Forum

Just wanted to say that CI are entitled to follow their own agenda....however it does surprise me that any clubs are still foolhardy enough to adopt their approach...there are numerous, disasterous Rugby and Cricket examples to draw from.

Remember guys eventually the money runs out or a sponsor gets dropped or disapears. In my experience, which is as much as anyones, "Hired Guns/Merceneries" soon show there true colours when this happens...

I do find it funny when I read about people moving for "cricketing reasons" by the way...priceless...!

I wonder what the stock player at CI really thinks every time he looks at the team sheets.

By the way, may I say sincere good luck to all the oldies at CI...I don't blame you, i'm sure there are many older players who would have jumped at your chance, had they been good enough...

just been wondering - I've got too much time on my hands! - why the postings on the forum come from many sources but there are some clubs who never have a correspondent. Surely there are guys out there who must have an opinion but who never post a view. I ask myself is there a form of gagging ban imposed by some clubs?

North Down CC Twenty20 Pre-Season Tournament Open Invitation

We intend hosting a pre-season Twenty20 competition at The Green on the weekend 18/19 April, following on from a very successful event last season.
Any clubs interested in taking part should drop me an email (info@premiersportsni.co.uk) and we’ll forward further information.
If enough teams are interested we could make it a two day event, or it could be played on the Saturday on both grounds. Let me know when you email what your preference would be.
Hopefully both the North West and Leinster Unions will be represented by at least one club…
Shieldsy

Looks like the Ulster Grasshoppers Tour Party have let the cat out of the bag - Michael Turkington (Carrick) - somebody tell the other channel please so they can update their Grasshoppers profile on the Turk.

Enjoy the trip fellas.

Re staffy, Robin :

Does that rule apply to section 2 also?

The Grasshoppers squad looks like it will be a good tour, im sure Jak will show you a good time when you meet up with him.

Grasshoppers Touring Squad India 2009

1-Neil Russell Captain (North Down)
2-Paul Stafford VC (Brigade)
3-Michael Turkington (Carrick)
4-Lee Nelson (Waringstown)
5-Ben McKnight (Waringstown)
6-Alan Waite (Waringstown)
7-Carlo Rendell (Railway Union)
8-Andrew Cowden (Carrick)
9-Ray McCavery (Saintfield)
10-Cameron Grieve (Lurgan)
11-Davy Haire (Lurgan)
12-Andrew Nixon (Bangor)
13-Mark Nixon (Bangor)
14-Rab Kennedy (Ballymena)
15-Peter Maxwell (Lurgan)
16-Charles McCrum (Laurelvale?!?!)

Also going is Graeme Hunter from Lurgan CC though not sure if Graeme is fit to play...hopefully he will be at some stage.

NCU Vice Chairman Roger Bell is also going... along with our South African friend Neil Watson who lives in Cape Town and has become a close friend of Alan Waite's from previous tour's to South Africa.

Jack Arunkumar(former downpatrick pro) and Niranjan Godbole (Lurgan pro) are going to be meeting us whilst out there and you never know they might get a game and become Grasshoppers!

Jeff

Re: Co Down, don't worry haven't forgotten them.

Re: Grasshoppers
just putting finishing touches on a few dates and grounds so should have full itinery of matches very soon and can get full squad now if you want. I think Clarence is doing a feature about the trip very soon on this channel so looking forward to that. This is easily the most challenging tour to put together for a host of reasons and both Alan Waite and Feherty travel have been superb.

staffy, think the comp directives should have meeting & agree too change that rule? just too add your series on the other channel is top reading & are you doing a team in COUNTY DOWN or is it just the north down 11 from RICH side of our great county think maybe even some off their seconds be in the frame? ps anyone know the full grasshoppers squad?

Robin

That is my understanding too. The first 9 games you have 2 Match 1's and then Match 2 which is a 20 over affair.

What I am asking is that flexibility on the start times is agreed now before the season starts before someone has 4 points deducted for the wrong start time which could affect the League title or a relegation match at the end of the season. Nobody wants that.

is it true that during the first 9 games in the premier league the 20 over bash does not come into effect until match 3.an inst legend told me this was the case and as he was the person who proposed the change at the agm i have no reason to doubt him.

I don't know if it's because he threatened to buy me a drink at the North West dinner that I'm saying this but I think Staffy's posting about start times being sorted out now makes a lot of sense.

Fair point re shorter matches.

Regarding the start times of Match 2, 20 over matches I disagree with you. The order of the Proposals to the AGM in itself creates anomolies. You could never ever be able to sort out those anomolies at the AGM because no-one knows what the clubs will pass and what they will reject. Therefore the whole point of Competitions Directorates is the ability to sort out the problems thrown up by the AGM.

If we waited until the following AGM to deal with it there would be a continual state of flux fixing things from previous years and creating contradictions with new proposals which is where we are now.

Every captain would welcome a more flexible approach. For example Rule 21 (b)making teams play a 20 over match at 12 noon start on a Sunday in July when 2pm would suffice is silly.

Also making a 20 over match in August which could be played over two nights start at 5pm is even sillier.

Adopting a more pragmatic approach on this matter rather than a dogmatic approach would go a long way to restoring some credibility, especially with beleagured captains and match secretaries. Doing nothing will store up massive problems once the season kicks off.

I genuinely don't think you need a mandate from the clubs to sort out these difficulties as the start times are there to deal with 50 over rearrangements which now of course do not apply. Better to let the captains sort out and agree start times and let League Secretaries sort it out if they cannot agree.

Re Staffy
What I was suggesting was that 3rd and 4th XI's are given the choice of entering a league that plays 40 over cricket or one that plays 20 over cricket. I agree that 40 overs is probably plenty for 2nd XI league cricket and leave the Junior Cup at 50 overs.

Interesting point about the new 20 over Match 2, makes good sense and needs to be looked at, but we won't be able to do anything for 2009, reckon it's an AGM job.

Roger

Shortened versions of the game down the clubs is essential. A simple way of doing this would be to make Division 1 all sections 50 over cricket, Division 2 all sections 40 over cricket, and Division 3 all sections 20 over cricket.

PS

Please scrap all starting time restrictions on Match 2 games which are now 20 over matches.

Re Practice facilities

Chaps/ladies would anyone know of any practice facilities that Woodvale could use for pre-season nets. Unfortunately we have been let down by the school we used last year and after trying numerous leisure centres we are still 'drawing blanks' - Any help would be greatly appreciated!