Obituary

I begin with the sad task of noting the passing during the year of members of the cricket community. While enjoying and celebrating Ireland’s world cup performances in the springtime, we were shocked by the sudden death of Bob Kerr. A stalwart of cricket in the North West, Bob had been chairman and President of the Irish Cricket Union and had gained the respect and affection of people throughout the country.

The Fingal area was particularly hit this year. We lost Margaret Dunne of The Hills and Bernie McGrane, wife of Thomas, a vice-president of the union and longstanding secretary of the Fingal League. The two ends of the season were marked by the passing of both Lila and Jack Harper. Not only had they made a considerable personal contribution particularly to the Balbriggan club, but their children and grandchildren have played and served the game at many levels.

The beginning of the season also saw the death of John Heavey senior, longstanding member of Merrion and a former President of the Leinster Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association. In September Joe Hopkins died after a lengthy period of ill health. Like his father, donor of the Hopkins Cup, Joe was most associated with Pembroke but was capped for Ireland out of Merrion and had a substantial involvement in winter sports in Railway.

There were no doubt many other members of the cricket community who passed from this life during the year. On behalf of the Union I offer our condolences and sympathies to their clubs and families.

Playing Conditions 2007

One might just say it rained and leave it at that. Actually April and May were not too bad and the weather eventually relented in late August and September. The high summer months when most cricket is normally played were a disaster however. Even when there was a day without rain, grounds were frequently too sodden too consider play.

As rainfall records were broken, an unprecedented 40% of league fixtures were cancelled. This does not even count those called off to facilitate cup matches which of course then did not happen either causing more problems. Teams’ imaginative use of shortened matches and bowl-outs led eventually to cup finalists being known by the due dates. Then we had the unprecedented situation that only two finals could actually be completed on the scheduled dates. I must pay tribute to the co-operation of the host clubs and the participants that eventually all finals got played.

At one stage during the season it looked as if we would have to write off at least some leagues. With the improvement in the weather towards the end of the season the Committee were eventually able to declare worthy winners in each case. Then with a flexible use of the regulations we were able to finalise league tables and determine promotions and relegations in an equitable fashion.

Committee Business

The Junior Branch Committee met nine times during the year with Cecil Medcalf as chairman. Attendances were as follows:

P.Byrne    3  J.Gallagher 5  C.Medcalf 8
S.Clinton  8  P.Geoffroy  7  G.Murphy  9
R.Fleming  7  W.Goodwin   7  P.O’Neill 7
J.Forrest  7  B.Horn      7  M.Sharp   9   

It has to be realised that some committee members miss meetings unavoidably due to playing commitments.

As usual the first committee meeting of the year concentrated on possible regulation changes. Particular attention was paid to matters that had been raised at the AGM or directly from clubs. The meeting was attended by Peter Thew, President of the Umpires’ and Scorers’ Association. It was felt that there was a need to combat slow play in the Senior 2/3 leagues and accordingly a version of the time penalties regulations used in Senior cricket was adopted. This necessitated a change in the bonus points structure in those leagues. It was agreed to adopt the system used in the Whitney Moore league. Unlike in senior cricket however teams rarely end up playing the same number of fixtures. Accordingly placings in those leagues continued to be based on percentages. As in other years, the committee discussed at some length the possibility of having overs reduction regulations in the case of matches affected by weather after the start of play. We remain of the view that there is little real evidence that this would have a significant beneficial effect. Also since senior cricket has abandoned the traditional system as inequitable, there seems to be little logic in adopting it.

We decided to continue the system of playing all three midweek finals on one weekend date. It was decided however that a match, once started should be played to its full number of overs. If any of the finals had to be postponed, it would revert to the midweek evening arrangement.

There had been no demand for any other significant changes and none were made.

Apart from weather related issues which took up a lot more time than usual we had the normal focus of checking starring lists, monitoring return of result cards and dealing with claims for walkovers. I have in the past highlighted the fact that slow return of results by some teams slows down the production of league tables for all. Also in a season like the one we just had, the requirement to notify me when a match doesn’t happen is critical but all too rarely done. A season like this also highlights the need to try to play matches when one can. The regulations permit some cancelled matches to be refixed. All too often little or no effort goes into this however and in a summer like we just had, those clubs who make the effort generally reap some benefit from it.

The work done by the Union’s Disciplinary Committee will no doubt be reported on elsewhere. It is perhaps notable however that an increasing number of the cases they heard related to junior matches. The wider umpiring coverage now being provided is one possible reason for this. What it does do is highlight that many of the informal complaints that had arisen in earlier years were quite possibly well-founded and clubs have work to do in ensuring that their players behave. At the end of the day that is the only way that the problem can be addressed seriously.

Levels of satisfaction in this regard depend of course on the percentage of games where it is possible to have neutral umpires. Matters have improved in recent seasons. I must again however issue my annual call that clubs actively seek out members who would be willing to give of their time in this way. There are a number of clubs, including one senior club, who have contributed nothing in this regard. It may not be easy to get people but one wonders how much effort is made.

Despite the increasing and welcome umpiring coverage, most junior cricket still operates without officially appointed umpires. It continues to behove teams and clubs to ensure that anyone going out to umpire has the essential knowledge of the laws of the game and a willingness to apply them fairly. It is failure in these areas that fuels much of the poor behaviour that does occur on occasions. The Umpires’ and Scorers’ Association are always more than willing to assist clubs in training people to do the job properly and this can lead to an always needed swelling of the ranks of the Association.

Whatever about umpiring, with league positions dependent on bonus points, accurate scorekeeping can have a definite benefit. There is little evidence that clubs try to develop an interest in this among their members. Again, training is available.

On the positive side, despite difficulties in some club in sustaining their lower teams, there is growth elsewhere. Avondale and Sandyford will field extra teams in 2008 and I get regular contacts from workplace related teams who feel they may like to enter competitions. The fact that many of the players on such teams are already in other clubs may mean that there would not be overall growth. but it is a sign of interest. The absence of ground facilities and a definite club structure can also militate against such teams participation but the fact that they are making contact does is promising. I would encourage clubs to engage in friendly fixtures where possible to allow such interest to develop.

Review of the Season

Congratulations are extended to the various league and cup winners as follows.

                League           Cup
Senior 2        Merrion 2        Merrion  2
Senior 3        Laois
Middle A        North County 3   North Wicklow  
Middle B        Mullingar
Middle 2        Leinster 4
Intermediate A  Malahide 4       Malahide 4
Intermediate B  Clontarf 4
Junior A        Avondale         The Hills 4
Junior B        Balbriggan 2
Junior C        Bagenalstown
Minor Cup                        Laois 3
Tillain Cup                      Malahide 2
YMCA Salver                      Railway Union 3
Whelan Cup                       Phoenix 4

Merrion completed the Senior 2 double, the first time it has been done since 2002 when they themselves did it. Thus they remain the only club to have done so in the past ten years. The Intermediate double by Malahide 4 has not been achieved since Old Belvedere 4ths in 1980 and before that The Hills 1sts in 1973. North County 3rds demonstrated the clubs current strength in that are now in one of the small number of clubs who have their top three teams in the top three leagues.

Mention must be made of Avondale who on their first outing in league cricket won Junior A by the proverbial distance. Credit should also be given to the Irish Womens’ team who although they did not win a trophy, performed well enough to earn promotion for the second successive year. Malahide 2nds win in the Tillain Cup and Phoenix 4ths in the Whelan Cup was the first time these clubs had won these trophies.

Because of the weather, the qualification levels for the individual Senior 2 trophies were reduced. Danny Barclay of Pembroke would have won the Bookman Cuop for batting in most years however. Greg Lambert of Railway Union pipped his team captain Ger O’Brien for the Oulton Cup for bowling. Barclay bowled enough to add the Webster Cup for all-rounders to the batting award.

The number of scores of one hundred or more was 47, eight fewer than in 2006, probably no surprise with the prevailing weather. Highest score of the season was by Richie Reid for Clontarf 2nds v Rush 2nds in the Senior 2 Cup. Perhaps also at least partially due to the weather, bowling performances improved. The number of bowlers taking 7 wickets in an innings was up substantially on 2006 and Albert Harper of Balbriggan had the best performance of all with 8 for 15 against |North Kildare in the Senior 3 league.

Acknowledgements

As usual, there are many people to thank.

I have already mentioned the clubs who hosted cup finals but make no apologies for doing so again. Not only did most games have to be rescheduled but in some cases a ground other than the one originally scheduled had to be found. Much thanks goes to the groundsmen in these cases for being able to beat the weather and produce surfaces to play on. Pavilion and catering arrangements were also excellent.

Thanks are again due to the Clontarf club, through their President Brian O’Sullivan and Hon. Secretary Ian Smyth, for providing us with facilities for committee meetings and this AGM.

I must once more refer to the appreciated increasing umpiring coverage of junior matches by the members of the Leinster Cricket Umpires’ and Scorers’ Association. Their new Appointments’ Secretary, Kevin Gallagher, had a “baptism of fire” but came through admirably. I repeat that new members of that Association are always welcome and only if numbers increase can coverage do likewise. Training on umpiring and scoring is available and there is a clear need for more people to understand these vital parts of the game.

The LCU PRO Fergus Carroll ensures that we get whatever publicity can be got for junior cricket affairs and Ger Siggins of the Sunday Tribune always shows an interest. The LCU continues to avail of the web services of CricketEurope (John Elder). Junior league tables and cup results are always posted promptly when I send them. It remains a source of amazement to me how few people actually relate the appearance of such information on the web to the prompt return of result cards.

The other members of the Junior Branch Committee, especially our chairman Cecil Medcalf give me excellent support and co-operation during the year. LCU President Arthur Vincent, the self-dubbed “reigning President” was diligent in his attendance at our finals and always showed a keen interest in junior cricket matters.

As in recent years I have frequent discussions cricket (among other things) with the Honorary Secretary of the Union. Usually there is co-operation but things always get resolved and I thank Mary for her assistance throughout the year. Our Honorary Treasurer, Jimmy Joyce, and the other members of the LCU Executive and subcommittees, were as always most helpful when needed.

Despite the tribulations caused by the weather, we got through another season successfully. Certainly Leinster cricket was tested during the year but showed its strength. That is due to all the people in clubs who ensure that even in periods of utmost difficulty, true sportsmanship can see things through. While expressing the hope that it is a long time before we see another summer like that of 2007. I say a sincere thanks to all those who got us through it.

Michael Sharp
Hon Secretary
Junior Branch LCU
November 2007