Richard White
NCU Public Relations Team

In the aftermath of Ireland's historic World Cup campaign of 2007 in the Caribbean Dunmurry Cricket Club played in the second tier of the Northern Cricket Union (NCU).

In recent years the club have played in the fourth tier and with only a single team in competitive cricket (they had four teams in 2007). Working with Dunmurry Cricket Club, Active Clubs Coordinator Simon Johnston came across an Indian community who are passionate about cricket but were not getting the opportunity to play or practice.

In response Active clubs facilitated this group and delivered ten coaching sessions in Shankill Leisure Centre before and after Christmas. At the dawn of the new cricket season the group moved from Shankill Leisure Centre to Fullerton Park, Dunmurry.

Although the funding concluded for these sessions, the appointment of Callum Atkinson as the NCU's Cricket Development Officer has enabled outdoor coaching to continue with the assistance of other NCU coaches. Around thirty boys (aged 7-13) are participating in these sessions and continue to improve on a weekly basis.

With the continued support of the Northern Cricket Union and Cricket Ireland the foundations for Dunmurry Cricket Club to prosper in the years ahead are in place, and would be welcomed by all involved in the sport.