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A bit of a challenge for Staffy. I reckon you could write a fantastic drama about NCU cricket over the last few years. Whilst for some clubs there are a lot of serious issues at stake it actually is hilarious logging on to the site these days as you don't know what is going to appear next.
Re Taito
If every team had "long in the tooth boys" as good as Laurelvale's then they would be very fortunate. Also its probably fairer to say joint third given that 5 teams shared 28 points. Late season wins count just the same as any others though, I think Dundrum and Holywood could testify to that after their late September weekend.
Where is the artful dodger, his silence is deafening! Bring out the dodger!
Re John: here here john i totally agree , i cant see laurelvale being upm their next season either. After all their rather long in the tooth boys will be another year older.
Amazed,
Thank you for your enlightening critique of the Section Two relegation issue.
Perhaps I can fill you in on what actually happened, in which case you can base your opinions on fact and not hyperbolic outrage.
As a basic matter of procedure, clubs send their result forms to the NCU. The NCU sent these result forms to me to calculate net run rates. This I did, and the run rates I produced were accurate based on the information I was given. Roger Bell can confirm this.
Seeing that the net run rates of Saintfield and Dundrum were so close, I advised the NCU to collect their respective scorebooks in order to make sure that the correct scores had been reported.
It should be noted that at no stage was the relegation of Dundrum confirmed either by myself or by an NCU official, only that as things currently stood it was the more likely scenario.
However, upon inspection of the scorebooks, it was blindingly obvious that Dundrum had incorrectly reported the scores from their matches against (a) Armagh on June 8 and (b) Saintfield on July 14. The error had been in transcribing figures from the scorebook to the result form. The captains and umpires may have 'signed off' on a particular score, but that was not the one reported to the NCU.
Consequently, the net run rates were recalculated and we have arrived at the current situation.
Quite how it's my fault that I was given incorrect information I don't know, and if Dundrum went into last weekend's matches under false pretences then it's nobody's fault but theirs.
Incidentally, I know of no occasion on which I described myself as an expert on net run rates.
I will ask you one question: is it right for a team to be relegated because of wrongly writing down a score? I don't think so, and what we have now is the situation whereby what actually happened on the pitch is counting,
Michael Taylor
still very confused and what a mess! Is an official statement coming any time soon as Rodger said it would yesterday?
Somehow i dont see this being the end of things!
Re Brucie Topping
IS the only reason you want the new league changes brought into effect next year because Laurelvale finished 4th!!! From what i have seen of section two, and that is quite a lot, you were not the 4th best team in that league. If it wasn't for teams playing totally understrength teams towards the end of the season as the games to them were meaningless, you would surely have been in the bottom half. I would bet my mortgage that you will not be concerning any of the top 4 spots next year as your team is not strong enough.
Folks
I'd just like to make a brief statement surrounding the section 2 relegation topic.
Firstly the NCU requested that both Saintfield and Dundrum submitted their books for further analysis as the run rates based on scorecards submitted for both teams were very very close.
Secondly if Dundrum made a mistake in their book / scorecard throughout the season then surely they would be at a disadvantage as they based their fight for survival around an invalid target even if the true target was a few runs less. Against Armagh when we didn't bowl them out below the target that we thought was correct a couple of my teammates wanted me to throw the ball to a few of the younger lads but I chose not too incase the figures turned out to be wrong - which they were.
Moreover, as Saintfield did not play on Sunday the result / relegation was beyond their control and it didn't change the fact that Dundrum were in control of their own destiny.
By no means are we over the moon at seeing Saintfield relegated esepcially in the way that it has happened. We have many friends at Saintfield and enjoy the local derbies and craic off the pitch and if their relegation is confirmed then I think it will be a blow for cricket in south down.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NCU FOR THEIR MOST RECENT COCK UP PUTTING THE ICING ON THE CAKE OF THE WORST SEASON EVER. SAINTFIELD RELEGATED BECAUSE OF A SCOREBOOK ERROR BY SOMEONE ELSE.
AS IVAN SAYS AT WHICH POINT NOW IS A CRICKET SEASON ACTUALLY OVER....DECEMEBER. I'M SURE RIGHT NOW DERRIAGHY WILL BE CHECKING THROUGH THEIR SCOREBOOKS IN ORDER TO TRY AND SAVE THEMSELVES FROM RELEGATION AS WELL.
SO MUCH FOR MICHAEL TAYLOR AND HIS EXPERT KNOWLEDGE OF THE RUN RATES.
I FIND THINGS WHOLE THING INCREDIBLE AS CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG THE 2 CAPTAINS AND UMPIRES SIGN OFF ON THE SCORECARDS AT THE END OF THE GAME. MEANING THEY HAVE CONFIRMED THE RESULT. OR ARE THE NCU GOINA HIT ANOTHER CLUB WITH THIS CAPTAINS RESPONSIBILTY NONSENSE.
RE STUART HEGARTY, THOUGHT YOUR POSTING ABOUT CSNI WAS FOOLISH AND VERY TWO FACED CONSIDERING THAT ONLY TWO YEARS AGO YOU WERE PAYING THREE SOUTH AFRICAN PLAYERS....TO COACH OF COURSE.
RE CHRIS BUSBY, I THINK YOU WILL FIND THE GAP BETWEEN ALL THE LEAGUES IS VAST AS LAST TIME I CHECKED COOKE AND DUNMURRY WERE VERY POOR LAST TIME THEY WERE IN SECTION 2, SINCE THEN THEY HAVE BOTH LOST THIR BEST PLAYER, YET THEY BOTH GOT PROMOTED AGAIN EASILY ENOUGH.
The Caps Lock button is on the left side of the keyboard!
RE: Stuart Heggarty
I wasnt sure how I felt about the whole CSNI / ND situ, but I think I have to agree with Stuart's comments. They were 16 minutes over and were over 3 hours before this season. The rule is there and should be obeyed. Most other teams can manage to get an innings complete within 3 hours so the 3 hour limit is obviously the right amount of time. Harsh on CSNI to lose the league over it but at least it gives us scandal to discuss on the forum!! Throw in Saintfield and Dundrum and we are set for the winter!! So far I dont think the NCU can be blamed for either of this situations. However, Will they be tempted to deduct Dundrum a point for not submiting correct scorecards?!?! (I assume it is Dundrum's error if Saintfield were correct as confirmed by Noel) - what's the rule on that (sorry being mischievous here!!)
saintfield relegated!!! yet another twist in this mad season. Anyone from saintfield want to comment on this, what errors were made? In the games that there were errors was the opposition scorebook also checked?
Im sure the dundrum boys are over the moon
Ivan,
Saintfield's scorebook and result forms for the season were fully completed and correct.
Noel McCarey
Why wait a season to implement the league structures?
Make the changes for next season and avoid meaningless matches.
I dont think the league finishing positions this season would have been any different even if the clubs had known about the proposed changes in advance.
Re Section 2
I'm astonished that it could be the case that Saintfield have now been relegated despite the consensus that they where safe- is this confirmed? Not too sure about the meaningless cricket jibe though Ivan- with only the top 4 qualifying next year (if the proposed changes go through) I would hope that there is enough talent in Section 3 to give these teams a run for their money- the difference between the leagues may not just be as big a jump down as you would like to think!
Armagh CC have their 150th Anniversary season to look forward to in 2009 along with the prospect of our young team getting a bit more experience in Section 3. Promotion may not be an option with the glass ceiling the NCU have chosen to place, but teams still have to strive for the top four if they want to play third tier cricket in 2010, or whatever new fangled name the Union have for it.
I can't play golf anyway.
