The Northern Cricket Union (NCU) recently announced that two new clubs, Monaghan Cricket Club and the University of Ulster Cricket Club (UUCC), will be taking part in NCU competitions in 2014.

The two new clubs are a welcome addition to the Union at a time when the more pessimistic cricket followers in the North believed that the sport is in decline.

The UUCC will be taking part in the mid week competition and timing couldn't be better for the University of Ulster who surely now have one of the best practice facilities in the Union.

As Peter Clement explains: “The University of Ulster Cricket Club has participated in the inter-varsity cricket competitions for the past number of years, but with the ever increasing popularity of cricket at the university we felt it was time to enter a team into the NCU midweek league. We have a suite of fantastic facilities across all campuses that we will be making the most of throughout the season. In addition to this, a brand new artificial track was recently installed at our Jordanstown campus. This will be a great opportunity for our players to gain more experience as well as hopefully bringing UUCC some success within an official NCU competition."

In Monaghan the game of cricket was one of the first organised and competitive sports ever played in  the county with the game flourishing across the country in the 1800s. As a school-based sport, it was the first competitive sport played in St. Macartan’s College in Monaghan Town dating back to the 1840s. Monaghan Cricket Club (MCC) have been active for a number of years and in 2013 the Club became properly constituted and affiliated to the NCU. For the first time in 143 years competitive cricket returned to Co. Monaghan in the summer of 2013 when the MCC competed in the Connaught League. In 2014 MCC will compete in the NCU's Ulster Bank Senior League 3. 

MCC Chairman, Enda Galligan said: “The MCC are very much looking forward to returning to competitive cricket within an Ulster League framework for the first time in well over a century, and hope in incremental ways to contribute to, and play an active part in, the development of cricket within the catchment area of the Northern Cricket Union.”

Andy Clement, NCU Chairman said: “The NCU continue to focus on how it can encourage and establish new cricket clubs so I sincerely welcome the addition of both Monaghan and UUJ to the NCU’s ranks for the 2014. Their entries into Ulster Bank Section 3 and the Midweek League respectively indicate that cricket continues to be a growth sport. I look forward to these clubs playing an integral part in NCU competitions over the forthcoming years.”

The NCU are keen to encourage those wishing to participate in cricket and those interested should get in touch with either the NCU directly at bryan.milford@ncucricket.org or by contacting its Regional Development Officer Nigel Jones at nigel.jones@cricketireland.ie

Fixtures for the 2014 season can be accessed from both the League and Cup tabs at the top of this page.