Outside Edge.
Cricket in Leinster used to be like a faithful old dog - didn't take much looking after, always there when you needed it and happy with a pat on the head. Those were the days of Middle A, Middle B and Middle Earth (or Ballyeighan as its more commonly known), along with the Intermediate and Junior Sections. Teams in the latter were paradoxically comprised of gnarled old veterans, looking to fill in another day before the hip replacement and the odd, enthusiastic youngster who was quite happy to field fine leg both ends and head to the shops to replenish the tobacco stock.
But, to borrow Yeats phrase (lets face it, it's the only W. B. line that anybody remembers), all has changed, changed utterly. Nowadays the youngsters are more likely to go to the headshops for tobacco supplements, insist on fielding at backward point and bowling with the wind. And if that wasn't bad enough they are able to get to the table for tea quicker than a Michael Holding bouncer and lay claim to the best sandwiches, wraps and chocolate biscuits. And there's another change, when did wraps start appearing on the tea menu? Time was, a curled up piece of processed ham on day old bread was enough to see you through the innings break and gave you all the nutritional goodness you needed until the barman arrived. Now we have buffets in Terenure (where have all the Catholic Young Men gone?), chapattis, bajiis and pakoras at various venues and delicious, finger-licking-good wraps in Pembroke (at least its something to take your mind off the non-bouncing, brown-looking square).
The introduction of 13 Divisions in Leinster brings in a logical hierarchy that wasn't always apparent but also removes some of the romance and mystery - a bit like renaming Marathon bars Snickers (even if they were targeting the cricket market). The effect can already be seen this early in the season, where teams from all Divisions are resolutely pursuing promotion and glory with a ruthless, one-eyed ambition. That's not to say that the old way of doing things was necessarily better. Too often teams were left in a league when they should have been either promoted or relegated. And even with the new Divisional structure the same way of deciding positions is being retained - the use of percentage rather than relying on points and bonus points seems rather archaic, although with the amount of games lost in the last few years that is, perhaps, understandable.
Thankfully Leinster Cricket has seen fit to keep the old cup competition names. So we still have two Middle Cups - the Middle Cup and the, imaginatively named Middle 2 Cup, an Intermediate Cup and the Junior and Minor Cups. I can only imagine the hours of debate at the Leinster Cricket Union Committee meetings on what club should contest which cup.
However, the change in Divisional structure isn't the biggest change of the season. Nor is the fact that cricket is growing rapidly throughout the province with clubs like Laois (having realised that they were nowhere near a port) and Dundrum (with its hospital refuge for retired captains) fielding extra teams. No the biggest change goes to the weather. For the first time in years the sun has shone in May and a quick look round the changing room (purely in the context of research, you understand) reveals the resurgence of that once nearly extinct phenomenon - the farmers cricketers tan.
But it is reassuring to find that as much as things change some things remain the same. Check out this British Pathe newsreel from 1923 - http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=20065 - the Cinema Renters Vs Exhibitors in Pembroke. The Pembroke fence and clubhouse might have received a bit of a touch-up but it's good to know that players and umpires smoking at the wicket isn't confined to Junior A Division 10. And if you could listen to the spectators you might even hear the dulcet tones of Stu Daultrey complaining about the wicket.
By Sean Smith
