Cricket Leinster - The Development of the Sport

The recently published Strategy document from Cricket Ireland [summarised in an earlier article - click here] provides a framework within which responsibilities and resources for the development of the sport at grassroots level as well as the advancement of the club game are devolved to the provincial cricket unions. But before this can happen the unions need to look to their own structures to ensure that they are fit for purpose. This process is already underway in Leinster and the other unions and there will be announcements later in the summer about how further input from clubs, associations and the wider community of players, administrators and spectators can be obtained. For the moment, and in the interests of providing an assessment of where Cricket Leinster stands regarding its own development plans, the intent is to lay some groundwork for the coming discussions. 

Two years ago Cricket Leinster published two documents, ‘2020 - A Strategy for the Development of Cricket In Leinster’ and a ‘Development Plan 2014 - 2016’. In the primary document the Mission Statement was set out as follows: 

‘It is the main purpose of Cricket Leinster to articulate and implement a vision for cricket that would ensure that any person, so inclined, is able to take up the sport and, subject only to their ambition, commitment and innate skill, is able to develop their full potential and compete up to the highest levels within the sport, regardless of where they live in Leinster. ‘

The purpose of the strategy document was to provide the framework within which this vision could be achieved.  There were three inter-dependent components. 

 -  the enhancement of the positive image of the sport,

- an increase in the numbers actively participating in the sport and

 - the creation of a platform to enable players to develop their skills within the sport .

The strategy document provided information on the state of Leinster cricket at the time but of perhaps greater relevance here also presented a series of challenges to be met. The main challenges that the strategy was designed to address were identified as the following: : 

[a] providing a financial structure for the sport that is capable of underpinning its continued growth while at the same time being
fair and not over-burdensome on clubs,

ensuring that the sport is managed in a professional manner and to the highest standards having regard to the importance of
maintaining the commitment of volunteers who are essential to the long term future of the sport,

[c] engaging the interest of the wider cricketing community and obtaining their support for the development of the game,

[d] improving the grounds, facilities and administrative structures [at club and LCU levels] so that they can meet the aspirations for top quality domestic sport, create avenues for individuals to pursue a career within the sport and provide the platform for players to compete at the highest level. 

The associated Development Plan 2014 - 2016 set out more detailed targets and objectives for the sport up to the end of the current season. These provide a useful yardstick against which to gauge performance over the three years. Those involved with cricket will have differing views about the success or otherwise in achieving these objectives or indeed whether some of them are even still relevant. 

The main recommendations from the Development Plan were as follows: 

• a focus on ground and facilities improvement to reflect the different interests and requirements of players, from those seeking to compete at the highest level of domestic sport [[OCD1 - OCD4 & W1], to ensure a positive environment for the introduction of young players to the adult game and the development of their skills [OCD5 - D8] and provide a safe setting for all cricket, including the mainly recreational. 
• give priority to increasing participation in women’s cricket based around providing a competitive structure in eight team leagues with increased emphasis on the longer form of the game. 
• all clubs to have an active youth policy 
• increase the number of development officers to cover the whole of Leinster,
• agree with Cricket Ireland on the delegation of responsibilities and funding for the management of the Leinster Lightning and for College park to be confirmed as home of Leinster Lightning and of a centre of Excellence for the sport in the province,
• for youth cricket, to set up a regional academy, secure good quality indoor facilities in South Dublin [to complement facilities in North County] and to enter into Service Level Agreement with clubs to provide access to outdoor net facilities for specific age groups,
• identify those grounds capable of hosting representative matches and concentrate investment in these grounds
• OCD1 clubs to have full time curators,
• league divisions covered by official umpires [LCU&SA] to extend to eight [Oper] and additional courses for scorers,
• implement a club accreditation scheme to benchmark the administration and governance of clubs, for gaining entry to CL league competitions and to determine eligibility for different levels of competition,
• further investment in the CL website and to improve channels of communication with the cricket public, including publishing an online newsletter. 
• CL to adopt a formal position to encourage more forms of social cricket and 
• relaunch of the Leinster Coaches Association, improved registration of coaches and implementation of new structure for coaching. 

In a future article we will look at the progress made to meet these recommendations, how they relate to the new strategy being advanced by Cricket Ireland and, indeed, whether some of the recommendations are still relevant.