BRIGADE HAVE FIGHT IN THEIR EYES BUT VILLAGERS IN A SPIN

We're definitely at the business end of the domestic cricket season now and slowly but surely all is starting to be revealed in the race for both honours and survival. At the top of Division 1 Brigade are keeping the pressure very firmly on Limavady and despite the Roesiders' valiant attempts they continually seem to be playing catch- up. It was the same again at the weekend, Brigade quickest to the ball, 12 o'clock start and an Eglinton side that has now totally lost its way ruthlessly put to the sword. Limavady, already two points adrift, batted very well in posting 248 but the Bready innings hadn't even started at 5 o'clock and Andrew Riddles side now has to trust to luck with this week's weather if the whole thing isn't to be in vain. Limavady's task from here is to first defend that daunting score, and then beat Bready and Strabane, both away, just to force a play-off with Brigade so realistically the Beechgrove outfit looks to be in a really commanding position. Mark Simpson and his side won't be writing their title rivals off by any means but Limavady need to be at their absolute best for the next fortnight if the championship flag isn't to be hoisted in the Waterside.

The flip side of Brigade's big win on Saturday was at the bottom of the table where Eglinton had the look of a side whose fate is already sealed. We featured the Villagers' plight in this column not that long ago and while to be brutally honest I hate to see any team relegated it is impossible to find where the safety points can come from now. That defeat was as clinical as any you are likely to see at this level and there was no hiding place at Beechgrove on Sunday either as Bready strolled to an emphatic Faughan Valley win. Professional Ryan Butterworth looked the real deal when he landed but he's come down with the affliction as well, just when his team-mates needed him. The Zimbabwean has done well enough without setting the world alight but he hasn't been able to turn a game on his own and subsequently the villages haven't managed to �steal� any points.

One thing that could be in Eglinton's favour is that their final two games are against a Strabane team that has had the odd off day and then a Fox Lodge side who have had a really strange season and who will by then be without their professional Darryl Brown. The Bee Gees have a 20/20 game against Strabane, who travelled to the Glen on Saturday with a full team despite their club wedding the previous day and they then finish at Bready next weekend. There could be an interesting afternoon or two in there yet.

Going back to that Faughan Valley decider on Sunday by the way and well done again to the Derry Midweek League for another excellent finals day. Well done too Bertie Faulkner and Brigade Cricket Club for their superb hosting of what is quickly becoming one of the main days in the domestic cricket calendar. The two trophies, the Faughan Valley and the Sperrin Springs are held in very high regard by the clubs and this looks to be an event with a big future no matter what else happens to the domestic programme over the next few seasons.

On the subject of a possible review of the local set-up, regular readers will be aware that this is an issue that has been close to our hearts this season and clubs or other interested parties should be aware that tonight is the deadline for emailing rule change considerations to the Union secretary. It should also be the time when players and clubs ensure that their voices are heard on the back of the problems we have experienced this season. The call for noon starts is getting louder, Division 2 clubs are looking to play 40 over games instead of 50 and we have a host of rules that need tightening up. Our rule book has so many holes in it that it should have sank long ago and we have to grasp this particular nettle now and not let go until the sting is out of it. When browsing through the rule book for the exact wording of the start times recently I came across an interesting example. Say club A wanted to started their match against club B at noon, but club B said they wanted to start at 1 o'clock. If that happened today I wouldn't doubt for a second that the North West would say �no agreement therefore 1 pm�, but if you look at the rule book it says only �matches to start not later than 1pm�. So who chooses the start time if there is a difference of opinion? Does the home team make the call, does the Union make the call or do they meet in the middle and go for 12.30? I don't know the answer, indeed if you look at our rule book there is no answer so its time to get that and a host of other inaccuracies sorted out. One of the suggestions to already be put to the Union is the establishment of of a working committee to look into all aspects of North West cricket to be set up immediately after the current season ends. Instead of getting bogged down in a list of rules and regulations it seems a better idea to set up a committee that can look at the whole structure of the sport here. The committee would be made up of people representative of all the clubs and various bodies involved in North West cricket and they would obviously then feed back to the full executive with their findings. The original feedback received from the Union on that suggestion seems to be guarded and it is believed that they will be happy to embrace some of the proposals but not all. I personally believe that is not their choice to make and whilst acknowledging that other programmes are under way at the behest of CricketIreland, that in itself should not debar us from looking at ways of improving our own structure. It is a situation that will no doubt be monitored closely over the winter but I can see no reason why the Union would not want its own members taking the lead in establishing what is best for them.

Finally tonight a shout out to two clubs that have made significant steps over the past seven days. Firstly Donemana whose under-15 side has brought home another All-Ireland title and although it may be unfair to single any one player out it has to be noted that William McClintock bagged a century for the winners in both the semi final and the final itself. At a time when we've been bemoaning the lack of any long term ambition at some of our clubs there seems little doubt that the Holm fires are set to keep burning for many years to come.

And we've also heard a whisper that Ballyspallen Cricket Club has established a new hierarchy, a new set-up and a host of new players and are in the process of applying to the Union for re-admission in 2012. The very best of luck to everyone at the club and although the North West seem certain to look for guarantees, it would be fantastic to see the Bridge Park boys back again. Plenty of positives around yet to take us into the dreaded winter but good luck to all this coming week as the main issues get set to be resolved.