Forum

Great stuff section 2 this year. Lots of interest and at this stage it looks almost certain that Woodvale and Ballymena are going up with maybe Lurgan as an outside chance.
Well done to anyone who took advantage of an injured and out of form Laurelvale side in our first six games but looking forward to playing anyone from here on in.
Can I also commend the N C U on an excellent change of the 20/20 format. Looking forward to sunday.

ps. No comment yet on Ulster Shield.

Sam,
Might North Down feel the Twenty20s is small fry beside the other tournaments and tactfully withdraw? Can't see they have much to gain from playing in it when there are so many important fixtures coming up.
Just read that Rodney's boys are exhausted already with their fixtures and it's only the start of June.

Good to see some controversy and proper cricket disussion on this forum. The other channel has been talking about teas for four weeks now. Think in the next few weeks we'll be talking about fixture congestion for North Down. Already a Senior Cup replay, two league games to rearrange, plus Ulster Cup semis now moved to 6 July, which is the original date scheduled for the Twenty20 finals. And that's not taking into account any further progress in the Senior or Irish Cup. Add in a closed Saturday at the start or August, and a few rainy days at some point. Might be a few Fridays off work coming up.

Taito
Your argument that Downpatrick and Lurgan make the league stronger only applies if you think that those two teams are better than CIYMS and Cliftonville, since they are the teams that have been replaced?!
Marky

mark c i am only going by what experienced section 2 players have been saying. Having not played much in section 2 i cant really judge how strong it is, but with two coming down from section one now and the two that came up competiung very well i think that it seems to be a stronger league. As in the past other teams that have come up have really struggled and not been strong enough.

Also i would say that ballymena are a stronger side now than they were when they went down, and woodvale likewise, ourselves and lurgan came down last year and are pretty much the same as we were then, so surely two teams that have played in section 1 for so long would make the league stronger.

Rodney,

I appreciate and note your reply. I certainly wouldn't expect there to be a bad relationship between the clubs but I can only speak for myself on that matter. Personally I enjoyed my first trip to the Meadow and hope that we are in the same division next year to get another game.

Guys, I'm catching up on the forum after a few months offline and am surprised to see so much reference to Section 2 being so 'strong'.
Can anyone name one of the teams that is stronger than when they were relegated in the last few years?
Woodvale, Ballymena, Downpatrick, Lurgan, Muckamore, all the same if not weaker than when they went down.
Competitive yes, strong, I can't see the logic?
Marky

Readers should note that I made clear that Dundrum had absolutely no obligation under the laws of the game to provide a substitute and were quite within their rights to refuse us, but like Taito, I had never seen a genuine request turned down. I have now I suppose.

As for going back to the Dundrum Inn, it was a split decision between our team members and on the main the guys who were unfortunate enough to have not taken a day off today wanted to get home as quickly as they could. Didn't seem to be any dissent when I explained that to the dressing room as we were leaving the Meadow.

taito

congratulations on a good win at the weekend. you are right things are pretty tight. I've found if you get the pro out early against most of the teams (bar the top two or three) you are in with a real chance.

Gareth

As captain of Dundrum CC I have to say it was a difficult situation for me to be in and could not make the call myself as matters like this have to go in front of the team. Due to us playing saturday and sunday for the past 3 weeks or so and after fielding around 90 to 100 overs in two days our boys were shattered. It would have been unfair for me to ask one of them to go out and field another fifty overs in what would have been an awkward situation for various reasons. In terms of sportsmanship, you can ask almost any team that have played against us and they'll tell you that we are one of the most sporting teams in the NCU. Unfortunately for you your man got injured and you had no one to sub field (I even said we'd mark the book which our players hate doing!). If I was in the same position (and it has happened to me twice this year) I would not ask the opposing captain for a sub fielder. Moreover the man that was injured batted on and would have stayed til the end if he hadn't of been caught. Also after the sub fielder went on he was seen standing at the side of the ground watching for a good while, the same that he had done at slip.

I do not want to get into a slanging match but I am a little surprised and disappointed that this matter has been brought to the forum and that you do not understand the position that I was in.

I trust that this will not lead to a bad relationship between the clubs and think you should take an objective view towards the situation.

Good luck for the rest of the season and I hope the injured party recovers soon.

Taito,
I refer you to Weedys post. Dundrum allowed their scorer to field but they refused. I can't see how any part of it could be construed as gamesmanship. I think Gareth realises that and maybe regrets his post.

gareth, defintely sour grapes, the decision lies with dundrum as they have no obligatoion to give you a sub fielder. In saying that i have never played in a game where a team has refused to give the opposition a sub fileder if required.

the table is getting very tight at the bottom in section 2 , as three out of the four bottom teams got a win over the weekend

Might sound like sour grapes? Catch yourself on. IT IS SOUR GRAPES. Do football, rugby, hockey, etc lend opposition a player? I think not. It up to Dundrum whether they should or not. It also puts pressure on Armagh skipper. Where do they put him in the field? Covers, slip, maybe wicket-keeper, or is he going to run from deep fine leg at the end of every over to deep fine leg. Does Dundrum give you a players who has already batted, or yet to bat. In the heat of yesterday, Should Dundrum give Armagh their best fielder or worst fielder? Where does it actually end. Dundrum made the right decision not giving you anyone. If you don't have the subs with you to back up your players, don't expect other teams to do it for you. End off story.....

gareth, sounds like sour grapes to me. I played my last game at CIYMS on sat fielding with injured back for 37 overs & its up to every club to bring subs(not sure if they allowed) i personally wouldnt dream of asking CIYMS for a fielder risking him possible injury or even worse contributing too help beat his own team.tell you one thing yous done enough BITCHING yesterday about it,the player in question chose too stay on batting when INJURED so theirfore risked more pain so then you crywolf when he changes his mind about fielding. We offered too let your scorer field&we would mark the book but you declined.not that it matters but you could have brought as sub with you (forgot you couldnt get a team last sunday). really think its petty that you try too blame Dundrum & think you be better trying too run your own club as if you check the LAWS OF CRICKET Dundrum didnt break any.ps we laid on free food in the DUNDRUM INN for yous but yous didnt turn up ah well the GRAPES were eatn.

Come on Gareth get real in today's world. Substitute fielders should be abolished. What other sport expects the opposition to provide a sub when a player is injured? And is the sub really a part of the fielding team? He's spy in the camp!
It's the most stupid thing in cricket. If a team wants to protect itself against injury it should travel with a 12th man.