The Birrell Blueprint has been hailed as the best thing since Tom Armstrong started slicing bread, but dissenting voices are becoming louder as minds are focused on what will actually happen next season.

Its main plank, reorganising league structures so that the best teams play each other more often in eight team divisions, has been generally welcomed, although there are big issues for junior sides.

Some of the loudest complaints, however, are coming from those coaches and mentors of schoolboy and schoolgirl sides who face an upheaval of a tried and tested formula which, many fear, will drive youths away from the game.

Of the age groups whose matches can physically fit into a morning, 70% of games are played on Saturday or Sunday mornings, with 9.30 or 10am starts. But this will end under the new system, with games in the top three divisions of adult leagues slated to begin at 11am.

The result of this is that under 11 and 13 players will now play most of their matches on Saturday or Sunday evenings, starting around 6.30pm.

The practicality of this is where the problems arise – and the dissent.

For much of the summer a 6pm sharp start would be necessary to complete 40 overs before darkness falls. But with slow over rates at senior level, and interruptions allowing for games to be extended, there is concern that few, if any, games will be over in time for the youths to warm up and start on time.

'I would be very concerned about child safety', said one coach. 'Players need to warm up to help avoid injury, while there are concerns that senior players would not vacate dressing rooms in time to allow youngsters to occupy them.'

Several clubs agreed to stage trial 6pm games, but to date the 13A Clontarf v Merrion tie is the only one on which a report has been filed. Clontarf coach Rod Hokin – himself a prominent senior player – identified several problems, including the reluctance of parents to allow nine and ten year olds to be out after 10pm on a Saturday night, particularly for away games.

Hokin also noted that the dew at 11am was not ideal for a senior match, and the fact that it finished so early meant there was a smaller crowd than might be expected.

'If it went on for a season it could be devastating', says Brian O'Sullivan, the tireless fixtures and results secretary for the 20 leagues run by the LCU youths branch.

'As recently as 2006 there were about 360 youth fixtures played in the season. In 2009 we will break the 500 barrier for the first time. I don't see any future for youths cricket if this goes through.'

'In fairness to Adi Birrell he was given a list of contacts, most of whom had associations with senior cricket. Nobody at youth or women's level was consulted. He was asked to do certain things, which he did, but they were then represented as something else.'

According to LCU hon sec Mary Sharp, the league structures have already been adopted and it is hoped will be in place for 2010. The other proposals are being discussed by various committees at present and are expected to be brought to the executive at the end of the season.

The 11am start has been mooted for several years, with some senior players seeing this as a way of allowing them to have a social life at weekends which 8.30 finishes militate against. But given the choice between that and driving away youngsters and their parents, surely the LCU must opt for the future? Surely no senior player – by definition the most committed of all the club community – would give up the game so he might have a few pints an hour or two earlier for a dozen weeks a year?

If cricket is to grow in this country, then it needs to broaden its hinterland. More work needs to be done to bring new people into clubs, and the best way to do this is to encourage youths cricket. Leinster youth cricket is the envy of Europe: No disrespect to its distinguished author, but on this issue the Birrell Blueprint has got it wrong.


Those cricketing popsters the Duckworth Lewis Method make their Dublin debut tonight in the verdant setting of Merrion CC, Anglesea Road. The band will be onstage at 7.30pm playing their eponymous album, which has proved a massive success. Admission on the gate is a mere €5 and in the great tradition of Merrion the bar will be open for business, and there will also be sellers of barbecue food and pizza. The support act – staged for the SkySports cameras – is a Twenty20 game between a Merrion side which features a former member billed coyly as a 'very special guest', and a YMCA selection. As Sussex star Ed Joyce mentioned on Sky last week how much he was looking forward to his visit to Dublin, there are no prizes for guessing who the guest is!


Next Sunday sees another fixture deserving of support. Grainne Casey was a talented cricketer with Railway Union who lost her fight with cancer over the winter. A memorial game will take please between Railway ‘past' and ‘present' teams when funds will be raised to help combat breast cancer. Food and drink will be served and pink attire will make for a colourful and worthy day in Sandymount.


FIXTURES

Today: Alan Murray 4FM twenty20 finals day: The Hills v Phoenix 11am, Leinster v Railway Union 2pm, Sydney Parade, Final 5pm

Mon-Thur: I-Cup Scotland v Ireland, Aberdeen

Wednesday: MCC v Ireland ‘A', Lord's

Friday: Section A: Merrion v Pembroke

Saturday: Section A: Pembroke v Merrion, North County v Leinster, Railway v The Hills; Section B: YMCA v CYM, Malahide v Rush, Phoenix v Old Belvedere


gsiggins@tribune.ie