Bye Law (n) is quite clear: In 50-over fixtures umpires shall advise the fielding captain when his side has taken more than 3 hours to complete an innings, and shall report the time taken to the Union. A side so reported for a second time in a league fixture shall be fined £25 if it has taken between 3 hours and 3 hours 15 minutes and have one point deducted if it has exceeded 3 hours and 15 minutes.

In last weeks top of the table clash CSNI for the third time this season exceeded their allotted time to complete their overs. The other occasion was a cup fixture. Umpires Alan Neill and Paddy O'Hara reported the club to the NCU for taking 3 hours 16 minutes to bowl their allotted overs. Now there are a lot of things you can do with an extra minute and I will let the reader use their imagination to think of their favourites. (Usain Bolt managed three Olympic golds). CSNI could use it to blow a league title. Remember they haven't lost in the league since their opening fixture against Bangor. That day at Bangor has been costly as they took also too long to bowl their overs that day and subsequently used up their ‘get one free offer'.

Back to the one minute. Now one has to ask did the umpires synchronise their watches before the start of play? Did they examine each others time-pieces and decide who had the more impressive one? (Don't snigger!)Perhaps they used the clock at the ground. Was it tamper proof? Do we need to run independent tests on the umpires watches to ensure they weren't running quickly?

Because the CSNI side bowled North Down in two balls less than 50 overs, it seems that the length of time taken to remove the last batsman could have the bearing on the title. Maybe each of the incoming North Down batsmen had been 6 seconds too slow in getting to the middle. Can anyone else imagine Robin Haire with the stopwatch in his hand a la Alex Ferguson whispering to the last North Down batsman 'take your time, son'?

CSNI must have known they were behind the clock. Any umpires I can remember always gave you hints along the way to tell you whether you needed to get a move on. The also must have known the implications of slow play. Remember they were fined in a cup match so one would have to assume that when they received the fine they would have checked the corresponding ruling.

So CSNI still lead the league but the implications of the ruling are clear. They cannot now share the league. They either win it outright or North Down are the champions again. It's not just the two teams you have got to feel sorry for. What about the NCU administrators? Yet again the whole season could go pear-shaped.

Earlier this season Woodvale's victories over Lurgan and Ballymena were scrubbed due to irregularities with the interpretation of Duckworth/Lewis more specifically the total overs allotted to bowlers. Bearing in mind that this was the first time that D/L was introduced into Section 2 you would have thought a little bit of leeway might have carried the day.

Not so. At the AGM in 2007 the union voted in the principle that it was the captains responsibility to ensure that they understand the rules and that the rules are carried out correctly. This was carried with a big majority. You can understand why it was carried as it sounds fair enough. But the implications are clear. If anything goes wrong it's your own fault. That is, when you think of it, nonsense.

Umpires take their lead from the Laws of the game and the NCU rulebook. Umpire then go and officiate in the match. Are the NCU asking captains to get involved with arguments with the umpires over the interpretation of the rules?

Let's say the captain having just taken his pads off, is warned by a teammate that an opposition bowler is about to start another over and you think he shouldn't be bowling it. Are you expected to run out onto the field with rule book in hand, rugby tackle the bowler to stop the game being voided and then start a full scale debate with someone like say, Cyril Vennard on his interpretation of the Bye Laws? I don't think so. But we have a situation now where once that ball is bowled you know you have just wasted your Friday afternoon because the captain is responsible for the game being played within the rules.

Thankfully Woodvale won't be denied their return to Section 1 because of the ruling as persistent rain and a lack of any enthusiasm from Lurgan means they return to the top for 2009.

However back to CSNI. Already there have been postings on the forum slating the NCU and this time it is unfair. Yes it is true the title yet again could be decided in the committee room but the blame lies with CSNI or the umpires not the NCU. Once it was reported they were between the devil and the deep blue sea. The NCU do need to look again at the punishments imposed and whether they relate properly to the offence but you can't do that half way through a season. Who's idea was it to deduct points for slow play? Probably the NCU.

This weekend CSNI play North Down in the title decider mark two and the action then concludes on Sunday when both sides are in action against Instonians and Carrickfergus respectively.

There is definitely a surreal feel to the proceedings that here we are only days from October when the Dinner season starts and cricketers are getting changed beside rugby, hockey and football players and we still don't know who the champions are. But you can bet your bottom dollar that the NCU will be secretly cheering on CSNI on Saturday. A CSNI victory will clinch the league and everything will be forgotten. A North Down victory and the NCU will likely switch its allegiance on Sunday and will cheer on Instonians so North Down can win by a clear margin.

I'm not sure that Cliftonville will be cheering on North Down however. Last year North Down 'lent' their ground to Derriaghy and CSNI to play a game which had an influence on the relegation battle. At the time everyone was praising North Down on how generous they were with their ground and it was right that results were decided on the field of play. I'm not sure all the teams saw it like that.

Last weekend CIYMS played their home games with North Down and Bangor at The Green, Comber. Belmont was not fit for play. The CIYMS defeat against North Down and their victory over Bangor made it a good weekend for everybody concerned. The resulting win for CIYMS has directly relegated Cliftonville.

Who'd be an administrator for the NCU?
(Applications are available from Bryan Milford. Posts commence after the AGM. Applicants are expected to attend a lot of meetings which are unpaid. Job entails dealing with lots of disputes between clubs and overhauling an unwieldy rulebook. Perks include a very occasional free bar at a cup final. Applicants must be able to accept criticism even if unwarranted. North West cricketers need not apply.)