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Re - 8 or 10 teams and cricket in general

First thing I would do is sort out the rearrangement issue.

If you want to improve the standard by going for 8 teams, then 10 or 20 over rearranged matches should notbe allowed.
Only 50 overs should be allowed.

I am a great believer that if a ground is not fit for 50 overs, then it is not fit for any cricket. So dont make a mockery of a game by reducing the overs.

Also I would insist that every team uses the same ball. Then no one has an advantage with using different balls.
(I know of one senior side who buys balls at £50 a touch)

If 8 team leagues are the way forward, then forget about the fringe competitions and play the League, Senior Cup and Irish Cup.

So being a bit radical, I would look at something that is totally different for cricket in Ireland.

I would still keep the separate union leagues and their respective senior cups but I would suggest something like this.

With an 8 team NCU league dont play home and away but just play each team once i.e 7 games, or in the case of a 10 team league play 9 games. Keep the senior cup as is and play the Irish Cup in groups of say 8 with 4 leagues, again playing each team once with the winners of each league going to a knock out competition.

This is just an idea for debate but if you played the union league first, then the Irish Cup followed by the senior cup it would mean that as minimum you would play 7 NCU league games (of if 10 team leagues 9 games) followed by 7 ISC games and as a minimum 1 senior cup game.

I would play the knockout games for the Irish Cup on a Sunday and this would mean there would be no disruption to the senior cup.

Would something like this help with improving the standard and generate more interest? Answers on a postcard please!!

Good debate on the size of the leagues but it all seems to revolve around the number of matches teams are expected to play. Obviously this is different for the top teams who are in the ISC so has any consideration been given to a top tier of eight teams and the other leagues of ten teams? I also feel the debate should embrace the quality of teams in the top tier and ask the question, have we really got ten top teams or have we got ten clubs filling ten spaces. Indeed within those teams has every premier club got eleven players that are genuine premier players? I think not, and that may be a better reason for less teams. However, I'm sure that opens up another debate on elitism but in reality it's already there. Outside the top four clubs, it's a dogfight for survival but at least every match is competitive.

Alexa,
Your winters in So'ton are probably warmer than our summers up here!

Re: 8 Teams and Ivan

Well said Ivan, Just had to make a comment to agree...
The simple fact is, How will playing less cricket be good for the game locally...?

Anyone below the Premier league must realise that this will not be in their clubs interests and therefore not in local crickets interests...!

We must deal with the facts and not run the risk of turmoil by change for change sake...

I have played senior cricket for over 20 years and really there is nothing new here, its simple, the weather stinks...!
Realistically we get about three good months each summer.
When I first started, we had the league, the senior cup and the all Ireland...there was always plenty of time to fulfil these fixtures and generally speaking I can only remember a few occasions when we had to play at the end of September.

Over the last few seasons there simply have been too many competitions added.
People with a bit of sense,(Representing all clubs at all levels) need to sit down and decide what competions are our priorities.

eg. If T20 is the way forward as everyone seems to think, then make it a priority at another competitions expense...

8 Team leagues will simply facilitate Senior Clubs to play in meaningless competitions at the expense of the lower leagues, please please realise that everyone...!

Also, remember just because someone with a bit of local cricketing pedigree makes a suggestion, don't just agree without question...Don't be Railroaded by "local ledgends" or respected senior players, trying to feather, either thier own, or clubs nests...!

All Clubs share common ground and interests, but ask yourself, if what's good for Say North Down, is it good for the bottom club in section 4...?
I doubt it.

Leave the Leagues alone, cut out the meaningless Crap and Pray for good Weather next year...!

Failing that, I suggest we move lock stock and barrel to the West Indies, I'm sure Clarence could set-up an Ulster league there...

Godd luck all next season, in what ever form

Vic Jons, sounds like you had a great night out with your club. It's good to read about team support etc... I read you bowl during the winter months in your local park, I too like to do this in my spare time, it's a shame I live in Southampton.

rumours that mark huchinson is coming to waringstown? any other news to be heard?

Re restructuring the leagues

I have read all the comments on restructuring the leagues and have all seen the NCU AGM proposals. I would agree with everything that Ivan has said in relation to the pitfalls in reducing to eight team leagues.

I am glad to see that there is a proposal to bring in the rearrangement rule applicable to the top two sections to all leagues. If you look at the Premier League out of 90 scheduled games there were only 3 no result matches and that is in a bad summer. Surely this rule should be given as chance to be applicable to all sections before taking the radical step of reducing leagues and the number of matches.

I am also slightly disappointed that despite the view of many in favour of ten teams leagues that it is the cup competitions that need tackled that no substantive proposals have been put forward in this respect (albeit I accept that clubs can also make proposals and they haven't). It seems to be a tunnel vision view of eight team leagues or the status quo. In nearly every other sport the cup is secondary and the league the primary objective but in the NCU leagues fixtures are backlogged by the cup.

On a further proposal that has been put forward with the eight team league proposal it seems to be contrary to the theory behind eight team leagues making the game more competitive that there has also been a proposal to go back to one up one down. This would arguably make the league less competitive than a ten team one.

I agree with Ivan that these issues and proposals should be debated and aired prior to the AGM as the worst thing to happen is that restructuring proposals are passed or fail due to apathy and misunderstandings on the benefits or consequences of what is being voted on.

maths not my strong point unless u can count tayto owing me 40£ but if 8 team leagues an knocked out ist round cup that leaves 7 free sats as a possible 22 sat? lot bored cricket players imo

Ivan
Surely the point of having starred players is so they can't slip into a second team or third team etc. Or would it still happen anyway?
Although I do agree, trimming down leagues and consequently playing less matches would be a backward step in my humble opinion. Surely we want more cricket not less!
Take our league for example,(Division 1 Sec 3). We all play eachother twice and have the junior cup and this works well,but it appears to me that higher up the tables, (Premier League) there is to many other competions and cups etc. And their now their gonna spoil it for the rest of us!

What about the old adage, 'If its not broken, don't fix it.'
And maybe the clubs in the higher echelons, should leave their league alone and cut down on all the other further afield stuff!!

Re Ryan/Ivan
I think this winter league could have legs, the facility looks super from there website photo's. I believe they play indoor cricket in places like New Zealand, could be worth talking to a few Ulster club pro's from there, and gauge their opinions. The location is perfect from an Ulster League perspective, half way between Belfast and the Maiden City.

As far as 8 team leagues etc are we trying to legislate for bad weather? The North West don't seem to have the same problems regarding re-arrangements (or maybe they don't discuss them on forums).

Are we trying to treat the symptoms and not the dealing with the root causes?

ivan . dundrum voted for the 8 team league reduction last night at our commitee meeting as most our players think it would be more competive even though it will make it harder for the like off ourselves staying in the higher section ( i voted againest but im retired so not as important for me ) . just on side issue what u think of midweek derby fixtures in book every club must play at least 2 ? less practice & less sat/sun double headers? and no reason that they cant be 40 overs if both teams agree regarding the weather? did u get letter from NCU looking too do deal with windsor balls for all the leagues not sure PREMIER SPORTS /LION SPORTS be happy with that deal ?

Another side issue of reducing the league fixtures from 18 to 14 will surely be that teams will stagger seconds and thirds fixtures to play on the fee dates created meaning that starred players will be available therefore depriving others of a game. Less games has to eventually lead to less players. I am told the free Saturdays will be used to develop players .Can someone outline what this means ?
I am surprised by the lack of interest in the 8 or 10 teams debate on here. I think it would be great to air these views prior to the AGM.

Re Ivan Mc C

Have to agree with Ivan regarding the "dome" as he called it down in Magherafelt. I visited and indeed coached in the arena last year. It would be idel for Youth Interprovincial fixtures and Mens Winter Leagues 7/8 a-side on an Ulster basis....watch this space??
(Check out its dimensions / suitability via the Magherafelt council website.(Meadowbank Centre Magherafelt)

I would just like to echo the comments of the 'Lurgan Park-ranger' and thank the committee and organisers of Victoria C.C. for a marvelous night's craic and entertainment at the Oriental chinese in Lurgan, last night. And a special thanks to former Ireland International and still formidable cricketer Charles McCrum and his good lady, for attending and adding to the atmosphere.
Charley handed out the many awards to the new players and some not so new ones, who did well this season.

Club 'Pro'/coach, and clerk of ceremonies legendary fast bowler Gerald Johnston, recieved a special award for life long services to Victoria C.C. some 60yrs now and he's already looking forward to next season!!!
And when he grabbed the microphone and dedicated the first song to the wives and girlfriends present, he nearly brought the 'house' down. Incidently it was called, 'Never court an old man, as he has no Falouya'????

And finally 'Park-ranger', glad you enjoyed the nite and don't worry, maybe you'll win a prize next year!!!

RE Ivan

I understand your concerns about friendlies and should have perhaps used the the term "one off competitive fixtures" instead.

I was fortunate enough to play 3 seasons in Hampshire in my early years and the club I played for would play a 50 over league match on the Saturday and a time match "friendly" every Sunday. These matches were taken as seriously as the league match by all with a strong competitive edge. It does not have to be a league match to be fiercly competitive.

I think perhaps that cricket and cricket clubs are more of an ingrained way of life in England with players taking their cricket more seriously at all levels.

I have played a number of sports to a relatively high level but find cricket unique in the fact that I would be happy to play it for the simple pleasure of the activity rather than just solely winning. It is a "special game".

Andy - you are right. Laurelvale ended up only playing 14 league matches and 2 cup games this year with the second half of the season being decimated. There was a period in July though when the weather was good on three of four consecutive Sundays and we were not playing.

This is why I think it would be a good idea to actually schedule some weekends as double headers to get through the 50 over league campaign more quickly.