There is a well known saying in cricket that you can only beat the opposition that is put in front of you. It's true and the same can be said for the NCU AGM on Wednesday evening. Clubs can only vote for the rule changes that are placed before them.

I expect it to be a long and tedious evening with the vast majority of the proposals dealing with start times and rearrangements. The rule changes are proposed by clubs frustrated by the current arrangements. As a result the 2008 NCU handbook will be out of date which means that next year we will have even more confusion regarding the said start times and rearrangements.

Captains usually receive their copy of the new rules about a week before the season starts so they had better plan some revision time. If it all goes wrong it is their fault. That's the equivalent of Gordon Brown blaming the cashier in the bank for the mess in the country's finances. My copy of the NCU rule book for 2008 has been posted to the Director in charge of the campaign for clear English. He said he'd get back to me when he stopped laughing. Please Lord, can we have a good summer in 2009 because decent weather will save a lot of grief?

By far and away the most interesting proposal is to do with the reduction of the leagues to 8 team sections. I'm far from convinced that this is the way forward. The reasoning is sound enough that the top players are playing too much cricket. In this regard I couldn't agree more but the answer is not necessarily one where you sacrifice a meaningful league game for a meaningless cup game.

When the NCU dominated the Irish Senior Cup it was in an era where clubs competed in 3 competitions not 5. We have diluted quality for quantity. The proposed solution is to reduce the quantity of the quality! Everybody is being asked to vote for no promotion and high numbers of clubs being relegated because the current rules on rearrangements are a shambles. By reducing the need to rearrange matches might deflect from the inadequacy of the rules.

I'm not sure that eight team leagues work. If the NCU won't take my word for it, and they most definitely won't, they should phone anyone involved in the Intermediate cricket in the North West. There is a chance that this proposal may get through as clubs are just so battle weary, but it is the wrong move for the right reasons. Keeping sides for two years in the same division, no matter what their results isn't right. These proposals clearly favour the big clubs over the small and could leave the small clubs with a real battle to hold on to their best players.

If the top flight of the NCU wishes to reduce the number of games they play then they could always kick the Ulster Cup into touch as a Sunday game in the Club Turf hasn't the same appeal as a Saturday game in the league. For example I couldn't see the top flight in the English Football Premier League agreeing to reduce the number of competing clubs to accommodate another Carling Cup equivalent. Remember that the vast majority of full time professional football clubs play in just 3 competitions; League, League cup and FA cup. Yet local amateur cricketers in a weather dependent sport are being asked to compete in five.

Meanwhile the NCU dinner on Saturday night passed off in classic style with a little bit of controversy as the NCU were unable to present the trophy to the league champions North Down. This was due to a further appeal by CSNI over the docked point that cost them a share in the title. Is anyone else getting frustrated by how these things just drag on and on and on, which, coincidently is not unlike the CSNI team in the field?

However much sympathy I have with CSNI, I have a lot more with Saintfield who have been relegated on the merest of technicalities. The net run rate used to relegate them allegedly came down to 4 runs over the course of a season. If Serial 12 (to reduce the league size) gets through it is effectively relegation for at least two seasons. Rumours have it both clubs are thinking of legal action.

This would be a disaster for everyone. I've never met anyone who thinks inviting Hannibal Lecter over for a barbeque and a nice bottle of Chianti is a good decision so asking a lawyer to help in a dispute between clubs achieves the same result. If the rules regarding penalties due to slow over rates and clubs relegated over net run rates are such a problem then why aren't there proposals to change them from CSNI and Saintfield?

So here are my proposals for the 2009 NCU AGM.

Serial 1: Membership 2 (a)
All cricket clubs, schools and cricket organisations in the North of Ireland willing to conform to the rules, accept that the decisions taken by the Board are final and binding and are not subject to legal challenge, shall be eligible for membership.

{This would mean clubs would stop throwing their toys out of the pram}

Serial 2: Competition Rules 3 (regarding captains' responsibility that the rules are adhered)

Delete.

{This would stop the NCU passing the buck}

Serial 3: General Rules 16 (b) (ii)
The competitions directorate shall review the competition rules with a remit to simplify and standardise the structures for the 2010 season.

{This would mean the NCU would accept that their rules are unworkable}

Good luck to all delegates for the AGM. Take half a dozen Pro Plus tablets with some Red Bull and drink several cups of Expresso before you leave the house.