Club History
North Down Cricket Club is one of the oldest, and historically one of the most successful, clubs in Ireland.
Formed in 1857, the club currently fields five men’s teams, two ladies teams and has a thriving youth section all based at what is widely regarded as one of the best grounds in the country, The Green in Comber.
The club has been a mainstay of the local community throughout its existence and can count among its membership famous names both on the field and off it, ranging from Thomas Andrews of Titanic fame more than a century ago to Paul Stirling who played for our 1stXI, who has been ranked as high as 8th best batter in the world in One-Day International cricket!
Youth cricket has always been a mainstay of the short, but busy, summers at The Green and there have been some notable successes. The club won the Graham Cup (Under 15) for the first time in 1995 and since then further trophies have been won at both local and national level.
Background
In 2015 the club found itself in the unusual position of having a lack of young players enjoying the sport, the ‘conveyor belt’ had stopped turning.
New thinking was needed and various projects were put in place which included the hugely popular Friday evening ‘introduction to cricket’ scheme and an outreach program into local schools which has seen hundreds of hours coaching done by club coaches in the last few years in both the primary and secondary sectors, all supplied free of charge.
Since then, numbers have grown consistently year on year, new coaches have been brought on board, more parents have got involved and more games have been played.
Lots of kids are now having great fun and staying active whilst enjoying all the benefits of team sport:
- Communication Skills. …
- Develops Self-Esteem. A high-five, pat on the back, thumbs up, or even a nod of approval – these are simple gestures that can help build confidence in kids. …
- Regular Exercise. …
- Teaches Leadership Skills. …
- Teaches Respect. …
- Teamwork. …
- Sense of Community. …
The club is extremely proud of what we have achieved in recent years, but we wanted more so in 2021 we re-branded to be the North Down Cricket Academy…
Our exciting vision was to strengthen and enrich the quality of cricket being played at the club.
The Academy focused on encouraging, preparing and developing cricketers of all ages and abilities to help them to fulfill their potential in the sport, whether that be to play for school, NDCC, Knights representation, or at the highest level as a professional.
The primary philosophy of the Academy was to develop and enhance individual skills and allow the player to progress according to their natural ability. This was to be achieved by providing specialist coaching/mentoring to participants in the areas of batting, bowling, fielding, fitness, and leadership skills; while providing an insight into the game, its culture and playing philosophy.
By providing junior players this opportunity, the Academy aimed to retain young people in cricket and help them to maintain and improve their ability and skill level, affording them the opportunity to progress within the sport.
The Academy was a great success but we want more!
2024 sees further change as we move from our Academy to a new Player Pathway…
Most of the key elements of our Academy program will remain the same but to explain things further, our young players will now find themselves on a journey of learning and both cricketing and personal development at the club.
In each pathway—Foundation, Development, and Performance—both boys and girls are nurtured to develop their cricketing skills. The Participation Pathway welcomes beginners and those with growing abilities, emphasizing enjoyment and a balanced coaching program. As players progress, the Development Pathway focuses on nurturing talented individuals for senior cricket in both men’s and women’s teams, preparing them for matches at the club level. Meanwhile, the Performance Pathway targets players with high performance capabilities, guiding them towards excellence in cricket within the club’s senior teams for both genders, with a focus on intense training and consistent performance to contribute significantly to team and club success.
Opportunities for progression abound within each pathway group, allowing players to advance as their abilities improve. From U11/primary school players up to 13 years old, the focus remains on enjoying the game with an emphasis on fun and participation. However, as players transition through secondary school and beyond, teams are structured to accommodate varying levels of performance and enjoyment. While some teams prioritize performance and competitiveness, others uphold participation and fun as paramount, ensuring that players of all abilities can continue to thrive and develop in the sport.
Foundation Pathway:
- Target Audience: Beginners or players with limited to growing abilities and strengths.
- Emphasis: Fun, enjoying the game, and balanced coaching programme.
- Objective: Skill development to enable participation in youth games.
- Skills Focus: Scoring runs, taking wickets, and accurate fielding.
- Goal: Ability to contribute to the team’s performance.
Development Pathway:
- Target Audience: Talented players with potential.
- Emphasis: Nurturing talent and preparing for senior cricket in men’s and ladies teams.
- Objective: Transitioning players for matches in senior cricket.
- Skills Focus: Enhancing cricket skills to match senior level requirements.
- Goal: Contribution to the team’s success in senior cricket.
Performance Pathway:
- Target Audience: Players with high performance capabilities.
- Emphasis: Focus on performance and competitiveness.
- Objective: Excelling in men’s cricket at the highest level within the club.
- Skills Focus: Intense training, match-winning abilities, and consistent performance.
- Goal: Being an integral part of the 1st XI squad, contributing significantly to team success.
Coaches
The Player Pathway will have at its disposal a fantastic, and diverse, selection of coaches who boast a variety of expertise, specialisms and experience of coaching and playing cricket at the top level all around the globe.
In 2024 this will include our new Director of Cricket, former Western Australian spin bowler Bret Mulder, the 1stXI overseas player Dian Forrester and Liam Hayman who at 19 is not much older than some of the players but is a recently qualified coach coming from Hamilton, New Zealand for the summer.
Youth Convenor Neil Dalzell has given trojan service to our youth cricket in recent years and what he lacks in cricketing experience he is more than making up for in sheer enthusiasm – over the last couple of years his involvement has led to a dramatic increase in the numbers of games the club’s teams have played, much to the delight of all the boys and girls.
We’re delighted that former senior players such as John Gilliland and Billy Dale are still involved, and they will join experienced coaches such as current 1stXI players Ryan Haire (ex-Ireland), Ani Chore and Staci Maxwell (NCU & NCU U17 Coach) and it’s exciting to be able to call on the services from time to time of Ireland opening bowler Craig Young.
And just for good measure, Cricket Ireland Lead Analyst Scott Irvine is going to help us with the video technology!
Facilities
The Player Pathway will benefit from the practice facilities at The Green which include a 3-bay artificial practice ‘cage’, the new loam grass practice pitches on the main square and two grounds, as well as having available a bowling machine and the club is in the process of acquiring video analysis equipment.
Private coaching sessions are also available with our coaching team and can be booked HERE.
The Future
North Down’s Player Pathway has been introduced in 2024 to reinforce the club’s long-term policy of developing talent from within. With lots of effort and enthusiasm, quality coaching and the use of new technology, the Pathway will stive to support, develop and above all else give opportunities to local children to experience and enjoy the game, with the added incentive of producing the 1stXI cricketers of the future.
Contacts:
Directory of Cricket: Bret Mulder
Youth Convenor: Neil Dalzell
Sponsorship Enquiries: Ryan Haire (e) info@northdowncricketclub.co.uk
Cricket Committee Chairman: Peter Shields (e) ipshields@hotmail.com
Safeguarding Officers: Richard Ewart and Rachel Heron
Parent’s Charter