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Rodney,
I never thought of Dundrum as a graveyard for cricketers, or is Hansie's middle name Lazarus ?
Dundrum have signed Jonty Rhodes and Hanse Cronje. Cronje was one of Jeff's mates ;) while Rhodes was taught all he knows by our second team skipper Gordy Lowey.
With these two in the side you never know Dundrum might just stay afloat in Section 1!
Anyway, looking forward to the start of the season, it is sure to be keenly contested from the word go and is interesting to hear people's predictions for the new season.
Am really pleased to see Saintfield promoted as their pitch is one of the best, if not the best in NCU cricket.
Totally agree Wayne.
Section 1 is too hard to predict this year.
Every team can beat each other on their day.
I for one wont be predicting any winners or losers as they can make you look very stupid when you get it totally wrong.
Lads
One thing age has taught me is that you do not win cricket matches on forums or with names on teamsheets. Div One will be very competitive and the "veterans" of the league will no doubt be important in the tight games and whoever wins it will need a slice of good fortune along the way.
ULSTER GRASSHOPPERS MARCH 2011
Hi everyone,
Quick message to let you all know that the Grasshoppers are going on Tour again...this time to Antigua and Barbados in March 2011. The planned itineray as is the norm with g'hoppers will be 17 days.
Interest levels are already high as expected for a tour like this....if anybody wishes to declare their interest then please contact me ASAP via email. Approx costs for everything all in including ALL INCLUSIVE food and drink in hotels is £2200max for 17 days.
Cheers
Russeller
neilrussell_2000@yahoo.com
The Ulster Cricketer forum editor is interested!
Early days yet Mr Menaul. The Cliftonville line up could have several additions to last years panel, of course the ever youthful ginge is one such addition.
With the Premier league becoming an ever increasing battle of the chequebooks and long lost Irish ancestry, the real competition for Ulster cricket lovers could well be in Section One.
Haven't been bitten by the cricket bug as of yet, but with winter nets fast approaching next weekend , that could all change. Needless to say, Cliftonville and myself for that matter are always good for a headline or two during the season, hope to reacquaint myself with a few old foes soon and develop a few more as the season unfolds.
No new players at Cliftonville this year!!!!!!!!!! We only have a young seem bowler called Brian Anderson making a return from ijury. May just be the surprise bowler of the year.
Ref Ivan
Don't think we'll be the team to beat - but neither will we be the whipping boys that many on this forum have predicted ! Very much a tongue and cheek remark about your youth policy - I know you have some really promising youngsters at Muckamore and they will only get better under the influence of people like Kammy and Bags!
If you ask me Muckamore should be the team to beat with the two boys mentioned above capable of winning you the league by themselves !Woodvale, Derriaghy or Bangor for me to take the other place at the top !
So it looks like Holywood & muckamore are serious contenders this season. Added to bangor and woodvale.
Now that muckamore have batting like horwood, dunlop, bagley, kammy & breet. New ball bowlers gill and drummond backed up with van der merwe, les allen, wayne & kammy.
Of course woodbale and bangor will be looking to go straight back up. Not going to be easy for them. It will be hard to start for muckamore playing away from home. Sharkey is a massive plus for holywood, after expecting to lose him. Another team to look out for is saintfield with mccavery staying and signing the 'legend' - Forget relegation, they will be looking to push up the league and stay in the section. Relegation could on the cards for laurelvale, dundrum and armagh. Unless cliftonville have signed a few players, it looks like another season in section 1 rebuilding for them. Its a long road back for them, but big davy hamilton is leading the way. That leaves derriaghy - if they get a good overseas player they could be pushing to join bangor as the 2nd placed team to go up.
Gareth
I'm not sure our boys consider themselves favourites. Wayne and Bryan are two quality players but on the negative side there is a question mark about Connor Breet's availability and he's a quality allrounder.If he is available it will give us a further boost. We were deservedly beaten by Armagh in the cup last year so I think it's a very open league.
Re. Muckamore
From the sounds of things Muckamore might just be a fearsome prospect in 2010 with a formidable lineup taking shape there at the minute. Perhaps they can live up to their early season tag of favourites....
No winning runs for me at Moylena this season :D
Great news for Muckamore that Bryan Baguley is back for the forthcoming season. Great bat, fielder and a winner.
I noticed a reference to the Muckamore youth policy following Wayne Horwood's decision to rejoin us. I think Wayne probably has the best 5 years of his career as a batsman ahead of him but would also point out that last season in a lot of games we fielded four teenagers. Jason Vde Merwe has been a regular for a couple of seasons and has just been named in the Ireland Under 18 squad while Craig Drummond has just turned 17 and he took 20 1stXI wickets last season opening the bowling with Neil Gill ( a 23 year old veteran ). Jordan Mairs is in my opinion the best teenage keeper in Ulster cricket and when he deputised for Brian Dunlop last season didn't look out of place and we have high hopes for Sunson Stephenson, Gary Nicholl, Nial McCulloch and Suprith Jayprakash. Our under 17's were unbeaten last season knocking Bangor, Lisburn and Instonians out of the under 17 cup.By 8 wickets, 7 wickets and 8 wickets.
With our seconds promoted to League 2.1 for this season these young players will get a chance to develop against better players.
Simon Thompson who has missed the last two seasons through injury has got the all clear and has been back at nets.
We are also pleased to announce that today we got a committment from Brian Baguley to play in 2010 and 2011. Brian will help develop our young batsmen and is a proven performer in NCU cricket averaging over 50 through his Muckamore career. The two year break has recharged his enthusiasm again.We also heard this week that Kamy has been warming up for the new season with a couple of centuries and a few fifties in India.
We have had over 20 at nets throughout the winter every Tuesday night at Antrim Grammar and it has been great to see club stalwart John McCormick in his tracksuit coaching and encouraging the young players.It was also a great boost for our young players when Gary Kidd ( a mate of Gilly's ) turned up for a net before heading off to play for Ireland.
With that other club stalwart Andy Clement now heading up our cricket committee we can see a bright future at Moylena.
It looks like Holywood will be the team to beat in 2010 although the Premier League experience of Bangor and Woodvale will probably see them as favourites and if Derriaghy can replace Alphie with a player of equal ability they can't be discarded.
Anyone know what the summer is to be like? Are we to get a "barbecue" summer like last year?
It now seems that holywood may be at the other end of the table with Shannon still playing, Maxwell fit again and most importantly sharkey staying another yeat. Always a good bowling side, with runs often the problem. Xpensive south african pro scoring runs and they could be strong. I think they have 2 good young players too - Adair & Best to score runs. Added to a New signing who bats. Dont be surprised if they push at the top. I think the skipper mccormick has a chance. This could be there year?
