Forum

West to CIYMS
Jones to CIYMS
White to North Down
Haire to Downpatrick
Anyone else hear these?

Interesting feature on the site regarding the umpiring situation. I heard a rumour that at least half a dozen umpires in the NCU had refused to stand in games involving Instonians, anyone know if there is any truth in this?
I wonder if that will apply to CIYMS next year then…

Michael
Apologies if I gave any impression of valuing my opinion more than anyone elses. Personal opinions are exactly that and are of equal value to those that hold them. It's airing them that gets us thinking and without such debates the status quo would remain for ever. I personally think the Ulster League can only be kickstarted by a lucrative sponsorship deal. Maybe an 8 team Sunday league or something. I don't know but surely soon we have to try something. Looking at the NCU it is difficult to see where any real challenge to the Big Two is going to come from in the next 3 years. That's not a recipe to get people watching cricket.

Well done Instonians!
Your season started and finished with a bang and while there were a few interesting moments in between, it's great to finish on a high. Local cricket badly needs another team challenging the Big Two and let's hope this is the platform for future success.
Well done John and maybe we'll get a few drinks from you guys at the NCU dinner!

I am pleased to discover that Peter Connell has dismissed some REAL BATSMEN with his slower ball. Your photo shows me bewildered and bowled by his proto-type last June.
I feel tempted to call it a day for playing premier cricket after Inst's incredible win against the best team in the land or am I just depressed after such a miserably wet summer.
Fitting that N.Down should do the double to celebrate 150 great years!!!

Ivan I hope you're not suggesting that because you watch some North West cricket your opinion is the only one that counts.
There's nothing wrong with golden oldies still playing but you seem to put the North West ones on a pedestal. All were good cricketers in they day but recently they have been big fish in small ponds AND small grounds, occasionally at the same time. Next pick for Ireland is irrelevant as that has little to do with overall standards and isolating one umpire hardly makes North West cricket any better. Does the worst umpire make that union the worst for cricket?
As for Waringstown starting with ten men on Friday this was their choice to GET their strongest team out as they accommodated Kyle McCallen's late arrival. Also Waringstown has won many league championships in September down the years when cricket in both unions was much stronger.
Right now two teams compete for the title in the NCU and probably four in the North West. The solution is obvious but NCU clubs don't live as close to the Glenshane as you do and aren't interested in an Ulster League.

Michael
First question.How many games have you seen in both unions over the past 5 years.?Surely the golden oldies as you describe them are also still performing in the NCU.I see Uel Graham scored 98 yesterday,Ryan Eagleson 100,Garfield Harrison,Colin Magowan,Neil Doak have proved that even after years away from the game they can still perform in our top section.I'm not convinced the young talent is about in either union,but would wager that the next new Northener to win a full cap is as likely to come from the NW as the NCU.As I see it the four in contention will be Rankin,Dougherty,Stirling and Hall.I think if you check with the NCU umpires they have the highest regard for there NW counterparts and Ireland's leading umpire Charlie McElwee is from the NW.This paranoia about finishing in August is it better to play vital league games on a Friday of 32 overs where one of the teams fields with 10 men ? However you arrive at it though I think few would argue that in North Down and Brigade we got the deserving champions of 2007.

Very tardy treatment of North Down and their supporters that no presentation was made at Downpatrick when they won the league championship today. Obviously someone decided not to do it because everyone around local cricket should have known that North Down would be champions if they won the game.
Please explain NCU!

Ivan you have to be joking!
Those teams have as many passengers as good golden oldies. Get real the old guys are still around because the standard is so low. As for getting their season finished early it's only the first week in September and the reason why many of the North West matches get finished is because they play in the rain depending on who the umpires SUPPORT!

Brian's comments about NW are so far of the mark they made me laugh.
Limavady,Eglinton,Bready,Strabane,Brigade have grounds and facilities on a par with the majority of NCU clubs. And they aren't postage stamps. Some of Ulster's best players of the past 20 years go by the name of Curry,McBrine,Smyth,Gillespie,Thompson.And the fact we are still playing late into September is nothing to be proud of.Pros gone home,players moving to winter sports or taking end of season holidays make for some strange results.Having watched a lot of Senior games in both unions over the last 5 years the passion and better cricket from a spectator point of view is over the Glenshane,North Down v Waringstown being the exception.

I’m not sure why there seems to be a smug attitude from the North-Westers that their season is now over?
By their own admission the standard is at its lowest ever and they think this will be rectified by 20 over thrashes…
And the standard of pitches is laughable – what they consider to be a good batting wicket wouldn’t be considered playable in the other unions…
Duckworth/Lewis would also be tricky as I’m not sure if all of the clubs have electricity…
And the calculation of NRR would require the use of a computer…
But I suppose it will all be ok if they get to play their ‘pros’ in the Irish Senior Cup, we play all the games on postage stamp grounds with mud-heap pitches and if there is rain then thrash it out in as few overs as possible!!!
But don’t forget, the season is over now in the North-West which is the main thing.

RE Paul and Anon.
As regards "County" would have to agree with Paul. A mixture of overseas players attracted to Eire, some limited local passion for the sport and the essential " big money man" behind the scenes have contributed to their success AND rightful billing as one of the best Irish club sides ever.

Maybe not the best club team of all time but better than anything around for a long time! Probably only Railway to rival them with the Hills and Phoenix just behind. No NCU teams in sight and if Curry and McBrine retire as predicted then the North West teams needn't enter the competition.

Has anyone ever heard such nonsense - North County the best team of all time in the history of Irish cricket!

Cheers Michael - I'll even stand you a pint!
I am serious that views and suggestions on this subject in an aim to improve the workings of youth cricket are genuinely welcome.