Forum

Gary Cheese

Perhaps you could introduce yourself to me sometime, perhaps at the NCU dinner as it would be lovely to put a face to a name and we could put the world to rights over a pint.

Michael Patterson

I'd love to meet you too Michael to apologise for finally snapping after 9 months of snide remarks in my direction. Lisburn CC who denied you were anything to do with them and the Waringstown CC you insulted, I'm sure would love to meet you as well. NCU board and in particular the Union secretary Bryan Milford whose appointment you accused of being an inside job would be keen to talk to you, and last but not least the Northern Ireland Umpires Association whom you damned with faint praise and followed it up with accusations they had members who were open to corruption would be keen to listen to your positive contributions.

Yes Michael, there is a long list of people who can't wait to meet you.

re craig, think theirs no doubt that lurgan always be welcome in dundrum as all teams are , its time too move on at the end of the day its only 4 points & they might have won game anyway. I hate too see others people slagging clubs over anything & i have no doubt that it will happen again as its very hard getting teams out any day at this time season including ourselves.Dundrum will try play their last 4 games as we have still a good chance of wiining & stay in a super competitive section , and all clubs have made us welcome and thats what cricket is about.have too say craig im ringing your boss too make sure your working on the 27sept as you were man of the match in the meadow.DUNDRUM seconds are away too play ards the day and they turned up with 12 players now thats funny.ps think TANTO FAZ win at great leighs.

Can I please state that I speak for myself and not on behalf of Lurgan CC. Our Chairman Graeme Hunter has outlined our clubs position.

As a player I was devasated to receive a text from Neil Anderson late on Thursday 11th Sept saying our game was off was due to the fact that we could not raise a side. I was one who had agreed to play and had again been given an agreement from employers. (Unless you are in this position it will never be fully understood.I can state that Friday fixtures cost me an estimated £500.)My comment is that in no way would Lurgan ever jeopardise the integrity of the League. In fact Lurgan could have been both promoted or relegated depending on results if all games were brought to conclusion and have arranged games with sides needing to play.
I personally would like to apologise to Dundrum CC for our withdrawal gainsy Holywood and sincerely hope that when we next meet, the welcome will be as warm as our first meeting

Ivan, what about going back to the old senior and junior committees that were scrapped in the 70s? It seems senior and junior cricket needs are different these days and that the rules down the leagues need not be as strict as for senior cricket. I like your positive approach to the current problems but surely the committee you are suggesting already exists? It took the junior clubs nearly 50 years to get rid of the senior committee but it did look after its own needs. Maybe the existing committees don't have enough senior reps making the senior cricket decisions?

Although I haven't a clue and I'm negative and bitter according to Paul Staford, it seems there are plenty of others that share my views.
I think there is mileage in having the serious league games at the front end of the season and another competition at the back end, possibly starting earlier and of shorter duration. It won't improve the weather but it will make it easier to fulfil fixtures.
First three leagues of 8 teams and the rest in section four. All cup games on Sundays including Irish Senior Cup. Second competition to start in mid August possibly 20-30 overs, maybe involving North-West clubs to give it additional interest. Starting date unfortunately 2010 season.

How do we get the rules to cover a season like this ? But Senior teams pulling out of fixtures and handing points to teams in the relegation zone just can't be right. But is playing on a mud heap with a bar of soap a fair contest. If the NCU directive is to have a Premier League of 16 over two divisions why not play this "serious " cricket under different rules to the remainder . Maybe have stricter rules on covers ,ground sheets.water hogs,quality artificial wickets , quality professionals, rearrangements etc..Maybe have a situation were there is a play off between the bottom team in Section Two and the top "qualifying " club from Section Three to determine who plays where in the following season.
If you look back over the past ten seasons and analysis the number of games NOT played by teams outside the top two leagues then I would guess a "no rearrangement " policy would just tidy things up. Maybe we need to appoint a Premier League supremo charged with ensuring we have a real best v best contest and attract a sponsor and prize money that makes investment in facilities and players easier.
In fact would it be totally wrong to make a proposal to the NCU AGM that from 2009 season the clubs elect the Board of Directors / Committee call it what you will . ( I would suggest that this should include some Non Exec types not affiliated to any club ). Full stop.After that this elected executive of about 11 people take over all the decision making including what rules we play under.That way hopefully decisions will be made solely in the " interests of the game " and not in a "everyone looking after themselves " approach.
Radical thinking but we daren't carry on as we are.

Paul Doherty seems to think that we at Academy casually sold our ground for housing without any due concern for the future. Well let me tell you, not all ground sales are worth millions. We didn't have any choice but to sell as the sports club was in serious debt.

It goes without saying that everyone would have preferred to keep our ground. That was 20 years ago and yet, thanks to the commitment of a few devoted people, we're still hanging in there without a ground. I think we deserve a bit of support for managing to survive (and some clubs have been good to us including PSNI), not to be criticised as if we'd acted irresponsibly.

No excuses in Armagh other than rain and lots of it unfortunately :(

Jeff

I have great sympathy for Dundrum's position as I know exactly what it's like struggling at the bottom.

Although I no longer play for Lurgan I feel it is a sad day for the club. But it was inevitable it was going to happen. I spoke at the AGM about the need to play Sunday cricket having been at the sharp end of trying to get a team out Friday after Friday.

One thing I can refute is the suggestion they would get a team out if they had a chance of promotion or to avoid relegation. Not true. They couldn't get a decent team out on a Friday this time last year or the year before in a dire situation in Section 1 so they will hardly get one in a meaningless match (to them at least)in Section 2. I'm not even sure if they had 11 players last week to play Downpatrick and those that lost a days wages to watch it rain weren't going to do the same again.

One player told me that when you ask for the first Friday afternoon off you get it. The second you get it off but your boss is really cheesed off. By the third Friday you don't even ask.

Playing Sunday after Sunday isn't the answer either as players have families and social lives as well outside cricket and the NCU have to recognise that it is an amateur sport.

Jeff it may have been a tongue in cheek remark of yours but golf is becoming a more attractive option by the day. No points for anyone because of the rain it NOT working and it is driving people from the game.

Match today - D'aghy V Carrick
Unless i am totally wrong, North Down have yet again accommodated a match that would not otherwise have been played. North Down not even playing!!! Both grounds of the Clubs involved were obviously not playable, and for North Down to then provide The Green for the game is going well beyond the norm, particularly with the Senior title still up for grabs. Great example of the spirit of cricket, and well done to all at North Down (especially I suspect Raymond Moreland!).

Re Paul Stafford

Interesting response from a columnist on the other channel ! Questioning the idea of Lurgan being docked points for not fulfilling a fixture - if I remember right you were wanting to do away with Section Four as teams there weren't fulfilling fixtures. Your idea also that Lurgan are just putting out teams in September for other clubs' benefit is just about what I would expect from you, thats very kind of Lurgan to do that but when Lurgan entered the league at the beginning of the season was it not their objective to fulfil all fixtures with a view to winning them. With that type of attitude Lurgan could certainly be looking down the barrel of Section 3/4. On reflection Mr Stafford I believe if you were to reflect on your 'column' and own personal postings then it would be quite apparent how negative and bitter those posts were.

We at Armagh for several years travelled away with weakened teams on Sundays very rarely picking up results, luckily we are now able to play a number of Sundays at home after many years of campaigning to play.
I feel when a club registers to play in the Union they should in kind be committing to playing when and where required to complete games. Time to ban the non playing on Sundays regardless of who it will hurt

I think 90% of the clubs have already decided they don't want to play on Fridays. Count the matches and the number of clubs involved in Friday cricket. They are mostly anti Sunday clubs.
Is the tail wagging the dog?
Will the AGM be as lively as this forum on the topic?
It's good to hear the different views.

Didn't North/CSNI fail to put out a 1st XI either last season or the year before?
I seem to remember there were all sorts of dire warnings as to what would happen the 'next' time that happened!
As has been said by others - Friday is Lurgan's day of choice - How have Ballymena managed to get through their programme with a similar stance - maybe someone at Lurgan should ask rather than moaning about the weather.

Just like too inform people Dundrum DID NOT HIDE BEHIND THE RULES ! The team (not me) took the (brave or risky) decision not too give up home advantage ,yes we still hope too play at home next sat (maybe TOP GROUNDSMAN) PHILIP MCCORMICK will do us the same priveledge as lurgan & prepare STORMONT in case we cant???I can assure everyone that Dundrum will try & get the rest off the games played.I personally have sympathy with lurgan trying too get team out on fridays but even paul stafford will surely admit if his beloved lurgan were in with a chance of PROMOTION or RELEGATION they would have got a team & won or lost on the pitch!ps its never over till that fat lady sings & theirs more too life that CRICKET.pps armagh v dundrum off sat.