NCU

The Northern Cricket Union (NCU) are delighted to announce that they will again host a four team Under 16 festival, based at Campbell College from 11th to 14th August 2019.

Cornwall Cricket Board and Yorkshire Schools Cricket Association are making a welcome return and whilst it is disappointing that St Josephs from Ipswich are not returning, Southern Kings, who originate from Cork Harlequins Cricket Club are making up the fourth team. Games will be hosted at Campbell College and Woodvale Cricket Club.

Chairman of the NCU Alan Waite speaking about the forthcoming festival said, "The NCU are delighted that our participants from 2018, Cornwall and Yorkshire Schools Cricket Associa­tion have accepted our invitation to return to this year's festival. Whilst it is disappointing that St Joseph's School from Ipswich are not able to return, it's great that The Southern Kings are taking up our offer. We are also grateful to Agile Communications for their sponsorship of this festival which the NCU see as an integral part of our summer programme and the NCU are grateful to Woodvale Cricket Club for hosting games during the festival."

The festival is being sponsored by local company, Agile Communications. Alan Duncan, Managing Director of Agile Communications, when asked about their involvwment, stated: "On behalf of Agile Communications we are delighted to be involved with the forthcoming Cricket Festival. Our core vision is one of helping businesses share their great stories, building their brands through public relations and communications, in a transparent and ethical way, adding value to those business and to the wider community."

"It's our first time to be involved with the NCU, having first met up at the Corporate Golf Day in April 2019,and were impressed with the visions and values of the NCU and in particular their ethos around young people in sport, which is all very much in keeping with our own values.
The NCU are very keen to develop further commercial partnerships and Agile."

"Communications see this as an excellent opportunity to foster meaningful relationships and to support this festival, which brings young people together from all over the UK and Ireland."

Andrew Cowden is leading the NCU side said "Following the U15 and U17 Interpros, we have selected a squad of 14 to participate in the NCU's U16 festival, hosted by Campbell College.  The players who are eligible but have been selected by Ireland at U15 or U17 Level, have not been selected for this festival. Instead, we see this as a great development opportunity for others to be exposed to representative tournament cricket.  It also gives James Cameron-Dow and myself the opportunity to work with and see a greater pool of players performing ahead of selecting the U17 winter performance squad."

NCU squad

• Luke Allison (Donacloney Mill)
• Tom Campbell (Instonians)
• Ashton Clark (Carrickfergus)
• Scott Gardner (Carrickfergus)
• Ethan Hanna (Saintfield)
• James Lambert (Instonians)
• Adam Ly (Instonians)
• Hugh Minford (CSNI)
• Carson McCullough (CIYMS)
• Arnold Oduvelil (Muckamore)
• Chris Pyper (Bangor)
• Zak Solomon (CIYMS)
• Michael Waite (Waringstown)
• Ewan Wilson (Templepatrick)

Download the NCU Cricket Festival 2019 Brochure by clicking this link