Its the time of year when groundsmen are getting ready to do the most important thing for next season . . . thats putting the bed to square.

When Tom Flintoff visited in April, he said the biggest mistake that groundsmen make is that they don't scarify wickets hard enough at the end of the season.

Toms golden rules are as follows:

Only scarify when your square is damp
Each wicket should be scarified 6 to 10 times
Only scarify in the direction of play. NEVER scarify across the square

Read square renovation quidelines...

The Northern Cricket Union in conjunction with the family of the late Jim McMorran (Past Chairman, President and Life Member of the NCU) is instigating an annual award for voluntary service to cricket.
The criteria for the award is here.
Clearly nominees do not require to meet all of the elements of the criteria in each of the areas.
Clubs are asked to think carefully if they wish to make a nomination and if so to write to Bryan Milford by 1 September 2010.
Please limit your written nomination to not more than 500 words in each of the three areas listed.
Nominations will be treated in strict confidence with only the winner's name announced.
It is intended to make the first award at the 2010 Annual Dinner on 16 October 2010.
Read more...

Under 11
Alec Dunlop Memorial Cup Final
Pollock Park, Lurgan - 24th August
Bready beat Lurgan by 7 wickets
MATCH REPORT AND PHOTOS...

Under 13
D R Pigot Memorial Cup Final
The Lawn, Waringstown - 25th August
Donemana beat Waringstown by 22 runs

Under 15
Ian Lewis Cup Final
YMCA CC - 26th August
North Down beat YMCA by 2 wickets
Read more...

Shield Final - August 23 (Lower Pitch at Shaw's Bridge)
Lurgan A beat Ballymena by 10 runs
MATCH REPORT AND PHOTOS (updated)...

Plate Final - August 23 (Upper Pitch at Shaw's Bridge)
Cregagh beat CIYMS
Read More...

Laurevale CC - 25 August 25
CIYMS 120
North Down 117
CIYMS beat North Down by 3 runs
Colts Cup...

The Cricket Development Directorate recently established a Taskforce to consider the future of Junior Cricket. A report of its work and its recommendations can be found here.

Before bringing proposals to the 2010 AGM the Directorate would like to hear the views of clubs on the Taskforce Report. A series of meetings will be held:

Tuesday 24 August Lurgan CC Clubhouse
Tuesday 31 August Carrickfergus CC Clubhouse
Thursday 2 September Shaws Bridge Clubhouse

All meetings will commence at 7.30pm. It is hoped every club will attend one meeting. It would be helpful if a senior official plus junior team captains etc would represent clubs.

NOTE: 2 changes have been made to the previously published report:
Teams permitted to schedule no more than 2 fixtures on days other than a Saturday at fixture meetings except for the bottom team in the club
It is recommended that the number of players to be starred for each team below the 2nd XI be increased from 7 to 9
Read more...

Bangor III 134 (P Mcilwaine 40, A Andrews 31, J Stewart 25no, F Taylor 2-17, T McBurney 2-17)
Ballymena III 135-5 (F Taylor 31, B McGookin 27, P Harshaw 25, J Stewart 2-27)
Ballymena III beat Bangor III by 5 wickets
Man of the Match - Fergus Taylor (Ballymena)
Read more...

Academy III 173 (B Rea 53no, CC Magarajappa 33, J Ryles 29, M Monteith 3-34, N Bell 2-28, M Caithness 2-36)
Ballymena IV 88 (A Gibson 28, D Ryles 6-22, J Ryles 2-17)
Academy III beat Ballymena IV 85 runs
Man of the Match - Brian Rea (Academy)
Read more...

The under 13 NCU League Final, for the Tom Greenwood Memorial Trophy, was played at Ballymena Cricket Club on Monday 16 August between Armagh and CSNI A.

Unfortunately the game was reduced to 15 overs per team due to inclement weather.

CSNI A won the game by 71 runs, scoring 102 for 3 with M Corry scoring 46 and Captain P Beverland scoring 34 not out against Armagh's score of 31 all out. B McGavock took 3 Armagh wickets for 15, and C Ross had figures of 2 for 9.
Read More and Photos from the match...

North Down 212-6 (R Burgess 22, P Eakin 93, G Anderson 36no, D McFadden 2-17)
Templepatrick 145 (J Hunter 73, D Gibson 21, P Davidson 5-29)
North Down beat Templepatrick by 67 runs
Read more...

15 August - Fox Lodge CC, Ballymagorry
Muckamore 323-5 (40 overs, W Horwood 141, I Kamtekar 83, D Curry 2-59)
Bond's Glen 126 (28.2 overs, R Coetzee 3-16, T Neill 3-36, I Kamtekar 2-20, A McCulloch 2-20)
Muckamore beat Bond's Glen by 197 runs
Man of the Match - Wayne Horwood
Read more...

Derriaghy II 133 (I Crothers 46, J Torrans 28, M Fell 26,
B Mullan 4-23, I McGowan 2-41)
Saintfield II 137-4 (I McGowan 66no, C Patterson 22)
Saintfield II beat Derriaghy II by six wickets
Man of the Match – Ian McGowan
Read more...

This week saw Lurgan Cricket Club visit Templepatrick Cricket Club in Ballyclare to initiate both clubs first Under 11 Cricket Blitz. This saw 70 Under 11 boys and girls from both clubs participate in cricket with children as young as 5 years old getting a chance to enjoy the game.

This idea was put together by both Clubs’ Cricket Development Officers, Jonny Gillespie of Lurgan CC and Andy McCrea of Templepatrick CC.
Read more...

8 August
Limavady 160 (39.5 overs, Dean Curry 47no, N Thompson 28, S Shannon 4-43, A White 3-15)
Instonians 161-6 (33.5 overs, J Stevenson 30, R McCann 33, A White 47no, S Thompson 2-37, Decker Curry 3-35)
Instonians beat Limavady by 4 wickets

7 August
Merrion 202-9 (50 overs, J Anderson 104, V Mpitsang 4-26)
Waringstown 121 (41.2 overs)
Merrion beat Waringstown by 81 runs

Railway Union 315-6 (50 overs, T Fisher 123, K Carroll 92)
Fox Lodge 192 (38.1 overs, J Heywood 47, A McGinnis 41, B Allen 40, P Conliffe 3-59)
Railway Union beat Fox Lodge by 123 runs

The Management Committee of Lisburn Cricket Club are delighted to confirm that Sky Sports pundit and former Test Cricketer David Lloyd has agreed to be the special guest speaker at the Gala dinner on 8th October 2011 as part of the season of celebration to mark the clubs 175th Anniversary in 2011.
Read more...

31 July
North Down 262-6 (50 overs, T Khan 89, N Russell 57)
CIYMS 188 (42.1 overs, C McMllan 49, M Hingston 49, T Khan 3-14)
North Down beat CIYMS by 74 runs
Man of the Match: T Khan (North Down)

1 August (The Green, Comber)
11.30am - Shield Final
Cliftonville beat Saintfield by 18 runs

3.00pm - Cup Final
CIYMS beat Muckamore by 3 wickets

The Banoge Cup Final was played tonight (Wednesday 4th August) at Stormont and the winners were Waringstown

CSNI won the toss and put Waringstown in to bat first.
Waringstown 94-6 (A Dennison 57)
CSNI 47-8
Waringstown beat CSNI by 47 runs

Lurgan Under 11s lifted the BB Consultants sponsored Quoile Cup at Derriaghy CC on 4 August with a fine 38 run victory over Armagh
Read more...

Sport NI have today released details of a new funding programme that clubs in Northern Ireland can apply to: Sport Matters: Capital and Equipment Awards is a new grants programme managed and administered by Sport Northern Ireland.

The programme's online application form and guidance notes can now be accessed at the following link on SNI’s website www.sportni.net/sportmatters

Please note the closing date for applications to this programme is 4pm on 7 September 2010.

Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the Sport Matters: Capital and Equipment programme team on 028 9038 2222 or alternatively email them at funding@sportni.net.