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Brendan, have to agree on your Belfast comment but taking top teams up to the North West doesn't make financial sense. your grounds aren't up to scratch and everytime somebody says that you all get annoyed. The NCU aren't interested because they play matches on the same day as internationals so come to Clontarf and enjoy yourself. Bring the wife and the kids and stay a few days. Lovely place.

How can anyone expect cricket followers in the North West to support Irish cricket when they don't get any of the top games?
What's the point in staging games in Belfast when nobody goes to watch?
We have great supporters and if you saw the TV coverage in the West Indies at the World Cup you'd have seen more people from the North West than Belfast and Dublin combined!

Just read some of the nonsense being thrown about on Civil Service North about hosting internationals. What peole like Paddy O'Hara need to realize is that hosting any representative game is hard work for the members with no thanks. The ICU doesn't spend money on grounds or promoting cricket as they want everything for nothing. As for hosting matches in the North West get real, their website promoters can't even spell!
Give the matches to Clontarf and save yourself the hassle!

Good article on Charlie McCrum. Still a great player and still as competitive as ever. He could play for any of the section one teams except Waringstown as they never gave him a chance when he was there before.
All this fuss about paid players and people like Staffy stirring the pot will come to nothing as it has been around for years and will be around for years to come. Live with it Staffy and concentrate on things that you can change!

Thankyou very much for your kind and honest comments on my cricket career. You could be a very good sport psychologist.
However, playing at Glendermott and North Down were just as much highlights of the season as scoring centuries. What was even more enjoyable was playing at Laurelvale with people like Wayne, Bruce, Noel and Paul whom I had mostly competed against in the past. To me that's a success story of Ulster Cricket.

Well done the Leinster umpires.
The white stick trophy heads south again, but what a brilliant day out at Saintfield.

Just read the email team and got a good laugh but a bit disappointed there's no room for a Dubliner!

Well done NDCC Under 13 XI.
A great credit to northern cricket and maybe the tide will turn when these youngsters come through.
Also congrats to the Leinster Umpires.
I couldn't make either game as I had the flu.

With most of the cricket over and the highlight of the season looming (NCU AGM) are any of the website experts going to stand for office? Seems to me they are the answer to the NCU woes and I can't beleive they aren't close enough to the action to get nominated.
Come on guys get behind the wheel and not in front of it!

Hi Robin,
We haven't met but I was at the Rush game last year so I feel I know you a little. I didn't castigate North Down earlier in the season, you guys did it yourselves as Phoenix isn't the best team in Dublin yet you made so many excuses after getting beaten. Despite being also-rans in the Irish Senior Cup for some time I accept you are still the best team in the NCU so please come to the table as we want better competition. I'm up fpr a pint with you as it's only a game.
So are there signs for Saintfield from Newry?

to paul hatton saintfield is 8 miles from comber where north down play their cricket. i distinctly remember you castigating our team earlier in the season. half a dozen of us are looking forward to having a pint or 2 with you on saturday. the late news is that i have been brought in to umpire the match can i have a bet on john andrews and mick dwyer not scoring 10 between them for the southern team.

While I think on the whole the NCU Development plan has a lot of merit I think the one club one vote is flawed.I think the present one team, one vote reflects the wider cricketing family. Not everyone involved in or playing cricket gets there kicks from Senior cricket. For those playing Junior or social cricket it is important they are heard.

Read some of the stuff Billy Henderson wrote on the other site and have to confess I haven't a clue what he's on about. Thankfully some of his neighbours pointed out the reason why Lurgan and Downpatrick got relegated was because they didn't win enough matches even with their pros. As for grounds being up to standard and all that what is Billy raving on about?
Lurgan will bounce back as their under 11 team look like world-beaters according to their chairman. Is he for real?

Hi Happy North-Wester although there aren't many like you if the websites are a fair reflection! Yes, we've turned into whingers as well but this is the mad season when the cricket is all but over and the website pundits who made all their great predictions that didn't come true now try to stir the pot. September blues for a lot of people and the only thing you guys have left to win is the White Stick trophy. By the way where is Saintfield?

Interesting to note that the North-Westers are discussing the standard/size of their grounds and pitches. These guys normally stick together on this issue but to be honest, it was only a matter of time before it came to the fore… You have to have decent pitches to help the development of the game, especially in an All-Ireland context.