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There have been quite a few "tattoo" comments with regard to my posting on 6 June and I consider that a response is necessary.

First of all this was reportage, not me offering my personal opinion on tattoos. How the reporting of a fact can be interpreted as a personal opinion on that fact is, quite frankly, beyond my understanding.

Secondly. Is it all right for a person with a tattoo on display that could possibly cause offence go out to umpire, and is this something that should not be reported, as some of you seem to suggest?

Third. I would most respectively suggest that people who choose to have offence tattoos also have a duty to society like the rest of us. They are not the only ones who have rights and should, if they are responsible people, take into account other people's possible sensitives, and dress accordingly, depending on where they are and what they are doing.

Third. I find it very disappointing that no one had a thing to say about all of the other points that I mentioned in this posting; all that some of you, including The Rev, could do was to find the time to come onto this forum to slap me across the face for reporting that a person had an offensive tattoo.

Finally I say to all of you, including The Rev, who had something to say on this matter; if your sixteen year old daughter brought home a new boy friend with an offence tattoo, would your tolerance threshold for offence tattoos suddenly undergo a severe drop in temperature to Absolute Zero perhaps?

Re: Jimmy Banbridge

Was at Woodvale couple of weeks ago when the Knights trained there and have to say they look an impressive bunch, wouldn't fancy your selections chances against them.
My main point of interest though is that you selection has not one Woodvale player selected, even though they are unbeaten thus far this season, have been in contention last couple of years and top Ncu Section One....blinkered me-thinks

Fair play to you Ed, running a forum is a thankless task and you deserve credit for all the hard work you put in, personally I think this will be better for all of who contribute in the long run.

Information...
As from today we have stopped the use of pseudonyms, false and bogus names. Unfortunately a small group are besotted with insults, innuendo and inflated opinions without credibility, knowledge or fact. The Ulster Cricketer will only accept known names by the website, and to verify these names it may be requested. Others use proper names, so it shouldn't be a problem. I have spent too much time dealing with trouble-makers and slagging under the cloak of umbrellas. However, I'm disappointed that the others are genuine cricket lovers with positive points.
Feel free to clarify with clarence@caribbeanmortgages.com but don't send the insults as you won't have a reply.
Clarence Hiles
Editor

Ed

When was the last time you saw any of these guys I'm talking about from section one? My guess is never for most. Which would back up my point. No one is watching or cares about these guys as cricketers! You're selecting a 'first class' team from 8 sides! 4 if you look at who's playing actually. It's a joke. Why not give these guys a chance! Give them a go against the knights as a training session. You'll find the gulf in class isn't what you'd think!!

Ed,

Interesting point about these guys lacking ambition. If N Down were to get relegated would you accuse P.Eakin, A.Shields etc of a lack of ambition if they stayed?

Admire Craig Lewis hugely. Could have left derriaghy every season for a decade. But has stayed loyal and has been rewarded the last two years.

That's a very Elitist small minded mindset. Maybe the clubs in the leagues below premier should close their doors.

Would certainly hammer CSNI and Lisburn that team.....

Seems to be a lot of pessimism in Bangor towards the ability of players in section 1. Interesting that two or three of their players have been mentioned in teams of section 1. Maybe the lack of ambition explains their languishing league position.

People need a reality check. I watch clips of the Knights playing and see wide half volleys and half trackers being bowled at Ed Joyce. You are delusional if you think Craig Lewis or Jonny Terrett wouldn't mash that all round the park too.... Templepatrick got relegated from section 1 two years ago, the same season they scored 250 against premier league champions instonians. By this time last year Craig Lewis had more runs in the PL than he does this year, is the bowling really much better? Derriaghy beat CIYMS and Donemana last season, the same team is currently in the bottom half of section 1.

So much delusion and snobbery from the Premier League. When in reality if you gave the section 1 clubs a first class pro they are no worse than half the premier league. Look at Muckamore! Took them 3 years to get out of section 1, now challenging for the Premier League with a good pro.

If you look back on the emerging Knights fixtures last season. It is your Bryans, McCords, Burns and J.Magee performing. Not your Haggans and Berrys. Although all 3 have started this season well it must be said.interestingly several muckamore lads starred for them last year too and have been left out?

But to throw and umbrella over section 1 players and say they can't compete at that level is a joke. Ross Adair is box office. Four 90s/100s in a row? But yes, these guys don't deserve a go. Play 30 year old Craig Lewis and Stephen Bunting and other full Knights in the emerging Knights, great for the future...

I see Tom Stanton is in the Lightning team for next T20. Another division 2 player aged 21 making his lightning debut. We complain about our small pool of players and wonder why we can't compete. Leinster don't rule out 18 clubs like we do, might be a small part of it.

NCU BYE-LAWS (2017 Edition)

w) Umpires Players acting as umpire in the absence of officially appointed umpires shall wear a white coat.

re jimmys section 1 team.

it would get relegated from the Premier league.

Section 1 XI

Few players from Woodvale would be miffed not to be in that line up, Gelston from Armagh would also walk onto any League select. Park wouldn't be the 'keeper either.

Given junior league matches only consist of 20/ 25 overs with the agreement of both clubs at the fixtures arrangement meeting could they not play some matches midweek thus taking the schools cricket congestion out of the equation it would I think make more of our limited summer and facilitate more participation and less walkovers

Arthur

My Auld Granny hated young people not dressing for Church until the Minister pointed out that he was grateful they were there at all.

Please don't continue :)

I agree totally with Arthur. Standards are slipping. I want more handlebar moustaches, cream teas and 5 day matches for u11s.
And we should bring back this disciplined attitude to other areas as well. Bring back the cane at school, hanging and other forms of corporal punishment, bring back kids working in the mines and let's take the vote back of women.
Progress and advancement in cricket? Who wants that?
Or maybe not Arthur. Maybe we should move with the times. All sports and fashions change and I for one embrace it. Bring on the tattoos and the piercings as long as people play our game
Sammy

Don't you realise Arthur that if that guy hadn't taken his phone with him he would have felt totally isolated from his world? He wouldn't have been aware of where his friends were eating, drinking or giving opinions on world shattering events?! Concentration on the game wouldn't come into it!

Would just like to make a comment RE Section One players and not being recognised for Knights Selection. The reason for this is that these players are not being watched. There isn't even a stats zone in place to keep track of good consistent performers. We can't keep letting these players slip through the system and be penalised for not playing for a premier league club. I would love to see a game of the best premier league vrs the best section one. I would say it would be a lot closer than people would think! My NCU Section One team to play:

C Lewis (Captain)
P Park (Wk)
M English
R Adair
J Terrett
R Smyth
A Nixon
M McCord
R Boultwood
D Kennedy
C Moorhead