At the 2007 AGM the NCU successively introduced their new “streamlined”  structure, a keystone of their recently launched 3 year development plan.

Ian Gourley was elected as the the new President of the NCU and Wylie McKinty of Larne as the new Chairman.

The main changes for 2008 are :

  • Extension of Duckworth Lewis to Section 2 of the Ulster Bank League. This was one of the closest votes on the night with 66% in favour. (60% majority required)
  • There will no longer be a cut off date of 30th June to rearrange Match 1 in the Premier League (and in 2008 in Section 2) This will now apply to all of the first scheduled matches between teams affected by ground or light.
  • All matches in the Premier league and Section 2 can now be reduced to 20 overs and, where overs are reduced, bowlers limits will also be reduced.
  • Waringstown again failed to ban professionals.  

Richard Johnson proposed Tom McCloy of Lisburn as a new Honorary Life Member of the Union. Tom played 30 times for Ireland between 1951 and 1965 mainly as a batsman although he did bowl one over against Scotland in 1959.  He was a prolific batsman for Lisburn scoring over 20,000 runs in 25 seasons and helped the Club to six Challenge Cup victories as well as six Senior League titles.

Later Tom acted at both an NCU and ICU selector and was President of the NCU from 1989 to 1991. Tom could not attend the meeting as he was on holiday in Spain but in a letter to the meeting graciously thanked the Union for the honour.

The new officers for 2007-8 are

President: I Gourley; Vice-President: Dr EM Power; Chairman: W McKinty; Vice-Chairman: R Bell; Hon. Treasurer: D Johnston; Hon. Secretary: J Quinn; Dir. Of Cricket Development: A Clement; Dir. Of Finance & Sponsorship: D Johnston; Dir. Of Competitions: B Milford; Dir. Of Forward Planning: W Boyd.

Assistant Directors:
Cricket Development: A Waite; Finance & Sponsorship: R Johnson; Competitions:  R Bell; Forward Planning: J Caldwell.

Club representatives on Directorates:
Competition Rab Dunn  (Ards); David Edwards; (Derriaghy); Norman Shannon; (Instonians); Peter Shields  (North Down); Peter Wood (Cooke Collegians); Paul Stafford (Lurgan).

Cricket Development: David Edwards (Derriaghy); Ryan Haire (North Down); Neil Sloan  (Lurgan); Brian Walsh (Instonians)
  
Forward Planning: David Edwards (Derriaghy); Stewart Watt (Ballymena)
  
Finance & Sponsorship: David Edwards (Derriaghy)
  

Honorary Section Secretaries:
RF Bell, ST Burrell, M Hawthorne, RA Lemon, A Lytle, D McDonald, M McDowell, DH McKillen, R McMaster, J Quinn, W Radcliffe, G Whitten.
There are two vacancies – interested parties should contact Jack Quinn.

Administrative Structure

Serial 1: This serial would implement the new administrative structures set out in the Union’s Development Plan 2007 – 2009, replacing the Executive and Management Committees with a Board of Directors and setting up four Directorates to run the Union’s main areas of activity.  Passed.

Competition Rules

Serial 2:  This emphasises the responsibility of captains to familiarise themselves with Rules and Bye-Laws and to ensure that their teams comply fully with them. Passed.

Eligibility

Serial 3: This would prohibit overseas players from playing in league competitions unless they were resident in Northern Ireland for purposes unconnected with cricket.  Lost

League Competitions

Serial 4:  This would clarify the provision for the shortening of league matches and restrict the shortening of 50-over matches to one over a side for every eight minutes of playing time lost. Passed

Serial 5: This would extend the current Section I (Premier League) playing conditions to Section II of the First Division. Passed

Serial 6: This would permit teams in Sections I and II of the Second Division to agree not to replay matches abandoned in September. Passed
Umpires

Serial 7: This would double the fine for failure to return an Umpires report Form. Lost

First Division Section I Playing Regulations (now extended to Section 2)

Serial 8: This replaces ‘up to 30th June’ with ‘the first scheduled fixture between the teams’ as the criterion for treating a ground/weather rearrangement as Match 1. Passed

Serial 9:  This would award each team 2 points in the event of a No Result. Withdrawn

Serial 10: Competition  Regulations 2.1(d) and 3.1(d): delete the final sentence.
This would remove the unnecessary words ‘In such circumstances, any reduction in the number of overs available shall be agreed before the start of the match.’ Passed

Serial 11:  Competition Regulation 2.2(a): replace ’25’ with ‘20’. This would reduce the minimum duration of a valid Match 1 from 25 overs a side to 20, in line with normal Duckworth/Lewis practice. Passed

Serial 12: This would extend the reduction of bowlers’ overs to innings that are reduced after the start of the match. Passed