The sad and untimely passing of Eglinton's Gary Ritchie reminds us of how precious the years are and of the friendships that endure. Gary was a true club man. On top of all the jobs he was known for, he carried out lots of little jobs around the place that went unnoticed but made the club function properly. Gary Ritchie will be sadly missed by everyone at Eglinton CC and across the North West.

Sometimes people don't realise just how much effort goes in behind the scenes to ensure a cricket match goes ahead. Too many players just turn up and play without realising the effort that goes in preparing wickets, cutting outfields, raising funds, ordering equipment, putting out boundary markers, sorting out Duckworth/Lewis and scorers, getting teas ready and phoning players. The captain carries a fair bit of weight on his shoulders but many of these tasks are carried out by true club men who do it for the love of the sport. They are worth their weight in gold.

They do it because they remember in turn the people in the past that carried out all of those little jobs. They help run the club because others did it years ago allowing them to play when they were younger. Each builds upon the last. It is this wonderful legacy that makes a club distinctive. There are families belonging to clubs where the same surname keeps popping up generation after generation.

This is one of my main concerns about players being paid. On the one hand, there is an enormous amount of cricket being played with an incredible number of different competitions a club can enter. So the commitment in time is greater than ever before. There is probably less time available to practise and improve. In my book those cricketers who make that effort to be available and are professional in their outlook probably do deserve some sort of compensation. Increasingly in today's job market with flexible shift patterns many people could be earning instead of playing but no-one ever wants to let their team mates down. The flip side is that there are other players in the team who make exactly the same commitment and do play for free so why aren't they paid?

I have always believed that if local cricket clubs want to pay some of their players to turn out on a Saturday then that is a matter for them. They are breaking no rules. But like it or not it can create friction and ultimately team spirit. I have no problem with people earning the money. If they do work behind the bar they deserve the going rate for that work. If they help with the coaching and the Youth Development then they deserve the going rate for that work. If playing cricket on a Saturday is deemed work then why isn't everybody paid the going rate for that ‘work'?

Cricketers are expected to pay their annual subscription. But how do you feel about fundraising for the club when the money that leaves your pocket just ends up in a team mate's pocket? It is a redistribution of wealth that doesn't necessarily go from rich to poor but often the other way round.

The problem with getting paid to play is that it can create an inherently selfish attitude. Players might get concerned with the going rate and who is paying who and how much? Helping around the club is not in the contract so it is not required.

The point I am making is about legacies. Where will these guys be when the money stops and what will they have left behind? Will the current generation put in the effort to keep the club functioning in the future or will require payment to help out. In some ways this is nothing to do with money. It is about respect. Respecting those that came before you to give you a healthy club and respecting those that work tirelessly today so you can go out and enjoy a game of cricket.