Regarding an Ulster League I have given this a huge amount of thought and feel that the time is right. Because of the awful weather we have had all clubs are struggling right now. Supporter numbers are down which in turn means that revenue is down. I believe that we must do something to get people off their backsides and into the grounds and into the bar. I think North West cricket and NCU is stale right now. What I mean by that is the same clubs are dominating and for many there is little to play for. An Ulster League will give a whole new impetus to local cricket. Both Unions will be entering an Ulster League when there are similar standards and each has nothing to fear. This has not always been the case.

The NW Senior Cup and NCU Challenge Cup will stay as local cup competitions. The Sperrin Springs Faughan Valley Cup and the Metal Technology Twenty/20 Cup would also stay as regional competitions. However the finalist of those two competitions should meet in a Super Sunday at the same venue for a Club Turf Ulster Cup rather than continue with the current format for the Ulster Cup especially if we have an Ulster League. That way we keep 3 generous sponsors on board. How it works would be simple. If we have an Ulster League there would be no need for any knockout stages for an Ulster Cup and turn the competition into a 20/20 competition.

For Example: The finalists of the Faughan Valley in 2009 were Limavady and Fox Lodge. The finalists of the Metal Technology were North Down and Instonians. Super Sunday would mean North Down would play Fox Lodge and Limavady would play Instonians in 20 over semi finals with the semi final winners meeting later in the day for the Ulster Cup.

That is why I have proposed the Ulster League on a 10 team basis. It is more inclusive rather than elitist. Retaining the NW Senior Cup and NCU Challenge Cup will keep an important link with the past and ensure a local flavour for those great competitions. By restructuring the Ulster Cup it would free up all of those dates meaning there would LESS cricket not more. I think people have to remember that 9 games are at home and four others are away fixtures to teams in your own region. You therefore are only traveling out of your own vicinity on 5 occasions in the summer.

I also believe that the gap between Section 2 and the top flight of both NCU and NW is too big and an Ulster Premier League 2 will be hugely competitive league but a much better stepping stone to the top. Teams coming up out of Section 2 right now simply get thrashed and go straight down. Even if they hang on it is by the skin of their teeth and survive they usually get thrashed again the next year. This does not keep people in the sport. However an entire league made up of their peers means that everyone can be beaten on the day and every team has a realistic chance of not only surviving but actually thriving if they get on a roll.

What is currently Section 2 in the North West would now simply be the North West Championship and the same applies to Section 2 in the NCU which would be the NCU Championship. The winner of each league would be automatically promoted into UPL 2 and this would be non negotiable. It may come about that 2 NCU sides or 2 NW sides would be relegated out of UPL 2 but that is just the way the cookie crumbles. It would simply mean a little bit of juggling for the NW or NCU fixture secretaries but I'm sure they will cope.

I feel that these lower leagues are best served by local competition rather than on an all Ulster basis. The serious players and the ambitious clubs will want to travel and recreational players will not. That is how it should be. It also means that clubs second eleven matches should be organized on a local regional basis rather than on an All Ulster format. But availability of grounds may be a factor so it might also mean the second elevens of a UPL club might have to play on an Ulster basis. I think this is something the clubs can decide for themselves. Purely for logistical reasons, if the UPL clubs decide to play second eleven cricket (Intermediate in NW) on an Ulster basis by reversing the fixtures then it would mean second elevens could get relegated or promoted on the basis of which league their first eleven competes in. This is something if the clubs vote for they will have to live with.

If you want two up and two down promotion and relegation between UPL 1 and 2 that's fine by me. That is for the clubs to decide. However two MUST be relegated out of UPL 2. I believe that to protect the integrity of an Ulster League it is imperative that 1 North West club and 1 NCU club will be promoted every year. By doing this it ensures that no matter where a club is situated or whatever league it is in, there is a pathway in place to the very top of local cricket.

I do not believe that a return to Inter-Provincial cricket will happen in the near future and I do not think it would work. Unless the ICC insists that we organize it then I would let sleeping dogs lie. Players are committed to their clubs and not to Inter-Pros. Therefore the best players will play in a UPL. Because there is some additional traveling involved it may make sense to reduce the UPL into 40 over matches making the cricket quicker but more intense. I would like it to be played with a white ball and in coloured clothing.

There is a lot to do behind the scenes in merging the administrative functions of both the NW and NCU and there are far more capable people than me to do that. Each Union attracts a fair amount of stick but both Unions have great people there who are top class administrators and all care passionately about the game.

I do believe that this is the way forward for the game here and I am proposing this because we need to ensure cricket has a future. This is not an NCU proposal nor is it a North West proposal but a suggestion from someone who cares about local cricket. I genuinely believe that this could work. What I want from the players is to consider it and bring your thoughts to the forum. There is no point in doing a lot of work if it is dismissed out of hand because the players don't want it.