WHILE some cricketers might agree with my habitual call for neutral umpires, others think they would probably make as many mistakes as players do when officiating.

THE captain of Forres St Lawrence contacted me last Friday as he was not particularly happy to have read that one of his players, when acting as umpire, had apparently given two dreadful decisions against Fochabers.

LAST Saturday, I was intrigued by the comments of some of the RAF Lossiemouth players on the sidelines, while their team was batting.

THE North of Scotland Cricket Association team dug themselves out of early setbacks to lift the Scottish Cricket Union Trophy at Williamfield, Stirling, on Sunday.

THANKS to information supplied by Ewan McNeil of Elgin CC, it is interesting to note that cricket featured in the Speyside area over 100 years ago.

WHEREAS there wasn't any cricket last weekend, the previous one certainly threw up a few incidents. Since I did not see any of those concerned, I have to depend on eye witness accounts.

HAVING mentioned one coach trip of almost 40 years ago, what about the one on Sunday which took the NoSCA XI to Edinburgh?

ONCE a team becomes successful, there is more focus upon it. I sometimes stand accused of being very supportive towards RAF Lossiemouth.

ONE often reads a newspaper and finds that either an organisation thoroughly deserves a "Jobsworth" award. On this occasion, step forward those running North cricket.

FOR numerous years, the scorer's hut at RAF Lossiemouth has defied description.

IN my match report, I mentioned how sub-standard bowling has become.

THREE weeks ago, Fort William could not play their home game against Ross County, so it was transferred to The Links, Nairn. This was possible because Nairn County were playing at RAF Kinloss.

THERE is this unjust perception among many people that public schools are still in prominent existence to educate the children of the rich and famous.

FOR well over two decades, most clubs, on winning the toss, have inserted their opponents.

FOR well over 30 years, the points allocation for league matches has been subject to constant alteration.

AS there will be a split in the Macallan League after 12 matches, some clubs will not have the opportunity of home and away games against others, because they will be in different sections after the split.

I HAVE already made my comments on the Fochabers' proposal for two eventual leagues which failed to meet with approval at February's annual general meeting. However, I much prefer two leagues to the current set-up.

HAVING covered the chances of six clubs two weeks ago, it is time to look at the remaining seven before this weekend's Twenty20 competition which sets the season in motion.

SEVERAL North clubs are struggling to have sufficient players within their ranks, and that is not being helped by the lack of a thriving youth policy. For one team, this has registered in no uncertain terms.

FORT William are set to line up for the first time in the Macallan League – but just how will they fare?

OVER the past 10 years, Moray Cricket Association has become an umbrella organisation to promote youth cricket in the region; but does it have a healthy future?

AN extraordinary General Meeting is to be held next month to discuss not only the future role of the president, but, hopefully, what constitutes an appropriate governing body for the 21st century. If the title of president is merely changed to convener, what difference will it make?

FOR many within the North game who don't have the luxury of even one non-playing umpire for nearly all season, suddenly three emerged last Saturday.

ONE can hardly glance at any magazine, without being informed how to look after one's health. I was rather intrigued to come across an article which really emphasised this point.

WRITING on a regular basis, might lead people to think that either inspiration or occurrences are plentiful; that is often far from true. Sometimes, they arise from the most unlikely sources.

SIX senior clubs have no reserve XIs, and operate on a somewhat limited pool of playing resources. I would hazard a guess and say that nearly all would have about 15/16 available; although maybe not all in any given week.

HOW OFTEN do I remark upon the paucity of players within some sides and the struggle it sometimes takes to field a full eleven?

AN extraordinary general meeting is to be held in October to discuss the future role of president of the North of Scotland Cricket Association.

IN the mid-90s, North cricket wasn't in a very healthy position. Thankfully, youth development came to the fore and the game is much healthier than it was just over a decade ago.

THANKS to information from Mr Ian Grant, of Glasgow, I can now throw some light on cricket in the Tomintoul/Glenlivet area.

ALTHOUGH I am supportive of the current league set-up, I do listen to varying views which are contrary to mine.

IT is not unknown for Ewan McNeil and myself to have jousts in this newspaper. However, I was interested in what he wrote last week about the possibility of cricket in the Glenlivet/Tomintoul area many moons ago.

LAST Thursday, I went to watch the 50 overs per side international match between Scotland and New Zealand at Mannofield, Aberdeen. Nice to see a good contingent from both Buckie and Fochabers CC's in attendance.

RARELY, does an exciting finish to a cricket match get remembered for all the wrong reasons.

HOW influential women have become, especially since the 1960s. Whether it be in real life or in a fictitious, but powerful, role.

HOW marvellous it was, to witness such interest by local primary schools in the Moray area for the Kwik Cricket festival which was staged over three Wednesdays.

CRICKET can produce some mind-boggling rules, which other team sports thankfully ignore.

ALTHOUGH winners of the Consolation Plate for the past two seasons, Keith CC are struggling to find sufficient players of any age to guarantee fielding a relatively strong side every week. This is not a recent phenomenon, since it stretches back many years.

WHEN it comes to novel ideas, rest assured that the North Executive Committee will exhibit how devoid of them they are.

WHILE covering the game at Fochabers last week, I spent over an hour in the company of that legendary business entrepreneur, Gordon Baxter.

I DO not normally make a point of analysing a game in considerable depth, but I completely failed to see the logic in Steve Wathen's captaincy last Saturday.

FOR the second year, NoSCA has appointed a team manager to take control of their squad of players who are scheduled to participate in the Scottish Cricket Union Trophy.

WITH the uncertainty of our climate, I have often advocated that Sundays be utilised for cancelled matches from the previous day.

HOW apposite is the following, in light of my first coverage of the season?

FOLLOWING last week's assessment of six North clubs, I am concentrating upon the six other clubs in the Macallan League set-up, and I shall put my neck in the noose and say who could win what.

OVER the next couple of weeks, I shall review the hopes and aspirations of all 12 senior clubs. Naturally, all will think that they are in with some form of chance in every competition, but all animals are not equal.