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Staffy - clearly a bowlers response! What if it is bat pad and the batsman is given? Every fielder knows he middled it, does he get called back? No. How many times have batsmen been given caught behind when not out and everyone on the field knows it? Bowlers take the wickets and nothing is said. Do batsmen feel aggrieved - witness the chipped bats in the changing room! Thems the breaks and what is the point in ill feeling? That is the beauty of cricket. You win some you lose some, umpires get some right, umpires get some wrong. As for walking as a batsman each to their own but I am sure decisions balance themselves out.
Wayne
In a case of LBW neither the bowler nor the batsman definitely know if it is out so they ask the umpire to decide. When a batsman edges it behind the bowler may be convinced it is out but the umpire makes a decision. In this case however the batsman KNOWS he is out and to stand on is blatant cheating in my book.
Batsmen standing on when everyone but the umpire knows they are out is the biggest source of bad feeling in the game.
Re Rule Book article.
I also feel that the rules governing the leagues and cups within the NCU require some "tweaking". However I would stop short of the "shred the book" approach as the legislation is (aside from the 20 over replay rule) directed to the provision of fair and flexible cricket.
LBW decisions are really starting to get noticed more and more in the games that I have spectated this year. I have seen some awful awful decisions in regards to LBW's, with players being given out more and more regularly on the front foot with big strides in. Is the standard of umpiring slipping? I think so. Are too many umpires being influenced by hawkeye? I think so. Its almost almost impossible to judge an LBW with a big stride in, too much doubt as the ball has too far to travel and with our nations pitches doing a lot of the deck, surely umpires need to stop trying to be the centre of attention and let the players provide the entertainment? What you think guys? Ps. Umpires do a great service to the leagues and fair play to them, but I feel some and this is the minority are getting too trigger happy.
Is anyone following the latest NW saga on the other channel? The question I would ask is "if everything up there is so good and proper why do they have to come on websites to defend themselves?" We've seen enough of NW "supporters" over the years to know how some of them behave.
Andy, Ed Joyce has to serve 4 years before he can switch countries again. As for declarations or non-declarations very few teams are going to declare when they are scoring lots of runs in limited overs. If Larne Seconds got a hammering then welcome to sport. We've all been there. On overseas players I don't think a rugby comparison tells us anything as the two cultures are different.
Jack Russell leg-side stumping
That's top-class work from one of the greatest keepers ever.
How england miss the legend now.
The postings about non-nationals miss my point - possibly deliberately(?) - i wouldn't accept that I'm against change but when we see the effect that they have had in other sports in Ireland I feel that I am justified in my comments. Or perhaps my idea of Cricket Ireland offering contracts to those guys who have gone to England to entice them back may be too progressive. Could anyone confirm if there is any rule that would prevent the likes of young Mr, Joyce from representing Ireland even for a short time should he return? On the question of rules - what about a change to the NCU "non-declaration" rule. I have seen a couple of games in the past year involving 2 seriously mismatched sides. It can't have been much fun for a young Larne 2s side (not counting Esler!) conceding over 400 a couple of weeks ago. Now how's that for being progressive.
And I am sure if the batsmen who did not nick the ball and were given out or got a bad LBW the fielders should call them back in the spirit of cricket! Harden up lads. You win some you lose some and if you fall for the antics of somebody messing around more fool you! (Probably not a quote that would assist my MCC membership!)
It will be interesting to see if umpires will take appropriate action against those batsmen who choose to stand on when they have clearly edged a ball (complete with splinters) and been caught behind? surely this is not within the spirit of the game either as they are blatently trying to chance their arm. Yes umpires are there to do a job and batsmen are entitled to wait for a decision. Unfortunately there are many aspects of cricket these days where people involved are not entering into the 'spirit' of the game although could this not be said about many sports?! Maybe if players didn't have the opportunity to be in the shop window for the irish team / county scene then the game in ireland may not be quite so cut throat!...obviously this cannot be helped!
Agreed
You don't see too many batsmen stand on when they hit it to backward point so why they stand on when they hit it to the wicketkeeper I don't know!
Just to pick up on your post there ed i remember many years ago watching jack russell keep wicket in a test match. He took the ball down the leg side and followed this up immediately with the words s**t chase it. The unsuspecting batsman promptly took a couple of steps down the wicket looking for a run presuming jack had deflected the ball down to fine leg. Jack took the bails off end of story. Many would consider this an extremely smart piece of cricket and as far as i know jack russell was not hauled up on this. Surely it is up to the batsmen to be aware of where the ball is? If unions are going to clamp down on this then should they not clamp down harder on the rules which are fairly simple to understand? ie the rule regarding excessive appealing. I can think of one or two teams where excessive appealing is the norm. It seems umpires will not enforce this rule unless foul language is used or severe dissent is shown towards an 'incorrect' decision.
My personal opinion is that the practice of pretending to have the ball in the field when you don't, to deceive the batsman, is contrary to the 'Spirit of Cricket'.
This is from the Leinster Umpires and Scorers website:
Guidance for umpires
A fielder chasing a ball down to fine leg, did a slide and mimed a pickup & throw while still about 15m away from the ball and while the batsmen were running. The umpires consulted and considered that this could well constitute an attempt to distract the batsmen under Law 42.5. When they spoke to the captains and the fielder, the latter stated that it was a practice that had been coached in his home country! The umpires insisted that it was against the Spirit of Cricket and possibly Law 42.5.
We suggest that umpires keep an eye out for this practice and be prepared to act under Law 42.5, The correct procedure, if the umpire considers that an attempt to cause a distraction, is to call and signal "Dead ball", and inform your colleague and the fielding captain of the reason. In addition, neither batsman shall be out, 5 penalty runs shall be awarded and the run in progress shall also be awarded, even if the batsmen have not crossed. The ball shall not count as one of the over and the batsmen shall decide which of them shall face the next delivery. A formal report must be made under the disciplinary procedure.
Can anyone in the NCU confirm that a similar approach will be taken to this most unsporting practice!
I am sure we speak for everyone associated with local cricket in expressing our sincere sympathy for Ian and his family at this tragic time. Ian has always been one of the most popular people in local cricket and an unsung hero who does a mountain of work behind the scenes without fuss or controversy. It begs the question why does tragedy always hit the nicest people? We can't imagine the devastation within the family but we can offer our prayers and sympathy. It puts everything in life into perspective.
Clarence and Peter
Ryan, you are correct on both fronts. The "Non nationals" debate is the legacy of the old Ireland culture unable to move into the modern arena of Cricket Ireland. These are often the same people who are anti-professionals and anti-change and in some cases anti-everything. In their hands the game would stagnate and eventually die a slow death!
Whether we like it or not we have to move with the times.
120 a run a ball maybe easy in theory but when you are facing the worlds best bowlers it becomes that little bit more tricky for part time players to get it away surely....
I dont understand the whole "non-nationals" debate if they are qualified to play it shouldnt even merit a mention. There is no doubt anyone who has been picked to date is good enough to feature.
