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President McMorran's words-
Among the details of his 'doings' and visits to date did anyone else get the impression that also in there he was passing on the CI message that we need to manage the expectations of Unions and Clubs regarding the ICC funding.
Clubs/grass roots last to get a mention in where the money goes.
Don't get your hopes up is what I read between the lines.

I met an old rugby pal while at Ballyclare on Saturday and we were chatting about the state of rugby at junior club level. He mentioned that he had seen that Ireland had achieved Test status and he commented 'that's the club game gone then'. When rugby 'went professional' the top Irish players went to English clubs for crazy money - so crazy in fact that former leading English clubs found themselves in penury. The creation of the European Cup generated the finance that gave the IRFU the basis to offer meaningful financial packages to attract them back. The dearth in club rugby in Ireland is reflected in what's now happening in France with the national side being affected by the imported players playing for big money in the club game . I have posted in the past my concerns about the future of cricket in Ireland and unless the change is handled properly, the decline that has already happened will continue. I have read Peter's report carefully and note the implied warnings therein. The provision of proper facilities has already been highlighted by Eoin Morgan and I read that alongside the difficulty in recruiting a groundsman for Bready. On a local level, again we have clubs unable to turn out sides and there is a strong rumour coming out of North Belfast about a merger. I await the influx of 'foreigners' whose grannies were on bus trips to Bunratty Castle and qualifies them for Irish passports! In a conversation in the North West a couple of weeks ago I was asked 'where do you see Cricket Ireland in 5 years?' My answer 'exactly where it is now unless we have the ability to take on board the lessons of what has happened in other sports'. Rant over - and this is me on a good day!

Moral boasting, edifying words from the NCU president in his summer surmise on all things cricket here, especially heartening to read his acknowledgment of the importance to support grassroots cricket.

Yes, there are one or two clubs struggling for numbers at present and their plight cannot be ignored or they may quite simply perish and disappear into the ether, and such profound losses do indeed impact upon the local game as a whole as in the grand scheme of things, the knock on effect and fall out from such travesty can and will be seriously debilitating to all who play and enjoy the game!

Keith Montague,

Some great calls on last weekend's match predictions, you're obviously a gentleman of noble merit and vastly knowledgeable on the local game, and I see you also posses admirable taste in the literacy arts of good writing.

What more can I say other than keep up the good work!

The T20 days are being held as a compromise after the competitions were being phased out, with the NW citing fixture congestion.
ULSTER CUP T20 FINALS DAY - SUNDAY AUGUST 13
North Down v Bready at The Green, Comber (11.30am)
Waringstown v Coleraine at The Demesne, Saintfield (11am)
Final at Comber (4pm)
ULSTER SHIELD T20 FINALS DAY - SUNDAY AUGUST 13
St Johnston v Holywood at The Boathole (11.30)
Strabane v Armagh at Strabane Park (12pm)
Final at Strabane Park (4.30pm)
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The Ulster Shield Finals Day takes place in The North West Cricket Union, on Sunday 13th August. This competition is between the finalists of the Twenty20 competitions contested by Second Tier cricket clubs in the Northern Cricket Union and North West Cricket Union.
Semi-Final Fixtures
St Johnston v Holywood, at the Boathole (St Johnston CC) (11:30am)
Strabane v Armagh, at Strabane Park (Noon)
The final will take place at Strabane Park (Strabane CC) at 4:30pm
The Road to the Ulster Shield Finals Day
In the final of the NCU Twenty20 Trophy Armagh defeated Woodvale by five wickets, with Jarrod Barnes turning in an all round performance taking three wickets for five runs and scoring thirty not out. Due to Woodvale withdrawing from the Ulster Shield their place will be taken by Holywood Cricket Club. Holywood lost to Woodvale in the semi-final of the NCU Twenty20 Trophy.
St Johnston beat Strabane by two wickets in the final of the North-West Cricket Union’s Eric Cooke Plate competition.
Supporters from the four participating clubs, and all other cricket followers from across the Northern Cricket Union and North-West Cricket Union and beyond will be warmly welcomed to both St Johnston CC and Strabane CC.
Richard White
PRO

Ireland Squad

There is no chance of Ireland ever developing as a cricket nation as long as the sickening stench of nepotism surrounds selection for all the provincial teams and also the full Ireland team !

This is the case for all underage and senior teams - pathetic to say the least ! If you keep giving people an opportunity they are bound to have a good performance every now and again !

Eddie Richardson must now realise he isn't mixing with the right people ! If only one of his relatives was on the full Irish selection panel ..........

A Few Tips
CIYMS v CSNI Home win
Instonians v Carrickfergus Away win
North Down v Lisburn Home win
Waringstown v Muckamore Home win

Academy v Bangor Away win
Armagh v Woodvale Home win just
Downpatrick v Cliftonville Home win
Holywood v Donaghcloney Mill Away win just
Lurgan v Derriaghy Away win

Also I see a Mr C Boomer on this site hope he is still writing his poetry and tell him I miss the poetry postings thanks

Colin, the youth cricket has been very slow this season, at least it seems that way. We no longer have a youth section at Portadown. However, every club should do what they can to promote youth cricket, and this week the Taverners coaches began an intro to cricket session for 7 to 12 year olds from a local youth club summer scheme. 25 kids cricketing indoors on rainy day (thunderstorm brought them indoors actually) was quite a handful, but it went well. Only four more sessions to do. Then we'll begin our disability cricket programme.
Almost every town has these 'youth summer clubs' operating during the school holidays and even term time evenings and weekends, and they are always looking for activities for their children. There is usually a small amount of funding available for expenses for providing the 'coaching' (probably the wrong word) as well..
Don't expect kids to just come to a club because a club has a youth section. Awareness is the ticket for promoting cricket.

Peter Woods Great chatting to you and lots old friends at cup final
Saturday final with all the fixtures on a sunday (only 3 team dont play sundays) with the right marketing there be over 1000 supporters as NCU have the product we just dont sell cricket enough it we serious about our sport we must get our juniors to the big days as even our 78 year old groundsman never stopped clapping for the quality of fielding Shane Getkate and Allen Coulter were superb as was 90 %.The point is whats wrong with trying ONE year and make our SENIOR CUP FINAL something that junior and senior cricketers thrive to play in .Was great match James Shannon Nicklai Smith Nigel Jones and my man the match Ryan Hunter shot selection and even at 60 that excites me want play .MASSIVE respect to all North Down ground staff and to see there chairman Peter Shields be involved from picking litter to getting his band helpers be 100%on making it great day means we deserve to support North Downs efforts with a bigger crowd and day as could not fault a thing .PS COULTER bowled two superb YORKERS but amazes me not more bowled as even the short of length stuff was going for boundaries cant wait see next years SATURDAY FINAL living and spared .and even had thumb it home to Dundrum as wanted see CIYMS lift the cup and celebrate .

Re my last post, better to get your clubs to commit to more youth cricket rather than vomit.

First time posting a message on this forum as I regularly post on the Cricket Europe Ireland site and often give tips on matches but with not a great strike rate this year.

I am just wondering as I am into stats big time where I could find scorecards from the Ladies Premier League and Cup matches please apart from CSNI whose cards are up, it would be nice to see how players do from week to week.

The NCU should be congratulated for introducing new clubs to the League 1 along side a North Down 2nds along the sides Instonians, Laurelvale and Templepatrick from last year.

May I also add my congratulations to CIYMS on the Cup win on Saturday v Insts and well done to Waringstown in winning and North Down on a valiant chase in the T20 Final last Sunday along with Armagh winning the T20 Trophy v Woodvale.

Along with Waringstown, Clontarf, Cork County and Bready it will be a great day at The Lawn to showcase T20 cricket in Ireland

I attended the Challenge Cup Final on Saturday and had a most enjoyable day. Congratulations to Nigel Jones and CIYMS and commiserations to Instonians who were in with a great chance until Jones and Hunter batted so well to effectively see it through.
Also thanks to the NCU, Arthur J Gallagher, the media and all at North Down who worked so hard preparing for the day.
During breaks in play I engaged in conversation with fellow spectators about the number on the number of players on the two teams who had been coached and developed as since youth by the two Clubs themselves . We counted only five, four of whom were playing schoolboy cricket this year. This leaves James Shannon as the sole adult.
I appreciate that others such as Andrew White and Eugene Moleon have been at Instonians for a while and that their squad of 16 undoubtedly contained some other younger players, many of whom have played 1st Eleven cricket this year.
Whilst one appreciates that successful teams attract good players, it is still a very disappointing statistic.
Hopefully in next year's Final we will see more "homegrown" players on the pitch.
Finally our correspondent from South Down was threatening to send a post of his own regarding Cup Final Day. Over to you Jeff!

Youth Fixtures

If anyone wants to know why grassroots cricket is struggling and where the future players of the game are then look no further than the NCU youth results page

http://www.northerncricketunion.org/database/2017/youth/under15league.shtml

While I appreciate there will be more games to be added to the tables the lack of games even with those yet to be played is poor.

All the overseas pros and coaching courses in the world don't matter a damn if there are not club volunteers giving children the chance to take up the game. I can see the provincial youth squads thriving but these are almost closed clubs now, once your on a pathway with NCU /NW it's hard for a new young player to dislodge you. We need EVERY club in the country fieldin u15/13/11s, they don't have to be superstars just have fun & enjoy the game.

Well done to all those who voluntarily give up their time, I would suggest you ask your cricket committees to vomit more to youth at your next AGM, kids want to play we have to facilitate that.

' Frinton-on-Sea CC are seeking an injunction against the Two Counties League (TCL), which is open to clubs in Essex and Suffolk, on the grounds of discrimination after they were penalised for fielding an overseas player deemed to be ineligible.

The case is due to be heard in court in Chelmsford on Thursday and, if Frinton win, it could eventually set a precedent that would clear the way for many other players to return to action in club cricket across England and Wales. While around 110 players are understood to be directly affected by the ruling, the consequences for future generations could be far reaching.' ....

It's the 'old chestnut' once again Andy, simplistic as it may sound, if the guy is not receiving any financial renumeration from this cricket club then let him play as that being the case, isn't he by definition deemed to be an amateur cricketer and hence can play at whatever level?

( unless he's starred for the 1sts lol...But that's an internal matter and a debate we've had on here many times before and certainly one for another day).

Will be interesting to see the outcome of the Frinton cricket club case regarding 'overseas' players.