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Belfast funding.......
Clubs are invited to apply to BCC for Support for Sport large £5k and small £1k grants alongside EBA £2.5k grants plus other funds www.belfastcity.gov.uk

any word of a report on the AGM on the NCU website?

Ian
I hope you are not suggesting that the game took place in 1947!!!

Surely there was a 12 month warranty on those stumps Bumper?

YMCA ground was mentioned in an earlier post.
Great memory.
A young Billy Dale yes I was young a long time ago was selected for his debut game for North Down firsts.
At this stage of my career I thought there was only one way to take wickets and that was to bowl fast.
I raced in and delivered and fourth ball beat the opening bat, clean bowled but with such pace that the batsman left with bat and broken stump under his arm.
The team gathered around clearly impressed with the new opening bowler.
Perhaps the beginning of my legendary status was then.
I should finish the story there but on closer examination the set of stumps dated back to 1946 and some dry rot had weakened them.
Anyway good story and a true one.

NCU Dinner
To Bryan Milford and his team, well done at the NCU Annual Dinner. It was excellent and especially Geoff Miller the Guest Speaker. What a performance. It will be a tough act to follow!
Over 200 people shared the experience.
Well done the NCU.

Interesting to see the Grounds Committee report and I note that Roughfort doesn't appear anywhere in it!

Definitely one for us country people Caleb! the townies wouldn't have a clue!! An interesting one from rugby that a referee had the authority to order a disruptive spectator away from the side of the pitch - and its the home club's responsibility to ensure that they leave.l

Editor, I think you need to get out more, a Wyandotte is a breed of chicken, I thought everyone knew that??

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyandotte_chicken

Andy,

Not something neither the umpires nor the union can control, the onus is on the clubs to keep a lid on this sort of nonsense, themselves alone, must get to grips and nullify the threat of any likely, unruly behaviour, irrespective of cup final, lower league or whatever level, and certainly not something anyone wants to see at a cricket match!

Like you say, there's passion and then there's ' Passion' just like sanity/insanity, a very thin line, me thinks?

Perhaps those so inclined need to get themselves a calming hobby during the off season, to help curb their boisterous behaviour and remain rational?

May I recommend one?

I talk to Chickens..

Don't think me bananas, cause I talk to Brahmas
Sussex, Leghorns and Rhode Island Red,
all breeds of chicken, scratching and picking
from early morn, till they go to bed.
Each bird has a name, no two the same,
Pinky and Perky, each as big as a turkey,
Jenny, Henny-penny, just a few of many,
hilarious, gregarious and quintessentially quirky.
I have no human friends, just a large flock of hens
and my wife ran away some years ago,
once cheek by jowl, she threw in the towel
when my Rhode Island rooster began to crow,
with stern scowl, she said, ' me or the fowl?
So alas, I had to let her to go!
No, I'll not renege on a hen or fresh egg
and if one should talk back, I'll know I'm 'crackerjack'
for though chickens are clever, they cannot whatsoever
converse in two way conversation,
except for Winifred my Wyandotte, who tells me,
" it's people who have lost the plot"
and I totally agree with her astute observation!

Donemana fined £125 for failing to 'control' their spectators. A bit of 'previous' in the All-Ireland Cup as well! I suppose there's passion and then there's passion! Could be some crack when the red cards come in!!

New changes to MCC’s Laws of Cricket come into effect for first time
• Two Test Matches being played under the majority of the new Code of Laws, with the changes covering all matches globally from 1st October
• A number of significant changes made to the Laws, including limits being placed on the thickness of the bat, Handled the ball Law removed, and in-game consequences for poor on-field behaviour
• New Laws e-learning platform to be launched and available online
________________________________________
The new changes to the Laws of Cricket, issued by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) will come into full effect around the world this coming Sunday 1st October 2017, with the changes covering all levels of the game.
The new Code of Laws is being introduced into the game for the first time since 2000, making it the biggest change for almost two decades. The 2017 Code is the sixth of its kind written by MCC since 1788, when it first drew up the MCC Code of Laws, with the others being published in 1835, 1947, 1980 and 2000.
There are also two Test matches taking place from Thursday this week in which the majority of the new Laws will be adhered to, with Pakistan taking on Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi, and South Africa hosting Bangladesh in Potchefstroom.
The new Code of Laws follows a three-year project overseen by the Club’s Laws sub-committee, which involved numerous trials and widespread global consultation throughout the professional and amateur game.
The significant changes to the 42 Laws are as follows:
- Now written in language applying to all persons, regardless of gender.
- The Handled the ball Law has been removed, with its contents merged into Obstructing the field.
- The Lost ball Law has been removed and is now covered under Dead ball.
- Limits placed on the thickness of the edges and the overall depth of the bat.
- Injuries hoped to be prevented in a new Law which allows mechanisms tethering the bails to the stumps.
- Bowling of deliberate front foot No balls to be treated in same way as deliberate full-tosses.
- A new Law of the game, Players’ conduct, is introduced, giving an in-match consequence for poor on-field behaviour, including temporary and permanent removal from the field.
- The Law regarding running out the non-striker has been altered.
- 'Bouncing bat’ Law changed, substitutes now allowed to keep wicket and concept of penalty time amended.
The changes are being supported by a new state-of-the-art eLearning programme, which MCC has produced. The Laws eLearning programme will guide everyone from the cricketing newcomer to the experienced umpire through all 42 Laws, with tips from the ICC’s Elite Umpires and footage from club, first-class and international cricket to illustrate the more complex points.
Users can test their knowledge with a Basic and Intermediate exam – the first step on the way to becoming an umpire. There are 68 game-footage clips included, with a number of updated animations narrated by actor, writer, and cricket lover Stephen Fry.
A smartphone app will also be updated from 1st October, which includes an interactive quiz in which users can test their knowledge of the changes in the Laws.
A theme throughout the new Code of Laws is MCC’s long-running promotion of the Spirit of Cricket, setting out what is expected in terms of behaviour, such as congratulating and thanking opponents, thanking officials and respecting all those involved in the game.
President of MCC Matthew Fleming said, “Promoting the Spirit of Cricket and conveying the ‘Play Hard, Play Fair’ message at all levels of the game is a global focus for MCC and has been for many years.
“The new Code of Laws officially recognises what is expected from players, right through from the park to the Test Match arena. It is a big step in MCC’s quest and a landmark for the game.”
MCC Head of Cricket John Stephenson said, “This week marks the culmination of a global consultation with many different stakeholders throughout the whole spectrum of the amateur and professional game.
“MCC has left no stone unturned in researching and redrafting the Laws in order to not only make them applicable to players, umpires and spectators, but to also encourage interest in the game across the world.”

Thanks Ally for the confirmation that the Windies 'engaged' at all levels at Stormont 'on the day' recently. My mole indicated differently in the 'whole match' event. Perhaps the 'folks on the Hill' should have taken a leaf out of their book!

Congratulations to the Editor on his forthcoming election to the Presidency of the NCU. I'm sure he's looking forward to the AGM and while in the past he has been critical of the level of debate it will be a night to remember for him.
On the Notices of Motion published: There seems only one of real note with Holywood proposing that no non-resident can play below the Premier league except those 'here for purposes unconnected with cricket'.

Given the bad feeling and recriminations flying around in Section one last year such a proposal would bring clarity and uniformity at least.

But there was talk of Cricket Ireland being able to negotiate a concession to their visa regulations similar to the one the Scotland have enjoyed for many years - one that I believe allowed young overseas 'amateurs' to play.

It seems strange that we send numerous young players to winter in Australia and New Zealand but stop the reciprocal arrangement.

But since this was flagged up last year I'm sure Cricket Ireland have been on the job and perhaps that will be apparent in the debate next week.

Another topic that should be addressed is that of the Interprovincial tournaments.
It was great to see the Northern Knights supporting the local game and players by not using any pros last year. They may not be able to do that next year if the talk about redrawing the borders, rejigging the sides and even franchising comes about. Where exactly are we with all that?

Clarence - maybe there will be a better debate this year after all, here's hoping and Good Luck with your Presidency.

THE Ulster Grasshoppers leave on Thursday for Malta where they will play two matches over a long, hopefully hot, weekend in Sliema.
The opposition will be the Wales national Over 55s side (well, the Grasshoppers are playing 11 hours after landing!) and on Sunday they will face their host club Marsa CC, who include National player Frank Spiteri.Both games hope to last around 35 overs per side.
A party of 17 is travelling, led by Grasshoppers chairman Ricky Finlay and tour organiser Andy Beattie while other ‘big names’ certain to put fear into the opposition include Michael Turkington - the veteran of Grasshoppers tours - Corin Goodall, Stephen Colgan, Callum Atkinson, Glenn Halliday, Brian Anderson and Matthew McCord
There are also plans to watch the Premier League action in a Sports Bar on Saturday while golf and some sightseeing are also on the agenda before the party returns on Monday evening.
Tourists: Alan Harrison, Andrew Beattie, Blair Stewart, Brian Anderson, Callum Atkinson, Colin Storey, Corin Goodall, Glenn Halliday, Les Irwin, Matthew McCord, Michael Turkington, Peter Bates, Rab McClimond, Ricky Finlay, Stephen Colgan, Ian Callender, Dawn Callender.