Forum

junior inter pro team: a few names

neil gelston (downpatrick)
james cunningham (downpatrick)
andrew kirkpatrick (woodvale wk)
Van niekerk (Lurgan, assuming he is eligible?)
b baguley (muckamore)
p mccormick (hollywood)

these are just a few which going on form could be there or there abouts

Good to see someone from the NCU on, congrats Roger! - However regarding my earlier question regarding the postponement of our game this Saturday, do you know when Waringstown made the initial request to have the game postponed - As I've already said I fully agree with the decision.

Rodney re people who don't play on a Sunday, I know of some people who don't play Sunday credit, namely David and James Kennedy of Ballymena - I fully respect their stance however they would probably make most peoples team.

I have to agree that junior inter pro's are a waste of time, i am one who is in favour of bringing back the senior inter pros but because they can be used to see more players on the fringe of the ireland set up playing against the best.

The junior version has no such purpose and i can see where rodney is coming from in that some guys might see it as an honour to be picked for an inter pro side, but i can guarantee you that the team that is originally picked doesnt even closely resemble the team that finally takes the field. Many people will pull out or become unavailable , so really if you come in as a replacement or a replacement for a replacement where is the honour in that?

Junior Inter Pro

I always welcome suggestions from clubs re in-form players we should be considering for the Junior Inter-Pro. Please feel free to email me any recommendations, otherwise we just have this year's result forms and successful performances in previous seasons to go on. I would also be interested in seeing what Section 2 cricketers reckon is the strongest side we can field (no ex-Ireland internationals allowed)

Paul

I agree with most of the points in your last post. With regards Senior inter pro, thats another topic but I think interpro cricket (if top players are selected) is a good indication of the standard of the different unions. It is good to know what the standard is like at junior level as well as senior as it could be argued it is a truer reflection of the state of the unions.

I only know of one player who would not player due to sunday cricket (ok i dont know enough about the other teams) but that is his choice and I dont think this is an argument to cancel the interpro. I agree entirely with you about playing the game so soon. THis favours the clubs that are in the section last year as new players from promoted clubs don't have the opportunity to push for a place. I think the inter pro should be picked based on facts from this season, even if its only 5 games in. This way everyone plays on merit and not for the fact they are a big name.

I also agree with you on Sunday cricket, I dont like the fact of playing sunday cricket every week and I have done it lots in the past, but I think there are other reasons why this is happening and it shouldnt be blamed on one single inter pro match.

As you say Paul, everyone is entitled to their opinion so I'll respect yours.

Ivan, it would be interesting to pick a team from section 2 as their are lots of good players. Barring the pro's what would your team be?

I'll start off by throwing a few players into the pot for consideration.

1) Leon Moore - Batsman - Hollywood
2) Seamus Sharkey - Batsman - Hollywood
4) John Tormey - WK - Dundrum
5) Lee Connor - Opening Bowler - Dundrum
6) Joel Maguire - Off Spinner - Dundrum
7) Ray McCavery - Batsman - Saintfield

As you can see these are all players that play alongside me or who i've played against however the teams are from the lower half of the table and by no means will get into the side but I feel they should be considered.

R

Please no Ivan. Don't invite a lot of meaningless selections upon us. I agree with both Rodney and you in that they have a benefit and teams should be selected on merit. A trawl of all the clubs would be the most democratic way but we know it will be passed to appointed NCU selectors to make the picks.
Meanwhile the silence from the NCU men is deafning!

Have the NCU employed Caitriona Ruane in their decision Making process????

Or are they so impressed with how the IFA do business they thought they would follow suit.

No, sorry I forgot they have been making decisions like this since Adam and Eve first pulled on the whites!

Firstly can I say.... I am not playing this season so it in no way has an impact on my Sat afternoon of Shopping or drinking watching the FA cup Final. But if my memory serves my correctly, was there not a fixture farce last season due to the weather? Now we can't play cricket when it’s dry!

I totally understand the Waringstown position, but why has it taken until the wed before the game for the NCU to inform the home team of this????

If the rules state that a club can have a game cancelled due to a player or players being involved with the international team, why the need for a meeting? And surely there has to be a cut off dated for this to happen.

Rodney,

It's always a matter of opinion - I just don't see the point in organising this game seeing as how there isn't even a Senior Inter-Pro, added to the fact that some of the best players in Section 2 aren't available for this game due to Sunday cricket. I suppose if people don't want to play in it they'll just declare that they aren't available - therefore rendering this game meaningless!

If this game has to be played why play it at this time of the year considering this is when most re-arrangements are required, why not play it in August and the selectors will also be able to see who has performed over the year - How can you pick the best players after maybe 4 or 5 games?

Maybe, someday, if your team/players have to play 5 Saturday/Sundays in a row you'll maybe change your view!

I think the junior inter pro would have more meaning and honour if the sides were selected as the best team not what I think the policy is of sharing the places around the clubs.That way we have players feeling good having earned selection.Any thoughts on what the NCU team might be then.?

It seems a strange decision to get a game off because of one player.The fixture jam this could cause is unthinkable. I assume the NCU have now insisted that Instonians play Waringstown in a league game.Both clubs will have picked teams before this decision and after all the other 20 odd players will be keen to play especially in this spell of weather.

Couple of points to make guys.

First I think it is a disgrace that matches should be abandoned because 1, yes 1, player is missing from a team. I can see waringstown's argument but come on NCU, you can make a common sense decision once in a while. I am not sure what the rules are around this but surely there should be a couple of clearly stated rules rather than leaving it to the disgression of the NCU.

Do county sides in England postpone matches because a player is playing for his country (yes, maybe they have a bigger squad to choose from but the principal is the same). Here in Ireland we need to play as many matches as possible during the good weather so to me it is both pointless and stupendous that a match be called off for one player. Does that mean that every time there is an ireland match, there will be a load of games not played because of players playing for their country?

Second point I have to make is about the Junior Inter Pros. Someone said it was an absolute waste of time having one. I have to disagree considering a lot of junior clubs have players who would be delighted to play in an inter pro. This would be a great achievement for them considering the time and effort they put in over the years and could also lead to bigger and better things as some of the players playing in section 2 have a lot of ability.
Moreover, notice who is making the argument, perhaps if their team were in Section 1 they wouldnt have to complain too much about it!

From a Woodvale perspective I totally understand Waringstown's request and for that matter agree with it, my only queries would be - when was the request made to the NCU and how long did it take the NCU to make the decision?

I also notice that the meaningless Junior Interpro is back! What a great decision, therefore meaning no Section 2 games can be played on Sun 8th June. We at Woodvale now have to re-arrange Holywood and Saintfield games within the 22 day rule. Yeah sure we could play Holywood Sun 25th May and Saintfield Sun 15th June, thrown into the mix Ulster Shield game on Sun 1st June, Junior Inter-Pro Sun 8th June and Twenty/20 Sun 22nd June - some guys are going to end up playing 5 Saturday and Sundays in a row - hardly seems right, when are we supposed to see kids/wives/mistresses seeing as how we work all week - Great work NCU, keep it up!

Re Michael Patterson
I’m not informed at all, I just have a good memory!
Agree that the NCU should come out with an explanation ASAP…
...but no chance of that!

Alan, you are well informed so maybe one of the NCU men could give us an official answer? Come on guys we know you are reading this so don't ignore the issue and nip it in the bud with some information on your committee decisions. These should not be trade secrets.
If Instonians won't play because a player is unavailable then 21 other players must be wondering why they play at all. Waringstown has a good case.

Maybe the NCU could clarify when postponements became Union Policy again?
I could have sworn this rule was abolished at NCU AGM level about 10 years ago?
Weren't North Down penalised (who else would be in the middle of it!) when they had 3 players selected for international duty, eventually losing the league, then the clubs threw the rule out at the end of the season, 2000 I think it was?
Seems odd that the clubs abolish the rule only for the Union to make it a bye-law!!! Not that odd though for the NCU I suppose, a law onto themselves as usual.
The Waringstown one at least seems plausible as it is 3 players but Inst with 1, that was never in the rules even before.
And who decided that the Senior Cup is more important than the Senior League?