NCU Senior League explained

The Northern Cricket Union (NCU) Senior League is the provincial cricket league within the NCU jurisdiction in Ireland, which covers counties Antrim, Armagh, Down and south Tyrone of Northern Ireland. The league was formed in 1897 and is currently divided into four sections, namely the Premier League, Sections 1, 2 and 3. It is sponsored by Robinson Services and marketed as the Robinson Services Premier League, Robinson Services Section 1, etc.

There are a total of 32 league members: ten in the Premier League; ten in League 1; and twelve in League 2. There is promotion and relegation of two clubs between each division.

Teams play each other twice per season, once at home and once away, each season, with four points awarded for a win and two for a tie or for "no result". When two or more teams finish with the same number of points, the team with the best net run rate is placed highest. Matches consist of one innings per side, with a maximum of fifty, and a minimum of twenty overs bowled per innings.

Waringstown are the most successful side in the Premier League with 31 wins (6 shared). The current champions are Lisburn after winning the 2022 competition. This was their first title since 1993.

In 2020, the season was abridged due to the coronavirus pandemic and the Premier League was played as a single round of fixtures with the top four teams progressing to semi-finals and the champions declared after a final.

Members for 2022 season

Premier League League 1 League 2
  • Ards & Donaghadee
  • Belfast
  • B.I.S.C.
  • Cooke Collegians
  • Downpatrick
  • Drumaness Super Kings
  • Dunmurry
  • Holywood
  • Laurelvale
  • Larne
  • Monaghan
  • Victoria

Source: Northern Cricket Union

List of champions

SeasonChampions
1897North Down
1898North Down
1899North of Ireland
1900North of Ireland
1901Holywood
1902North of Ireland
1903North of Ireland
1904North of Ireland
1905North of Ireland
1906North Down
1907North of Ireland
1908North of Ireland
1909Holywood
1910North Down
1911Waringstown
1912Holywood
1913Banbridge
1914Holywood
1919North Down
1920Cliftonville
1921North Down
1922Ulster
1923North of Ireland
1924Waringstown
1925Waringstown
1926Cliftonville
1927North Down
1928Armagh
1929North Down
1930North Down
1931Armagh
1932North Down
1933Lisburn
1934North Down
1935Woodvale
1936North Down
1937Lisburn
1938Cliftonville
1939Armagh
1940North of Ireland
1941Lisburn
1942Lisburn
1943Woodvale
1944Waringstown
1945Cregagh
1946North of Ireland
1947Cregagh
1948Woodvale
1949Waringstown
1950Lisburn
1951Lisburn
1952Lisburn
1953Waringstown
1954North of Ireland
1955Woodvale
1956Holywood
1957North of Ireland
1958Holywood and Woodvale (shared)
1959Queen's University
1960North of Ireland
1961North of Ireland
1962Instonians
1963Lisburn and North of Ireland (shared)
1964Lisburn
1965North of Ireland
1966Woodvale
1967Waringstown
1968Downpatrick
1969Lisburn
1970Muckamore and Waringstown (shared)
1971North of Ireland and Waringstown (shared)
1972Waringstown
1973Waringstown
1974Downpatrick
1975Downpatrick
1976Waringstown
1977Waringstown
1978Waringstown
1979Waringstown
1980Lisburn
1981Waringstown
1982Waringstown
1983Downpatrick
1984Waringstown
1985Waringstown
1986Downpatrick and North of Ireland (shared)
1987North of Ireland
1988Waringstown
1989North of Ireland and Waringstown (shared)
1990Lurgan and North of Ireland (shared)
1991Waringstown
1992Waringstown
1993Lisburn
1994Downpatrick
1995Cliftonville
1996Cliftonville and Lisburn (shared)
1997Cliftonville
1998Ballymena
1999North Down
2000Waringstown
2001North Down
2002North Down
2003North Down
2004Bangor
2005North Down and Waringstown (shared)
2006Waringstown
2007North Down
2008North Down
2009Instonians and Waringstown (shared)
2010North Down
2011North Down[1]
2012CIYMS[2]
2013Instonians and Waringstown (shared)[3]
2014Instonians[4]
2015Waringstown[5]
2016Instonians[6]
2017Waringstown[7]
2018CIYMS[8]
2019CIYMS[9]
2020North Down[10]
2021Waringstown[11]
2022Lisburn[12]
2023Instonians[13]

Performance by club

Summary of winners

TeamWins
Waringstown31 (6 shared)
North Down24 (1 shared)
North of Ireland20 (5 shared)
Lisburn14 (2 shared)
Cliftonville6 (1 shared)
Downpatrick6 (1 shared)
Holywood6 (1 shared)
Woodvale6 (1 shared)
Instonians5 (2 shared)
Armagh3
CIYMS3
Cregagh2
Ballymena1
Banbridge1
Bangor1
Queen's University1
Ulster1
Lurgan1 (shared)
Muckamore1 (shared)

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.irishcricket.org/ North Down champions yet again
  2. http://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/cricket/historic-ciyms-crowned-ncu-premier-champions-1-4243319 Historic CIYMS crowned NCU Premier Champions
  3. News Letter, 2 September 2013
  4. News Letter, 15 September 2014
  5. http://www.northerncricketunion.org/database/2015/leagues/Premier.shtml Northern Cricket Union
  6. http://www.northerncricketunion.org/database/2016/leagues/Premier.shtml Northern Cricket Union
  7. http://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2017/articles/000047/004751.shtml Cricket Europe
  8. https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/cricket/ciyms-nigel-jones-praise-for-premier-league-champions-1-8619842 News Letter
  9. http://www.northerncricketunion.org/database/2019/leagues/Premier.shtml NCU
  10. https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/cricket/north-downs-alistair-shields-high-hopes-after-trophy-joy-over-waringstown-2963076 News Letter
  11. https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2021/articles/000001/000167.shtml Cricket Europe
  12. https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/cricket/lisburn-crowned-premier-league-champions-3805651 News Letter
  13. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/instonians-clinch-premier-league-title-after-lisburn-fall-to-defeat-against-waringstown/a2129818664.html Belfast Telegraph