|
NIACUS
Umpires are currently involved in Ireland exchanges with Leinster Umpires and North West
Umpires and in two exchange programmes with English Associations – Merseyside
and Bristol.
In the
2000 season, for the first time, two NIACUS umpires (Peter White and Bob
Kane) umpired matches in the Liverpool
area, thanks to our Vice President, Mike Dixon, and his involvement with the
Merseyside ACU&S. In 2002, Mike Fletcher and Maurice Rylatt travelled
from Merseyside to spend the weekend of August 10th - 13th umpiring in the
NCU and attending the Ireland v Australia international at Ormeau. This exchange has gone from strength, with
Trevor Magee and Alan Neill travelling to Merseyside in 2006.
It was
back in the late '70s that Liam A. Keegan of Leinster CUA first mooted the
possibility of umpiring exchanges between Leinster
and the Northern Cricket Union. Liam had 'northern' contacts because of his
involvement with the Irish Rugby Football Union and also the Junior Chamber
of Commerce. At this time the 'troubles' were at their worst and his
aspirations were met with suspicion and hostility by a minority in both
Associations. Indeed, I believe that it all led to a couple of resignations!
Although
all this happened only two decades ago, information is sketchy and I have to
rely upon individual recollections. Sadly, a fair proportion of the personnel
involved have gone to the great pavilion in the sky, but I am greatly
indebted to the 'Secret Diaries of Mella Keegan aged forty-seven and
three-quarters', wife of legend, L.A.K.
Eventually,
the first exchange was arranged. Described as a 'private visit', four NICUA
(as we then were called) officials travelled to Dublin on Sunday 14th June 1981- George Archer, Harry Chamberlain, Dai Jones and
Fred McMurray. Two Guinness Cup Inter-Provincials were being played and Dai
stood with Leinster's Sean Moore at Kimmage for South Leinster v Munster, while George and Robert MacClancy took charge
at Cabra for North Leinster v North West. Harry and Fred 'stood by', one at each
fixture.
Saturday 8th August 1981 saw the first visit in the opposite direction,
when George Archer and Liam Keegan officiated at Newforge, with Dai Jones and
Sean Moore at Civil Service. The following day, Sunday 9th August, five NICUA
umpires were back in Dublin. This time Dai, George and Fred were joined by Billy Taylor
and Joe Vaughan. They all 'stood' in club games with Leinster colleagues. A fortnight later at Ormeau, Belfast, Liam Keegan was the
first Leinster CUA umpire to officiate in a Guinness Cup Inter-Provincial in
the North - Ulster Town v North Leinster.
Thus the
pattern was established and exchanges have continued on an annual basis ever
since. 1982 saw the first instance of a Leinster
club league match with TWO Northern officials in charge - Dai Jones and Joe
Vaughan standing together at Railway Union v Malahide on Sunday
29th August 1982.
For the
first few years of these 'private' exchanges, excellent lunches were provided
at the home of the Keegans and the Moores in Dublin and at the Jones's in Belfast. A feature of the drive home from Dublin was late night/early morning car picnics
outside Dunleer - south of the border!
As our
umpiring developed, these exchanges became official and later, when the ICU
held Inter-Provincial weekends, umpires of an approved standard were brought
in from all four Umpires' Associations - Leinster, Munster, Northern and North West, to take charge of all these tournament
fixtures.
It was
1988 before the first exchange took place between NICUA and NWCUA (North West
Cricket Umpires Association). With umpires being a little scarce in the North West at that time, it was agreed that the exchanges
would be two-way. Four umpires went up to Londonderry, while four North West men came down to Belfast the same day. The four NICUA umpires for that inaugural trip
to the North
West were
Paddy O'Hara, Stan Perry, Arthur Thompson and Joe Vaughan. Again the
hospitality was first class, especially the evening at Bready CC resulting in
a very late return trip!
In 2000 we
were delighted that two Irish umpires, Trevor Henry (from our Association)
and Stu Daultrey (from Leinster CUA), were selected to stand in 2nd XI County
matches. Peter White also umpired a 4 day match at Bristol, involving Gloucester CCC 2nd XI. We now have our second English exchange
programme underway with Peter White and Keith Smith visiting Bristol and Bath in 2005 and two Bristol visitors making the return trip in 2006.
In June
2002, Joy Muir was invited to score for Bank of England CC in the Surrey
Championship, and returned for a second match in July. Scoring exchanges are rather more difficult
to arrange, as scorers are closely involved with club sides for whom they score each week.
However, we are prepared to consider any scorer exchanges should they
become available.
We would be pleased to hear from any
umpiring or scoring association, home or abroad, who would like to develop
links and exchanges with us.
|