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taito. did reply twice but they not posted so try AGAIN.I DIDNT COMPARE HIM 2 BUSHE AS IVE NEVER SEEN HIM (MY MATE ALAN NEILL SAYS HE TOP CLASS)IT WAS THE UMPIRES WHO COMPARED &IF U READ MY 3RB LAST POST THATS WHAT I SAID !!but tell u this if u say their is lots better than derrick mccann that can only be good for our sport!!if i had 1wish it would be that the NCU could set up 2 3 DAY SUMMER COACHING FOR JUNIOR CLUBS KIDS&MAYBE UTILISE THE COACHES THAT OUR IN FIXTURE BOOK&I BET THEIR IS GOOD FEW WHO ARE TEACHERS OR MAYBE OF DURING SUMMER AS its the clubs future players that is the secret too keeping our great game off CRICKET alive

TAITO.read my last post i said the umpires did(im talking aboutTOP SECTION 1 umpires)i havnt seen BUSHE so therefore i cant compere them,but will say if he &rest better than derrick they MUST BE BRILLIANT!!!i agree that lot its lot easier too bat when wickets hard (not just for pros)but believe me their is no pressure on our first pro as wee ALREADY FAVOURITES FOR RELEGATION.I HOPE he is good player but MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR DUNDRUM THAT HE CAN COACH SCHOOL KIDS THAT IN FUTURE PROVIDE PLAYERS THAT KEEP OUR CLUB IN EVEN SECTION 4 AS ITS CLUB THAT IS THE BIGGER PICTURE NOT SECTION 2. as you no anyclub can FOLD &that is why i have even changed my opinion(noel mcarey whos opinion i RESPECT told me that coaches will do more in 2years than we can in 6years)that is why we are signing him(ps hope he enjoys DUNDRUM as i woundnt want 2 leave my home for 100£ week)wouldnt pay us for beer &food for a NIGHT OUT?RE.ROBIN cheers no better than tony martin &hear he fancies DUN DOIRE aintree 46 1 on betfair. if CRETE GOES DONCASTER IT worth betting.

Re Derrick McCann

Personally I think he's an exceptional keeper, and I know we would have jumped at the chance of him joining us. I don't know if his batting will be up to section 1 standard or not but not much will get by him behind the stumps.

Robin, you're right about the youngsters at Saintfield. The more experienced players at the club are very optimistic about their future and if we can keep them at the club there's no reason why we can't start looking at the other end of Section 2 instead of worrying about relegation. I know yourself and Taimur have been a big help with them at the winter academy and just seeing them perform in the nets shows how much they've come on.

Jeff, the beers will be waiting for you and your guys on the 10 May, hopefully we'll have the race night after the match. Rodney, still haven't forgiven you for omitting me from your Section 3 team last year. Revenge will be mine LOL.

Jeff: i have never laughed so much as you compared derrick mccann with bushey behind the stumps, i dont want to get in to a slagging match about anyone but bushey and several others are leagues above derrick when it comes to keeping.There is absolutely no jealousy involved at all as all four wicket keepers we tried last year fit in well to the team and will play for the TEAM.

You are right although about good players will score runs anywhere but having seen so many pros over the years there have been quite a few who have not adjusted to the wickets here, so it will be a big test for your young sri lankan, you might find that him like plenty of others in the past might only start to show their real talent come the end of june or july when the wickets firm up.

re: j hewitt

Firstly i'd like to know who the j hewitt is as i dont think there is one in dundrum.

Secondly the matter of how good a player, in this case wicketkeeper is, is a matter of opinion and opinions will differ. I have absolutely no doubt that derrick mccann will prove his critics wrong in section 1 this year. Without doubt he has been as good as any wicket keeper I have played with or against. In fact I havent seen anyone better standing up. Again its a matter of opinion and the majority of umpires that were at our ground last year seemed to agree.

TAITO,Do i detect &bit off JEALOUSY regardind derrick mccann jnr as last year in game u changed wicket keeper 4 times (even GENIUS still be as better that that lol).i just no that that in games last year that derricks displays with the gloves were according too the umpires who do lots section 1 games were as good as johny bushe,hi PRAISE INDEED!!!a lot has been said bout our wickets let me say this GOOD PLAYERS ADAPT &PLAY ON ANY SURFACE we had 1000runs scored in 1weekend last year.yes it not as true &fast as STRANGFORD ROAD but when u have a river that floods THE MEADOW every year its as good as we ever gone get it.professionals micheal clarke ,kemetar too name few all scored big hundreds&daniel gledhill got best 96 ive seen,really point im tryen 2 make is that if YOUR GOOD ENOUGH YOU will .ps neil gelston always scores runs dundrum (hope hes away )rumours abound you bowling half volleys in nets ?WHAT EVER HAPPENED TOO YOUR LONG HOPS &FULL TOSSERS. LOL (NEVER LAUGHED AS MUCH SINCE doctor told me i could start DRINKING AGAIN.LOL

Bumper "moral high ground" Dale!!!

Billy, whilst i tend to agree with you that the general level of on the field sledging etc has been on the increase for a few years, you my old friend can be as guilty of it as the next man as North Down have witnessed on quite a few occassions over the past few years and as staffy pointed out on a previous post.

Remember the ulster cup final last year? You spent the entire second innings on the boundary edge shouting very audibly "this is easy" and "just too good, just too good" on a ridiculous amount of occassions!!!

The game you mention in your post between N Down and Inst that got heated, is that the game PC gave you a send off and you turned straight back and complained to the umpires? If you dish it out Bill you gotta take it back mate. I dread to think of the amount of times we have all heard you shout "too good for you" just as you've practically released the ball to the batsman!!

Mostly all good fun with you of course Bill but as i said earlier if you dish it out you gotta take it when it comes back at you!!

Hope you have a great season with the master race Bumper and im sure i'll see you during the season.

great craic boys between downpatrick and dundrum, will definetly take in one of these games during the season.dont underestimate saintfield guys as myself and t.khan have seen at first hand that they have several young good ones who should do very well in section 2 indeed they are ready for section 1, hopefully with saintfield in the near future.

ps.jeff dundrum t.martin tells me royal county star easter monday irish grand national get ur mortgage on it.

Re. PC and Staffy's comments.
Yes Bowlers should have an arsenal of one liners. Here are a few of mine- 'A good batsman would have edged that one!' and 'If you're looking for the ball its in the keeper's gloves !'
Good banter and no need for abusive language.
Staffy's comment about 'rabbits'
My good friend Mr. Chief groundsman Moreland of the Green was playing for ND seconds with me and as they foolishly had made me captain I was batting at number 6. As I went out to bat the comment was made 'Well if a rabbit is at number six what does that make us?' The answer given 'FERRETS' THAT'S WHAT GOES IN AFTER THE RABBIT.
Hence the Ferret Club was establihed and all players who have batted below me in the order are members!!!

Jeff , yeah i heard you had a sri lankan it will be inteesting to see how he settles in and gets used to the wickets at dundrum. No doubt he will help though.
Rodney, i dont think there was ever any doubt that you were good enough pal, i am gutted im missing the game at our place because i am sure the banter will be electric.
John, i am sure saintfield and dundrum will compete against most teams especially on their own patch, it is a tough league though so it will be interesting to see how you get on, and how we get on.
Terrible news to hear that Derrick wont be playing against us!!

Good to hear from you John. The craic was great last year between us not to mention me bowling the final over and phil murray skying one....what a game. I have played in a few nail biters in my time (about 6 for downpatrick) but that was a match that will live long in the memory. Not sure what the funniest thing was Gavin stumbling back to get murray caught or Jeff slapping sparky into the big tree at the river for 6 FIRST BALL! Classic! and here is me having to close my eyes every time the ball is hit at him - his eye sight is terrible but i guarantee that he could still and may well have to still bat....The man is an absolute legend and for those of you who dont know him you will get to know him....He's the big fat hairy man who used to walk around the ground with a pint and shout No Pro - No Show, Pro's out!!!!! (yes we are getting a pro this year!). As for the matches between us and also Downpatrick i'm getting the feeling that they will be show piece matches which will hopefully generate a bit of interest in the area. The media have already promoted the games so i think its up to the clubs to make the local aware that these are big games.

Obviously losing Derrick McCann was a big blow for us for it will be very difficult for us this year but I do think that with the strength in depth that Sainfield have they will shock a few.

Rumour has it that Neil Gelston is away to CIYMS? Any truth? Apparently for 6k as someone mentioned on Cricket Europe forum. Am slightly surprised at a figure like that being paid for someone who has been good the past few years but not exceptional. Ah well I say fair play to the lad if he can get it and perhaps he's looking to play at the highest standard anyhow.

CIYMS have really raised the bar this year with the money being talked about. I may be entirely wrong but just quoting what ive heard.

Over and out....

STAFFY(tink i no u long 2 enuff 2 call u that .lol)not a LEGEND just played 35 years at dundrum &was capt twice winning 2 mid ulster MCGREADY CUPS beating THE NEDD &BONDS GLEN (by god do they play hard&drink like (FISH),but best game 4me was after 2 brain operations(yes they cudnt find it 1st time) i got GUARD OF HONOUR at academy on my return 2 section3!!i did shed a tear until davy greenlees said some get this RABBIT out so we can win(was funny).RE JOHN,bay inn was the place 2 have the craic(that great umpire peter whyte drank 30 pints in a 10 hour stint wen game was washed out)landlord wants him down here as often as possible.lol.john&mark what clubs you from?just tink be nice 2 no!!RE john wheeler i paid a FERRY 2 get u home as u said u were joining us.lol john we will have some craic this year no MATTER what results are as not enough players enjoy our SPORT as its not all about winning!!ps its your round or will i post a TRANSFER ON THE NEXT FERRY?CRETE will win at doncaster just needs RAIN.

Well said Billy. My reference was not to highlight this particular match but to highlight the fact that the NCU acted and the action they took. The situation is widespread and needs to be addressed. Last year I chatted with a very distinguished Waringstown veteran (he used to hit both you and me all over the place) and he told me he rarely watched the game these days because of all the unsporting behaviour and gamesmanship. Again, nice words for cheating. Wouldn't it be nice if clubs made public statements that they have zero tolerance for such behaviour and then made it happen?

A few years ago Peter Maxwell was coming into bat when Billy Dale said 'here come the rabbits now'. Pete replied with 'that's a bit rich coming from someone who's nickname is Bumper!'
Classic

Billy,
the umpiring was surely worse than the banter? players who should have been out have/will always receive grief while they are still batting, how each team deal with it is half the challenge. with rivalry and competitive matches there will and should be a place for a few verbals. sometimes less articulate players may go over board in the heat of it but shake hands, accept any punishment and move on? what is a fast bowler without a few handy one liners?