Cricket

[alkmaar67]

First of all, are there any cricket fans on here and if so from which clubs?

I was just wondering also what are the attitudes of the main parties as regards sports funding in general and more specifically to cricket?

[JPR]

I used to play cricket and still follow it, it was great watching the World Cup with Ireland doing so well!

I was a player of modest talent and played for my home town club, strictly small time.

Funding for cricket will be a lot easier to get after the Irish performance at the WC, but still won't match what other 'bigger' sports get. But a little is still good.

[alkmaar67]

Yes, it was great to see them qualify. I was at a couple of the games during the qualifying - one at Stormont and one in Comber. The boys did superbly and should now be allowed to play test matches against Bangla and Zimbabwe.

I think cricket should be held up as an example to other sports because all communities play it - I even played against a Chinese player when my school went down to Dublin. The government should be supporting Ireland in preparing for test status in the years to come without a doubt.

The standard of cricket in Leinster seems to be far higher than up here in the NCU or the North West, maybe because of the magnet that is Dublin.

[locke]

Test status won't happen without a professional domestic set up, so that's no time possibility in the near future.

I played a little when I was at UCC and also as a kid, I spent three years in school in England where I played. It's very time consuming, so it requires too much dedication when you're in full time employment.

[alkmaar67]

Well, the ICC do put a lot of criteria up for test status. However, Ireland satisfy the most important of all that the previous 3 entrants to test cricket did not, merit on the field!

[trickpa]

love it

[Podolski]

Yeah, I'm a Buddy Holly fan.

[Blue Tide]

I play for UCC, its a really enjoyable game to play. Beats that hell out of GAA sports anyway and I'd played Football for ten years before I came to college.

[Blue Tide]

Oh and I'm not one of those new bandwagon people, I played before the world cup.

[alkmaar67]

I play at North Down.

I think we are the only team from NI who can challenge the top Leinster sides.