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Can someone please explain how come Paul Stirling, a 1st Class cricketer, is allowed to play in Section 1 given that Section 1 clubs aren't allowed to sign 1st Class players?

Surely this is a contradiction in terms as regards the NCU rules?

I've no axe to grind with Paul, if he gets something out of having a mow against Section 1 bowlers then good luck to him.

However after all the preseason shenanigans re. Pros in Section 1 all the Clubs want is a level playing field.

Cliftonville v Armagh today was clearly not a level playing field.

Imagine the controversy if Paul turns out for Cliftonville in a late season game where relegation or promotion is at stake??

I'm sure Armagh shall be asking similar questions of the NCU.

Seems to be a bit of disquiet from some concerning the availability of a current Irish International and well established county cricketer in the slightly lesser leagues of our great Union. I believe it has been referred to on social media as a farce???? I'm baffled as to this rationale. Firstly, fair play to this man as he obviously still cares about grass roots cricket in our country to bother to make himself available, but secondly why bother to put himself in the firing line against a bunch of mainly social cricketers who will possibly (as we all have done in the past) slabber at him from close quarters. (And I mean that in the lightest possible term) I mean c'mon, surely catching him at point or having him plum LBW will be something to talk about at the end of year club dinner or at the NCU dinner in 15 years time. Let's not make this about a result on the day but enjoy the fact that one of our own has decided to play when others simply wouldn't.

Rant over.

Late cancellations - just wondering if brinkmanship comes in to? Waiting to see if the other team cry-off first! Surely that wouldn't happen!

Walkovers don't have to be walkovers . They can be postponements and rearranged .
Last Friday Colin Latham told us that Templepatrick 4ths couldn't field a team to play Muckamore 5ths .
Never did it cross my mind to "claim the points " but immediately to look for a new date .
I've always considered myself a cricket lover first and foremost and a Muckamore lover after that .
Let's all aim to avoid walkovers and talk to the opposition about finding another date .
After all when you "claim the points " you deprive 11 members from your club of a game of cricket which is after all why they pay membership .

Scratching games and claiming the points.....about 30 years ago when I was captain of Lurgan 2nds, I had to ring Hugh Linehan who was the captain of Downpatrick 2nds and tell him despite my best efforts, we couldn't field a team. Hugh said no problem, let's find another date and play the game. Hugh told me he didn't want to claim the points as he wanted to play cricket. We went on to play the game, can't remember the result. I think if every club played with this spirit, it would make people want to play the game. Hugh was a gentleman of the highest order and had the right attitude, it was so refreshing. Hopefully instead of claiming points, I would hope that everyone should realise that although the world has moved on and with all the pressures that attach now, is it not better to rearrange and play games rather than claim the points?

Walkovers again.

After taking a wee look at when walkovers have occurred in the previous couple of seasons, it looks as if August is the winner. So wouldn't that make the school exams excuse a non-runner?

CIYMS 3rds have already forfeited their cup game this weekend - why has the players from the 4ths who are not playing , not playing - surely they can get 10 / 11 players from 2 teams to play

I think there is too much emphasis on quantity rather than quality - Junior 8 has 13 teams - absolute crazy situation.

Why not have it where each club is restricted to either 3 or 4 teams ( senior teams - can have as many underage teams as they wish ) - surplus players who are looking to play cricket could move to another club - there are a few clubs out there who would welcome a second or a third eleven for their club.

I can't speak for the state of things this year as I am studying across the water at the minute, but having captained a junior league side last year I can guarantee you that every effort is made to get games played. I think far too many people on here need to get off their high horses. How can you possibly slate another club for not being able to field a team without having a clue what lengths they have gone to to get a team out? Regularly I would have to contact 30+ people to try and field a team, which is only made worse around exam time, and I know from chatting with opposing captains that pretty much everyone is in the same boat some weeks. Yes, it's annoying for the club that is ready to play, but it is equally as frustrating for the guys who have to concede - they wanted a game of cricket too!

I'm sure other people would back me up when I say that junior participation (or lack of due to exams) isn't necessarily the most important issue - as has been posted previously, there is a massive lack of adult players. This can cause massive problems in terms of transport, and I know that without the kind support of a parent there are at least 2 games in the last couple of years that would have had to be played with less than a full quota simply for the reason that 11 people couldn't be transported in the available cars. People are all too happy to take a weekend at the coast, or on the golf course, or whatever, and then come on here and have a go.

Here's hoping some decent weather convinces some of the "old boys" to dust off their whites and get out there again.

As with almost all topics brought up on here, there are always multiple sides to a story and it's best to cut each other some slack.

We all know it can be frustrating to find out the team you're meant to play tomorrow has forfeited the fixture when you're ready to play. However, a summer sport that is sandwiched between rugby and football seasons, and overlaps exams and summer holidays just has to come to terms with the fact that such things will happen.

Punishing clubs is not the answer. It's far better to have clubs be aspirational at the start of the season and try and get as many people playing as possible, than worry about fines and scrub a team, thus reducing opportunities for their players. In the end, the junior leagues are not primarily designed to craft the next Irish international, they are there to allow people to play and enjoy the game.

As annoyed as some may get about exams getting in the way of cricket, I don't begrudge anyone prioritising their education over cricket. I also don't mind that our junior leagues are underpinned by youth players. I would rather have that and the odd walkover than a league that get older every year and no new talent being injected in.

Last year i took a year away from the sport, the main reason being the time consuming aspect of the game especially in the latter months when fixtures are piled up and rearrangements meant Saturday and sunday games were becoming the norm not the exception.

its tough for someone who works full time during the week then to effectively 'give up' their weekend for cricket, its a thankless task and i know many still do it for the love of the sport in the union

last year i played in the midweek league and i think this format holds a lot of merit, so much so that i think some Junior league fixtures could easily be moved to a Thursday night to avoid the whole walkover/unavailable/suitable pitch problem. Realistically a youngster playing a match on a Thursday night will learn much more than having a monotonous net week in and week out.

I was to play against Carrick last weekend for our 3rds and have to say i was disappointed on Saturday morning having made my sandwiches and cancelled plans for the day that at 11 Carrick couldn't field a 3rd XI surely something they had known about the night before. I applaud clubs for being able to field so many teams as its healthy for the sport but perhaps some clubs should have a look at their set up and realise that perhaps fielding a 3/4/5 XI week in week out may be a bit too ambitious (no single club singled out)

I agree with a previous post that mergers might be the way forward for some clubs and could definitely see it happening in the future, it certainly hasn't done Doanghcloney Mill any harm. However it would be disappointing to see NCU lose a number of well respected clubs for the game to survive.

Looks like Carrick have played the back foot defensive, best not throw mud at a team with such a big social media presence.....

I'm sure teams would accommodate the lack of players if more communication was used, I'm sure a 20/20 could have been played in 4 hours in the afternoon which would leave both sides happy, Alternatively let the opposing team know as soon as possible that the match wont be played, the morning of the game is no longer acceptable if you know you cant field a team or are struggling communicate with the opposing captain it will lead to less hard feelings. Instead on some of the nicest days of the year like last weekend players who we wish to hold onto and keep playing in the game may choose to go and play golf etc and not come back to cricket for fear of teams crying off and planned days being ruined.

I'm not a CIYMS person otherwise I might know the asnwer, but what is going on that they can't get a 3rd XI together for the cup this week ? Its a thursday and its already listed as "walkover" on the NCU website. And CIYMS 3rds were skittled for 50 odd the previous 2 weeks.

Is it exams or another reason ? I know that some may love the fact that the Gallacticos have to concede games for lack of players, but I'm more concerned about the same ol' issue of falling numbers.

All the fixtures are prepared well in advance so for a club to come out and say they have 11 players who have exams hence a walkover is a lame excuse - I am all for education and yes this is important but as a club you knew this was going to happen at the start of the season so why have too many teams - most of the walkovers at the start of a season are due to exams .

Too many clubs are putting out 4 / 5 teams but in reality they only have 3 available - all about getting those members in and paying their subs but really a lot of these players are only going to play half the season due to exams / rugby commitments

The NCU should wise up to the fact and start handing out big fines ( £100 a walkover) I am sure clubs would start to think twice about how many teams they are going to enter in future

These are different days in terms of availability and sympathise with all teams in the Junior Leagues. Not only do year 12s (5th year in my day) have GCSEs but a large number of year 11s are taking GCSEs in that year too. The schools cricket season doesn't seem to last long but they pack a lot in around these exams and parents are increasingly averse to letting children play two games in a weekend never mind one day.

Add to that the rugby pre season starting stupidly early, hockey/football season finishing late and Duke of Ed expeditions plus athletics and every other sport eating into time I have to commend any club putting out 3/4 teams on one day.

Perhaps it's time to start thinking about smaller leagues in JNR cricket starting later with perhaps a t20 in April/May. Perhaps friendlies are needed at this time of year in JNR leagues with league starting later?

Clubs rely on youth players, generally I play on a team with 7/8 U15s and face similar opposition the majority of weeks and the clubs are never going to win v exams and the other reasons I have listed to convince parents to let these kids play more.

It's not easy and my sympathies go out to all those captains trying to get teams sorted out for this weekend. Fair play to all of you for trying and best to ignore the folk criticising behind fake names, I'm sure they could troll more interesting sites if they had ambition/tried harder.