SLUGGER O'TOOLE
Notes on Northern Ireland politics and culture

Living in the deep south and born and breed cathloic and republican, i have played cricket from an early age and it is a good game. Best craic i had was at an english ex-pats cricket match in france. Played a days cricket and a night eating and drinking and getting it on with english chicks. Now thats what i call cricket.

Living in the deep south and born and breed cathloic and republican, i have played cricket from an early age and it is a good game. Best craic i had was at an english ex-pats cricket match in france. Played a days cricket and a night eating and drinking and getting it on with english chicks. Now thats what i call cricket.

Why is Cricket (relatively) popular in the North West- including parts of Donegal etc? which I would have though is probably be the least 'English' part of the North.

Is it a participated on a cross community basis up there?

Could any N/W er/ Derry person advise?

It does no have the same profile it is perceived as boring. Boredom is a major stumbling block if cricket wants to attract children and teenagers. Football, rugby, GAA etc. are popular at schools as they are fast and furious, everyone gets involved (very important!), and the game can fit neatly into the time alloted for PE.

It is better to spectate at cricket(weather and licensing laws permitting!) than to participate IMHO.

I wasnt able to get down to Clontarf for the Surrey match but I was there last year to watch ireland take on an ECB 11 I think!

It occured to me that the crowd was tiny compared to ireland matches in NI. To be fair the opposition was hardly WI or Australia but from the TV it seemed to be the same against Surrey.

Anyone attend many internationals in the South?

Ah, long summer days in the seventies with a bat and ball at Woodvale Cricket Ground - memories!

BTW congrats to the U21 Rugby Team making the World Final.

Doug
Yes its very much thriving and cross community in the NW. Historically there's a lot of works teams-Sion Mills for example

Davidbrew,

But what are the historic reasons for its strenght in the N/W????

BTW Theres no way you can get in a jibe about DT and the UUP in this thread is there??

Cricket seems to be much more popular in North Dublin than south for some reason, and isn't just the preserve to the chattering classes.

Cricket is a great uniting force. A friend of mine and her boyfriend at the time(both from the South) were travelling around the North visiting relatives. The boyfriend, a big burly chap with a shock of black hair was an agricultural fencing contractor and his car wasn't the tidiest. The boot was like a warzone with rolls of barbed wire, clawhammers, nails and a sledgehammer thrown in a higgledy-piggledy heap among numerous other forgotten items.

They got stopped at the border and the boyfriend's car was turned inside out. Things were looking really bad and they were sure they were in for some serious questioning at best until a cricket bat and ball were found in the car boot.

You can do a lot of damage with a sledgehammer and barbed wire, but you can also do a lot of damage with a cricket bat! But the discovery of the cricket bat had an amazing effect on the border guards. They went from being totally menacing to being willing to happily discuss the finer points of cricket, and the happy couple were sent on their way with apologies from the guards!

Totally agree cricket can be a uniting force in ireland, especially in the NW.

I doubt the cricketers from North who were hounded out of the Ormeau road would agree totally with that mind you!

I remember playing cricket with my friend Mark Durkin when I was younger. he was quite a fan as I recall and knew how to do a type of bowling which was quaranteed to get me out which pissed me off.

I wouldn't mind having a go at cricket. It seems a decent game to play but a bit of a drag to watch.

Although where I'm from, rubgy and soccer are virtually non existent, never mind cricket!

Why is Cricket (relatively) popular in the North West- including parts of Donegal etc? which I would have though is probably be the least 'English' part of the North.

Isn’t the NW more “English” than other parts of “the North”? I think it was planted by English, whereas Antrim and Down, which weren’t planted, were settled mostly by Scots.

Patrick...the more you watch it , especially with decent commentators, the more you will enjoy the depths of the game.

Donnie
"It is better to spectate at cricket than to participate"

Oh God no, the other way around.
The few times I played it I thought it was reasonable fun [though being a hurler it can never compare] but to watch it is dire ... the longest i've been able to watch it is about 60 seconds ;)

That's exactly how I'd feel, naca. Some difference in speed and intestity compared with hurling.

*It is better to spectate at cricket than to participate.*

Better yet, listen on the radio - " . . . and a seagull soars languidly across Boycott's line of sight. Reminds me of a game in Poona . . . 40 degrees in the shade . . .*

*I doubt the cricketers from North who were hounded out of the Ormeau road would agree totally with that mind you!*

Was that not the Cliftonville Road?

No it was Lr. Ormeau as I used to live near it as a student. Think it was torched a few times.

In 40 degrees in Pune/Poona it is defintely better to be getting the cold beers in than standing at the crease.

George
"Cricket seems to be much more popular in North Dublin than south for some reason, and isn't just the preserve to the chattering classes."

Im from North Dublin ive only ever seen it played once in the phoenix park, but we just hailed abuse at them for being english, however good ireland are playing at the mo, i dont think in my life time i'll see them in croke park

Speed yes (isn't Hurling reputed to be the fastest field sport in the world?). But as for intensity, cricket is up there with the best.

No it was Lr. Ormeau as I used to live near it as a student. Think it was torched a few times.

Actually, it was both.

Cliftonville Cricket Club (and Hockey Club) were burned out of Cliftonville Road by nationalists. They were homeless for years but now play at Greenisland.

I saw the state of what's left of North's ground last time I was over. It looked as though it had been completely gutted. It was a bit of a shock I have to say, as I'd not heard about it before.

I have a number of questions, if anyone has the answers?

- What plans are there for the ground now?

- Have any of the local elected councillors looked at this situation/tried to help?

- Where has the team been playing in the meantime?

- Is there any chance of a resolution?

It is a disgrace. The Ormeau ground was one of the oldest sports grounds in Ireland - possibly the oldest cricket ground.

The North of Ireland Club - which I think was the oldest in Ireland - is now known as Belfast Harlequins CC, and they play at Deramore Park.

Mick asks - isn't Hurling reputed to be the fastest field sport in the world?

Lacrosse claims to be the fastest sport Mick

Mick asks - isn't Hurling reputed to be the fastest field sport in the world?

Lacrosse claims to be the fastest sport Mick

"Lacrosse claims to be the fastest sport Mick"

Don't think Lacrosse is nearly as fast as hurling, is it?
How is it gauged anyway, time the ball travels, time play shifts from one end to the other?

I don't know Maca. I remember reading it years ago in an article about sports injuries.

Mick I don't know hwo cricket is more intense than hurling. Sure most of them lads playing cricket stand doing nothing for half the game!

Wouldn't happen for long in a hurling match!

And there's no blood spilt in cricket either ... tsch, wussy game.

No blood spilt ? LOL

Well any sport worth the watching can be tense. Comparing cricket and hurling is like comparing the 10,000m with the 100m race. Both can be compelling (or boring) depending upon the quality of the competition.

To some extent it depends on the style of Cricket as well... when the West Indies Bowling was at it's best....
Ferocious fast bowling over after over...

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