happy to proceed with new outfits. We must move with the times. When the international fixtures are played at Stormont would you describe our colleagues as being tacky? Players should be thankful to have umpires and concentrate on their game. The response from my Umpire colleagues for the new clothing was excellent with a 95% take up rate and the efforts of Noel McCarey in securing our the new clothing was excellent. So lets be positive and move on with the times and stop thinking about the past. I must however add that new clothing will not attract umpires to the game but clubs will soon have to address this issue as we are reaching the stage where we are running out of umpires. The simple fact is that you need people who can apply the laws and local rules in a professional manner and this should be seen as the priority for clubs instead of what an umpire wears on a Saturday.

have just read Davy McD's comments and they would perhaps have a degree of validity if the bowler was bowling from directly in front of the umpire but I haven't come across any!

heard a wee whisper at the weekend that some team couldn't travel to Larne's all-weather pitch recently as not enough of their players had non-spikes. Any truth in this?

Davey,
While I disagree with you on the 'tacky' look of our umpires new attire,have to say you make a good point about the dark blue shirt and the fact we play with a dark red ball !

What about a compromise,wear the nice new trendy gear alrite,but stick with the good old long white coat over the top of it all.... it's hard to 'beat' !

BTW,speaking of tired old 'muscles' our very own legend and greatest ever player,Gerald Johnston has decided to make this Tues/Wed.evening his last ever game at the lawn against Waringst.5th's and he will be appointed Captain appropriately for our 3rd eleven.

It will be a game of much mixed emotions,not just for Gerald,but for me as well..... I can't talk him out of retiring,after all at 70+++ he has nothing to prove to anyone,but what a loss to Victoria C.C. local cricket and for me personally, it will be difficult nite.... but we'll give him a great send off!!!!! No doubt about that !

With regards to the new umpires tops, i feel that i have to say i think they are scandalous, tacky and who thought up the idea of having someone standing behind the stumps wearing a dark shirt when the bowler is using a dark red ball?
Please can we have a rethink on this.

I have a bit of a jaundiced view of this mantra that things have to change "to get the young ones in". I could go on for ever about this so-called need for change that seems to permeate every level of society but Craig has raised it about cricket so I'll confine my comments accordingly. Unbelievable as it may now seem, I was young once and I reflect on what it was about cricket that "brought me in" at the age of 11. The game itself. I suppose that I was lucky in that we grew up in a time where we played in the street, not stuck over a Play Station. I would point out that I must have played over 100 times for England in our street - and before anyone says that times have changed I accept that while there may be different pressures on young people nowadays they are only "different" to the ones we experienced. One simple example is we inevitably had to make our own way to practice, usually by bike - not by asking "when wiill I get picked up?" I was even luckier that there was a teacher - the late Tom Greenwood - who "took" cricket. Not a "coach" in the modern idiom but someone who loved the game and was able to instil that in those of us fortunate to have known him. That's what brought me into cricket and I have had a lifetime (almost!) of fun and enjoyment from it even as recently as yesterday watching Lisburn upsetting the odds against the Villagers. Ballymena thumping CSNI and Lurgan tieing with North Down. Is this the end of the world as we knew it?? Also great to see Don Savage at Wallace Park yesterday. His legs may be a bit slower but his wit is as sharp as ever.

Come on guys all this chat about umpires clothing..lighten up!
Casual is fine as long as the umpiring standards are high.

re to everyone who had made a contribution to this debate

i do a agree with having tradition
its were we are trying to bring in new umpiries of my age were i believe u simply wouldnt get them to do it

As one of the new umpires this year I just assumed that I was to wear the conventional shirt and tie and that is how I have turned out so far.
We are in the process of receiving new polo shirts (as well as the new jackets - which we have all paid for ourselves I'd like to point out!) and so it seems we are heading down the more casual look.
If you watch any cricket match on tv nowadays all umpires wear polo shirts I think. So it seems NIACUS are moving with the times.
Now must get myself for a trip to Dungannon in the morning....