Last year when I posted my County teams I set some criteria for selection. I used the NCU Development plan to classify selection criteria and as such teams were allocated a county according to proximity to nearest large town. Thus Waringstown was in County Armagh although 95% of the village is in County Down.

I only selected players who were eligible for Ireland otherwise we would end up with an overseas professional beauty contest. Last year I managed to select Regan West and Nigel Jones six months before they became eligible which you can put down to ignorance on my part.

Finally I tried to pick balanced teams consisting of 5 batsmen, (opening and middle order), 4 bowlers, (opening and spin), wicketkeeper and all-rounder. By and large I picked the best players.

This year I have tried to follow that criteria but make some allowances for form. In other words I have relaxed my stance a little on having a balanced side or the best players and tried to pick one or two players who have made a significant impact in 2008.

It has been a greater challenge but in many ways it has been a lot more fun. Guys like Simon Dunn, Andrew Kirkpatrick, Colin Andrews and Michael Taylor usually don't get any credit when these type of sides are selected but make no mistake they are good cricketers who had very good seasons.

I also feel that selecting players on form means that everyone has a chance of being picked which hopefully will spur some people on. This year I've managed to leave out two Ireland ‘A' players and a full international was the last one into the Antrim team.

I assumed that County Down would be straightforward and it would be the North Down team with a couple of guests. You know what they say about assuming though. As far as I know Andrew Sutherland is not eligible for Ireland, nor is Taimur Khan and Ralph Coetzee barely played. Marty Dalzell, Neil Russell and David Kennedy played in different counties in '08.

Downpatrick and Bangor had indifferent seasons. Bangor relied heavily on ‘Hutchy' and pro "Yayas Will-you-givus-a-lick-of-her-acne' to bail them out on several occasions. Downpatrick's season just never got started.

Rivals Saintfield and Dundrum sweated over relegation out of Section 2. Both teams had to submit their scorebooks to the CSI team at NCU headquarters in case an ink smudge amounted to an additional four leg byes which ultimately was the difference between them. Unfortunately for Saintfield it seemed Dundrum's inability to copy the information from their scorebook onto the submission sheet meant that it was they, not Saintfield who got the reprieve.

It could have gone either way just like 2006 when the NCU decided one of the North Down bowlers wasn't Irish and handed the league title to Waringstown. Which one? The, ahem, current Ireland opening bowler. But I digress. (Better move on or David Edwards will be phoning ‘Rant Line' again).

Therefore the County Down team for 2008 is:

Ryan Haire (North Down)
Joe Mongomery (North Down)
Mark Hutchinson (Bangor)
Seamus Sharkey (Holywood)
Robin Haire (North Down)
Peter Shields (North Down) wicket keeper/captain
Martin Moreland (North Down)
Michael Shannon (Holywood)
Gavin McKenna (North Down)
Peter Connell (North Down)
Lee Connor (Dundrum)

12th man
Rodney Hassard (Dundrum)

Now you know what I mean by never assuming! Five changes from last year. Joe Mongomery was fantastic all year. He played seconds cricket the last few years due to time constraints but when he had time to devote to his cricket we knew what he could achieve. He is a really good senior cricketer.

Seamus Sharkey is a top player. I talked about him last year but he could play for any team in the top flight and make them a better side.

Robin Haire says he is retiring. I think I'll believe it when I see it. ‘Da' has been an outstanding cricketer over the years. He never ever lets his team relax and is always urging them on to produce their best on every occasion. Single minded and at times a maverick, Robin hasn't always been universally popular. But he is universally respected and loves to talk cricket. Needless to say I like him a lot. If this is to be his last year he bows out at the top.

Lee Connor was tremendous this year for Dundrum. He's tall with a slightly round arm action which reminds me a bit of Mark Simpson of Brigade. Because of this action he manages to get bounce and skid the ball off the pitch and this combination always creates some doubt for the batsman to pick up the length. On his day he is a really awkward customer to bat against and he was a major factor in Dundrum staying in section 2.

Michael Shannon was capped for Ireland way back in 1909 and has been totally loyal to Holywood over the last hundred years. Michael grew up bowling off spin to WG Grace before he had a beard and couldn't make the Bodyline series due to his expanding Bodyline. His first taste of cricket in Ulster was as a 15 year old against Armagh in 1905 when a grizzled old Boer war veteran ran in bowling bouncers and growling something about shooting when you see the whites of their eyes. I think his name was Stinson.
(PS. Michael's a big mate of mine and we are the same age. We were friends and rivals at Ulster Schools and then Ulster Town, a bit like a poor mans White and McCallan!!)