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Re. Steven

This debate has got nothing to do with the recent Home Office changes re. Visas.

Current 1st Class Cricketers have been deemed too good for Section 1 by the NCU for some time now. Therefore they have not been eligible to play in that league for the past few seasons not just this season.

I asked. You answered. I've replied!

Ivan. For the love of God.

Senior 1 = Senior Cricket

Junior 1 = Junior Cricket

Are you saying your 1s and 2s have been playing at the same level for the past 3 years? Easy to say now when you are in the premier league.

A Junior 1 team would get eaten alive by the worst teams in section 1. Jarred Barnes can't play 2nd XI cricket as he played inter-pro cricket.

Maybe if muckamore one day utilise the 35 coaches they are paying and 55 ex-captains who watch every Saturday and produce a player of the calibre of Stirling maybe they will appreciate cliftonville's side of it.

Great to see Paul play, jarred played in the same game, your point is redundant. Maybe when the money stops flowing at moylena and in 20 years time you have an Irish international in your ranks and you are a senior 1 club, you may have a very different perspective on things.

I seem to remember you bragging about Muckamores Youth coming through a few years ago. Why then pay Ifti, Ryan and the Pro to carry the team? Surely this amazing youth can carry your club going forward.

Blue tinted glasses Ivan.

Under your theory Paul should be allowed to play for Cliftonville 2s in Junior 4 then?

Paul's a great lad who enjoys playing cricket with 9 mates and matty Mccord . People need to see a perspective here . In the time they were at the crease together , Paul was outscored by his opening partner . Other people have alluded to the fact that any other time over the last few years he has played he hasn't scored any runs . Cricket in general is struggling and if we are going to continue to try and ostracise even more players then that says about the state of the game . A common sense approach should be used . He will probably only play this one game all season . And I can say he's great craic to have on any team and having him, terrett , cakil , Milky etc back in the same team would have been some steam . All they needed was bod

Re:Paul Stirling.

I notice the comments regarding Paul playing yesterday and the "how can this be allowed" comments. It is not the first time this season a county player has played for a section 1 team. I believe Mark Adair has turned out for Holywood this year.

I have to say it's good to see two guys going back to their boyhood clubs to help when they are available. Each guy had a short spell away (carrick and csni) but both have returned.

This situation was raised at the ncu agm during the winter and it was voted by the clubs to allow guys like Paul and Mark to play for their clubs when available.

Long may it continue that they want to give back to the clubs that put so much into developing them as kids.

I am disappointed with the response to Paul playing yesterday for his club who spent many years helping to develop him into an amazing local cricketer.

Paul simply wanted to play with his mates and give something back to his club.

Unfortunately some of the opposition didn't try their hardest as in their eyes they couldn't get him out. We all know you only get one chance as a batsman and anything can happen. A young kid Ben Mackey set the example, bowled really well and rose to the challenge unlike others.

At the risk of being 'spoken to' again but having read the comments on here and on the social media, I recall a couple of occasions in the past when clubs were denied signing players that the NCU decided we're too good to drop down to a lower club. One was, I think Paul McCrum, going to Armagh and the other was Jonathan Craig who was leaving Ballymena to return to his home town to play with his Larne mates. And had the recent Directive on young players been enforced in the past then I would have been denied the real thrill of playing with Michael & Jonny in their first official club games. Sometimes the theory of 'the back of a cigarette packet' comes to mind! I know the mantra will be posted over and over again about 'improving by playing against the best' but I would surmise that wouldn't find much support in the vicinity of The Mall this morning.

Just for clarification and before anyone asks "how would you feel if it was you or your club". I played twice against Paul at Moylena and on both occasions they were Section 1 games and both times he didn't get a big score and we won both games so he didn't impact the result. It did however leave an impact on me as a very average cricketer as I always enjoyed the challenge of playing against top quality cricketers. Footnote to this is on both occasions Trevor Neill dismissed him which still gets a mention at our club gatherings.

Gareth Evans: Those with 1st class experience who are prevented from playing are prevented by UK Home Office rules because they are non-EU citizens. Paul is EU, obviously !!

Asked and answered.

Re: Paul Stirling appearing for Cliftonville. I would draw clubs' attention to Serial 5 at the NCU's AGM last October. This serial was proposed by Dr Power on behalf of the NCU Management Board and was defeated by a substantial majority

SERIAL 5 – Proposed by Management Board Competition Rule A16: delete first bullet point, second bullet, and ‘in respect of players who are not currently eligible to play for Ireland in all ICC men’s competitions in which it participates’ [This would bring players eligible to play for Ireland within the scope of the Registrations Committee’s power to refuse or withdraw the registration of a player considered to be of much too high a standard for the competitions for which registration is sought] DEFEATED

Re: Paul Stirling playing for Cliftonville v Armagh.
For the record: I believe the NCU put forward a motion at last year's NCU AGM to give the Registrations Committee the power to refuse the registration of players eligible for Ireland if deemed to be of too high a standard for the Section in which the team plays in.
It was not passed by the NCU clubs.
[It was Serial number 5]

Today was a first for me in thirty odd years in cricket. Arrived at Shaws Bridge (top ground) to be told that with the approval of the NCU all bowling had to take place from the clubhouse end in case the ball was hit onto the road!!?? Must admit I was happy enough not to have to change field position. But still, surely there are smaller boundaries and busier roads around the grounds!?

Gareth

Now pardon me if I am incorrect. I can recall it was Armagh themselves in the 90's who tried to sign a then current Irish international who was living in the city , however this signing was refused by the Union as he was deemed too high of a standard. Armagh and the player then sought a rule change ( which was successful) to allow those who are residents / U.K. Citizens to play for a local club and the following season this player turned out for Armagh and went onto gain several more Irish caps.

To Ed - if any of this is factually incorrect it is not intentional and please withdraw my comments -

Paul Stirling plays for Cliftonville in Section One , yet when I asked could Jarred Barnes play for Muckamore 2nds in Junior One I was told "no he would be deemed to good as he's played inter pro's last season ".
Strange to say the least .

Great game at waringstown today ci 2nds vs waringstown 2nds! Was a well fought competitive match which was unfortunately spoilt by a crucial (match changing) dismissal. Never have I ever been out when I block the ball to mid on along the turf and get caught on the ring. Took taking the fielders word to a whole new level! #weneededumpires

Re. Jonny

With all due respect it's got nothing to do with Paul wanting to play for his hometown club on a weekend off.

But it's got everything to do with him being a 1st class cricketer in a league where clubs are not allowed to sign 1st class cricketers.

Your point about bowlers regaling people about how they got him out, if indeed this were to happen, is frankly irrelevant.