MAGNIFICENT SEVEN READY TO REVAMP NORTH WEST CRICKET

There can be little doubt that the weekend just past was a pivotal one for North West cricket with Limavady keeping the title race alive to the bitter end while Eglinton struggled off the floor with the count on nine and a half to resurrect their chances of survival with a win at Fox Lodge on Saturday. The Villagers knew that the hosts had been on a poor run themselves and would be without their professional Darryl Brown but they still had a job to do and managed to get it done in surprisingly emphatic fashion.

No sooner had the hangovers healed however when news would have filtered through that Bonds Glen had regained the initiative after their thumping win over Strabane the following day. That result leaves both teams going into their final games this coming Saturday with the Bee Gees having a 2-point buffer while Eglinton know that anything other than a win will see them drop into Division 2. The difference between the sides in the last few weeks has been the form of professional Gihan Dilruk and the Sri Lankan has been immense for his new team-mates. If they do stay up it will be in no small way down to Dilruk and the money spent on bringing an overseas player for the first time in their history will look very well spent.

Coincidentally there were one or two dissenting voices around the grounds at the weekend at the perceived lack of effort or under-strength teams being fielded in some cases. The truth of the matter however is that some clubs have little to play for at this time of the year, and others will be without their overseas professionals therefore an end-of-season air in the camp is no great surprise. Some clubs, Bready and Burndennett are two prime examples, have dual sport players who will now be concentrating on football so there will be a need to draft in replacements who may not have featured earlier in the year. Clubs are perfectly within their rights to give fringe players the opportunity to gain some senior experience in end of season matches although it's a fine dividing line because that scenario is a lot different to not making an effort.

At the business end Brigade and Limavady will play off for the title on Saturday but only if the Roesiders close out a win at Bready in their ongoing final league game. Should they not manage to have beaten Trevor Hamilton's side by close of play last night, the league trophy will today be on its way out the Limavady Road. Given the season we have had an anti-climatic finish would be no great surprise but if the top two can add a bit more edge to proceedings then that would be a very welcome way to wrap things up.

Even the Division 2 title race goes to the wire after Drummond's big win at Burndennett saw them draw level with Creevedonnell while Stephen Scroggie's men were thwarted by the weather on Friday night as they attempted to finish off their game at The Nedd. More chaos looms now if the joint leaders fail to win the 20/20 re-arranged match next Saturday as Drummond don't play Sunday cricket meaning that the earliest we can fit in a play off is the 17th.

A defining weekend on the field perhaps but equally, or arguably more defining off it as the North West unveiled their “task force”; the group of men who will be charged with examining ways of moving the sport forward once this season has officially ended. Having seen the list of names I have to say at the outset that the Union is at last thinking along the right lines despite the fact that they took a massive punt on hand-picking their panel. The only negative aspect to the deal is that it should have been trawled to every club as this cloak and dagger stuff is one of the very first things that the group needs to blow away. There are seven people in all involved and each one brings exactly the right credentials to the table and despite a long road ahead players and officials will be delighted that we are moving in the right direction.

Brian Allen from Eglinton is on the team and the villagers' stalwart has already put together a blueprint for restructuring the leagues. Brian also brings an array of suggestions supported by many clubs ahead of the rule change deadline and he won't be shy to fight his corner. Niall McDonnell from Strabane and Stephen McCartney from Coleraine have also signed up giving not just their players perspective but also paying particular attention to the coaching and development issues which have been badly overlooked particularly at club level.

Johnny Robinson from Fox Lodge and Trevor Hamilton of Bready are two guys who bring a wealth of experience at the top level of North West cricket to the panel and are also two individuals who look sure to contribute plenty. The final two names are excellent picks as well, St Johnston's Andrew Fleming one of the most well-respected players on the circuit with a particular regard for the format of the game outside the top flight and David Bradley representing both his club, but possibly more particularly, the Umpires Association.

The remit of the group will be established at their first meeting tomorrow night but the fervent hope will be that they are allowed to express and air their views and findings fully and that the North West Union presents them to the full executive in their entirety. Theirs is certainly a difficult task but without doubt the Union management is to be congratulated on picking a group that is fresh and vibrant and with a clear passion for their sport. The majority are actually still playing too which is no bad thing and in wishing them well I'm sure the local cricket community will eagerly await the outcome of their deliberations which will be expected around the beginning of November.