European Cricket Championship 2023
Another cricket thread? Well this one has a local connection as Conner Haddow of High Wycombe CC, who we know is the grandson of Paul Bates, is in the England XI team taking part in the European Championship, at the usual venue of the Cártama Oval in Malaga. The team, drawn from the National Counties, is led by the Wargrave captain Dan Lincoln.
The format is T10, so explosive batting is the order of the day. England get going in their group tomorrow, at 10:30 against Switzerland, and Malta at 15:00. On Tuesday they play Cypress at 13:00 and Romania at 19:30. I am not clear if that is BST, as Malaga is an hour ahead.
I think you can watch them live on the European Cricket Network channel.
https://youtube.com/@europeancricketnetwork?si=elQ4FFg6Fr9ZqMkB
Comments
Presumably the England XI are going to walk this?
Netherlands beat England in the final last year, I imagine those two will be favourites. England beat Belgium in the 2021 final.
Former Derbyshire captain Leus du Plooy who has signed for Middlesex next year featured for Hungary in Group D last week.
The highlight was the match against Turkey where he scored 163 not out off 40 balls with 23 sixes in a total of 220/1. In response Turkey batted out their 10 overs finishing on 89/7. The Ireland XI ended up winning the group though and have joined Spain, Italy and Jersey in qualifying for the final stages.
Oh wow, other people are watching this :) I thought I was the only one. My dad and I've been following it for a year or two and it's a great little tournament - well worth a watch if you don't mind the occasional dreadful mismatch or um, village cricket moment . But there's a lot of genuinely talented players involved as well, and every country so far has contributed something impressive to the highlight reel. And the commentary team fwiw put their absolute heart and soul into the project. I'd hire them for the World Cup in a heartbeat
Times are BST, so first match at 10:30. England won the toss and elected to bowl. Conner is in the eleven. Scorecard page with link to live streaming.
https://www.ecn.cricket/scores-fixtures/scorecard/england-xi-vs-switzerland-live-scores-exswz10092023232941
And a very good showing from Mr Haddow in the second of his overs :)
England win comfortably, Switzerland 119-6, England 121-4 off 8.2.
England bowling a little untidy, 15 wides, but they will get better. Yes @railwaybeth, after conceding two sixes in the first, good second over from Conner, two wickets, nearly a third when the ball was caught with the foot on the boundary, and a run out in the over as well. His figures were 2-22 from his allotted two overs. He also took a catch and, uncharacteristically, dropped a straightforward one.
The Swiss didn’t have the bowlers to trouble England unduly. I like the two commentators, knowledgeable and easy to listen to.
Yikes, Malta 60-1 off 3 overs, including 30 off a Tommy Sturgess over.
Malta 137-5 off 10. England got some control back as 140 is considered a par score. Basil George scored a superb 84 off 33 balls, 10 sixes and 4 fours. Great last over by Toby Greatwood, his only over, 3 wickets for 3 runs.
Sheesh, I feel a bit for Malta there. Greatwood's over turned out to be 100% essential , wow...
England 141-6 off 9.3. They really made hard work of that win. At one point they were 34-4. They needed 12 off the last over but the umpire then awarded 5 penalty runs to England, because Malta had not bowled their nine overs in the time limit. Seemed a bit harsh.
Tom Bevan rescued the day with a great 68 not out from 25 balls, including seven sixes. As @railwaybeth said, that last over from Greatwood, just three runs conceded, was crucial and probably match winning. Conner was rested for this match.
In the other Group E matches today.
Romania (134/6) beat Cyprus (106/6) by 28 runs.
Switzerland (100-5) beat Romania (86/8) by 14 runs.
Malta (106/1) beat Cyprus (103/6) by 9 wickets.
I was curious to see how good the lights were this evening. It reminded me a little of watching games at Adams Park in the early days, in the patchy light. The players coped well.
Apologies for calling Cyprus a conifer earlier.
Mr Haddow's already taken his first and second wickets of Tuesday :) England don't look like they're gonna be massively troubled here. The earlier game between Malta and Switzerland did feature a 36 run over as well , so there's a lot happening
Edit: He took a third wicket as I wrote this . Well done him!
Great start for Conner, bowls the second over of the day against Cyprus and takes three wickets!
Cyprus 4-4 after two overs.
Cyprus bowled out for 34 off 8.4 overs.
England win, 35/2 off 1.5 overs.
In tonight's game, England beat Romania by seven wickets.
Romania 82/7 off 10, England 85/3 off 7.4. Conner rested once again. The best moment of the match was 16 year old Luca Petre taking his first ever wicket for Romania, and that of Andy Rishton, the MVP in last year's Championship. He almost got the great Dan Lincoln out in his second over, the catch not quite carrying.
England now play Switzerland tomorrow (time not clear yet), in a qualifier for the group final in the evening.
https://www.ecn.cricket/scores-fixtures
Scotland XI get going on Thursday, the last group to conclude before the Championship Week starts on Monday.
Mr Haddow finds himself batting , and he's safely off the mark.
Edit: Caught for 12 off 8, which I think he can be proud of given his position in the order :) Nice work from him.
England's bowling was not up to the job tho..
Switzerland thrash England and win by 8 wickets.
England 110-9 off 10 overs, Switzerland 111-2 off 6 4 overs.
https://www.ecn.cricket/scores-fixtures/scorecard/england-xi-vs-switzerland-live-scores-exswz10112023232952
England now play Malta in the second qualifier, I think at 16:00. A win puts them in the group final against Switzerland at 19:30. Malta beat Romania in the eliminator this morning.
England have beaten Malta by eight wickets.
Malta 107-6 off 10, England 109-2 off 6.2. Malta will regret dropping two skyers. Matthew Siddall bowled the last over of the Maltese innings and took three wickets without conceding a run. No wickets for Conner from his one over.
https://www.ecn.cricket/scores-fixtures/scorecard/england-xi-vs-malta-live-scores-exmlt10112023232953
Onto tonight at 19:30 for the group final, England v Switzerland. The winner goes through to Championship Week, you can watch here.
https://www.ecn.cricket/scores-fixtures/scorecard/switzerland-vs-england-xi-live-scores-swzex10112023232954
Swiss won the toss and put England in, made 138-5 off 10, an average score.
Great opening over from Greatwood.
He's just got another one !
England beat Switzerland by 63 runs, 75-8 off 10.
https://www.ecn.cricket/scores-fixtures/scorecard/switzerland-vs-england-xi-live-scores-swzex10112023232954
Great bowling performance, Conner chipped in with a wicket. Safely through to Finals week.
Apart from the defeat to the Swiss earlier, the bowlers have really impressed, such strength in depth. The batters have, perhaps, underperformed, periods of dominence but not consistently. Over to Scotland now.
Scotland play Germany in the group final tonight at 7pm, after comfortably beating Portugal. Set 104 to win, they reached it after 6.5 overs with the loss of four wickets.
The Scots lost their two games on Thursday, but won both on Friday and had a very good win over Norway earlier today. Chasing 145 they made it with 17 balls to spare and only one wicket down.
Dan Lincoln, the England captain...is that the same Dan Lincoln who was a goalkeeper for Dorking Wanderers last season ?
Yes, a very talented sportsman, a really good batter and wicketkeeper.
Germany were too strong and comfortably beat Scotland XI by seven wickets.
Scotland XI 113-7 from 10 overs.
Germany 115-3 from 8.3 overs.
The Championship Week group runs Monday to Thursday, with the finals day on Friday. Reigning champions Netherlands XI make their first appearances and join the six group winners. England next play on Monday at 17:30, against Jersey.