Ulster Bank Schools Cup - Second Round Update
Holders Grosvenor Grammar School are through to the quarter finals of the Ulster Bank Schools Cup.
They beat their strong Belfast rivals RBAI by six wickets and now meet Belfast High School in the last eight.
Read more and 2nd round results...

Last Wicket Standing - Current Table
After last weekends washout there are still 55 players/teams left standing.
Click below to see the full table and the first three weeks selections for all the players left in the competition.
Last Wicket Standing - Current Table...

Latest update for 2013 of the NCU's list of approved transfers between clubs (update 14th May 2013)
Updated list of transfers approved to date by the Union for the 2013 season - open list (pdf)

Cricketing Legend Alec 'The Gaffer' Stewart confirmed for NCU Annual Dinner
‘The Gaffer’, Alec Stewart, has been confirmed as the Guest Speaker for the Northern Cricket Union’s (NCU) Annual Dinner to be held on Saturday 5th October 2013, in the Holiday Inn, Belfast.
Alec Stewart holds the distinction of playing for Surrey against Ireland at the Kensington Oval in August 1981, when the Ireland team included none other than NCU President, Chris Harte.
Read more...

Northern Knights squad to take on North West Warriors announced
The Northern Knights squad to take on the North West Warriors on the 19th May in Coleraine has only one change from the squad who took on Leinster Lightning last Monday. Mark Adair, who is injured, will be replaced by Robert McKinley.
Read more...

Promising signs for U17’s despite defeat
The Northern Cricket Union (NCU) Under 17’s fell to defeat in their first inter-provincial match against the North West.
With the North West batting first, Coleraine all-rounder Rishi Chopra played a captains innings for his team as he top scored with an unbeaten 42 to steer the North West to 151 for 9 in their 50 overs. The NCU bowlers all impressed, with Mark Adair (2-18), Carl Rae (2-21) and Thomas Magowan (2-26) all claiming two wickets.
Read more...

Brian Walsh interview – BBC Sportsound 27th April 2013 Transcript and audio file
On the 27th April the NCU Chairman Brian Walsh was interviewed on BBC Sportsound by former Dungannon CC player Michael MacNamee. He talked about the Northern Knights, the RSA Interpro Series, NCU Irish players and youth coaching. For the full transcript and an mp3 file of the interview click on the link below.
Read more...

Bonds Glen/Waringstown v Donemana/Terenure	Downpatrick/Railway v N County
Bready/Lurgan v CSNI	Fox Lodge v Carrick/Cork County
Clontarf v Eglinton/Phoenix	Lisburn/YMCA v Pembroke
Coleraine/Merrion v North Down	The Hills v CIYMS
(Ties to be played on Saturday 8th June)

Co Galway v Ballaghadeereen	Mullingar v Co Kerry
Dundrum (LCU) v Dundrum (NCU)	NUI Galway v Derriaghy
Killyclooney v Laurelvale	Rush v Civil Service Dublin
Malahide v Muckamore	St Johnston v Cliftonville
(Ties to be played on Saturday 8th June)

Ulster Cup	Ulster Shield	Ulster Plate
CIYMS v Bready	Bond's Glen v Cliftonville	Donemana II v CIYMS II
Coleraine v Eglinton	Muckamore v Downpatrick	Lisburn II v Woodvale II/Coleraine II
Donemana v Waringstown/Fox Lodge	St Johnston v Dundrum	North Down II v Eglinton II
North Down v Strabane	Woodvale v Newbuildings	Strabane II v Waringstown II
(Sunday 9th June)	(Sunday 9th June)	(Sunday 23rd June)

6th May
Northern Knights 259-7 (50 overs, N Jones 38, C Dougherty 46, A White 31, L Nelson 54, M Sorenson 2-60,
A Cusack 2-58, A van der Merwe 2-46)
Leinster Lightning 260-8 (49 overs, J Anderson 45, A Cusack 46, K O'Brien 111no, E Moleon 2-56, D Simpson 2-21)
Leinster Lightning beat Northern Knights by 2 wickets

Match Report
A superb unbeaten 111 from Kevin O'Brien saw his Leinster Lightning side overcome the challenge of the Northern Knights in the final over of the opening game in the RSA Inter-Provincial Trophy at a sun drenched Hills Cricket Club in Skerries.
Victory for the Knights looked on the cards as the Lightning slipped to 189 for 8 chasing a victory target of 260, but with O'Brien at the crease, there was always hope as he found the boundaries with increasing regularity in the crucial last couple of overs.
Read more...

Runs Galore in Ulster Bank Schools Cup
In what is thought to be a record in schools cup cricket, Friends School have hit a remarkable 308 runs in just 25 overs in their first round Ulster Bank Cup tie.
The Lisburn side lost just two wickets as they raced to their total at over 12 runs an over with Peter Ferguson hitting a mammoth 172 not out and Patrick Cochrane an undefeated 79.  Friends then bowled out Dalriada for only 35 to register a 273-run victory.
Read more and full 1st round results...

Inaugural Women's League introduced
This year will see the first ever Women's Cricket League in the Northern Cricket Union.
Women's Cricket is one of the rapidly growing areas of the sport and the creation of a Women's League in the Northern Cricket Union is a testament to this. Nigel Jones, Cricket Ireland’s Regional Development Officer in the Northern Cricket Union, will act as League Secretary and has been instrumental in the creation of the League through his role with Cricket Ireland, meeting the growing demand for competitive Women's Cricket in the area.
Read more...

Entries double for 2013 Schools' Under 11 League
Girls teams from across six schools in the Northern Cricket Union will compete in the 2013 Girls Super 8's League which has been introduced as a development pathway step between primary ‘soft ball’ and secondary ‘hard ball’ Cricket. 
This competition format follows on from the successful launch of Super 8’s in April 2012.
Read more...

Girls set for Summer Super 8's Competition
Girls teams from across six schools in the Northern Cricket Union will compete in the 2013 Girls Super 8's League which has been introduced as a development pathway step between primary ‘soft ball’ and secondary ‘hard ball’ Cricket. 
This competition format follows on from the successful launch of Super 8’s in April 2012.
Read more...

Robin Walsh elected President of Cricket Ireland
Robin Walsh has received the highest honour in Irish cricket, being elected President of Cricket Ireland at the AGM held in Dundalk yesterday.
The 73 year old is a former Controller of BBC NI and editor of BBC Nine O'Clock Television News in London.
His cricketing journey began in his home town of Derry/Londonderry, where he played schoolboy cricket for Foyle College, and then Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Ulster Schools back in the 1950s.
Read more...

Junior Cricketers playing in Adult Matches
The NCU Development Directorate wish to remind clubs of the ECB guidance covering the participation of young cricketers in adult matches which can be found on page 112 of the 2013 Fixtures and Rule Book.
This guidance has been adopted by the Union.
Under 13 cricketers - Explicit written consent from a parent or guardian is required before participating in an adult match.
Under 11 cricketers - Explicit prior approval must be sought through me before the player can play.
Read more...

UMPIRES REPORT FORMS
To all Club Captains
Please note - If you have official umpires at any of your league or cup games (Home or Away) at any stage throughout the season, you must ensure that the correct Umpires Assessment Form is completed accurately and returned to myself (either by email or by post - both addresses on form) within 7 days of the match taking place (but preferably 3).
For matches that took place last weekend, captains have already failed to accurately complete Umpires names (both christian and surnames are required!), have used old forms or have sent the forms to the incorrect person.
It is essential that due care and attention is given to this task if gradings for Umpires are to be accurate and subsequently effective.
All clubs have previously been issued with this Form (along with the new Grounds Report & Fair Play report) and they are also available on this website.
In addition, clubs who fail to return said Umpire Form within 7 days will be fined in accordance with the Union's Competition Rules.
If anyone has any queries regarding the completion of these forms please do not hesitate to contact me.
Andy Clement

Player Clothing 2013
Coloured clothing will be used in the following competitions:
Challenge Cup, Irish Senior Cup, National Trophy, Ulster Cup, Ulster Shield, Twenty20 Cup, Twenty20 Trophy.

Predominantly white clothing will be used in the following competitions:
All League Competitions, Junior, Intermediate, Minor and Minor Qualifying Cups, Ulster Plate, Twenty20 Shield.
View Players Clothing Info 2013 (pdf)

NCU Bye-Laws 2013
The revised NCU Bye Laws for 2013
View NCU Bye-Laws 2013

Volunteering in Sport
Volunteering is an ideal way to get involved in sport, develop new skills and stay engaged in a sport. It can be a rewarding activity which helps you to meet new people and take on new challenges through roles such as coaching or administration.
Sports volunteering activities
The wide range of opportunities to get involved in sports volunteering includes:

• coaching
• administration
• officiating
• committee work
• organising events and competitions

Depending on your individual skills or interests, you can offer to volunteer in any of the above areas. Some of the most important attributes include enthusiasm and interest.
For more information on volunteering in sport visit www.nidirect.gov.uk/sports-volunteering.

Safeguarding Children and Young People in Sport and Leisure Conference
The NSPCC's Child Protection in Sport Unit and SportNI are working in partnership with a number of sports governing bodies to plan an all Ireland Safeguarding in Sport and Leisure conference.
The conference is targeted at those in the role of child welfare officer/children's officer at club or community level and those with responsibility for the development and management of junior activities/clubs.
This will be a full day conference.
Read more...