ICC European Division 1 Championship 2008
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ICC European Division 1 Championship 2008 Tournament Officials Richard Holdsworth Alan Hughes David Jukes Ray Holyer Tournament Director - ICC Tournament Organiser - ICC Tournament Referee - ICC Umpire Manager - ICC Tournament Umpires Brian Papworth Charlie McElwee Ian Ramage Niels Bagh Paul Baldwin SCOTLAND IRELAND SCOTLAND DENMARK GERMANY Richard Smith Sanjeev Kad Steve Tovey Trevor Magee GERMANY FINLAND THE NETHERLANDS IRELAND 3 Message of Congratulations to Leinster Cricket Union from An Taoiseach, Mr Brian Cowen TD I want to congratulate the Leinster Cricket Union on hosting the 2008 ICC European Cricket Championships. The competition involving Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Scotland has all the makings of being a very competitive event. Cricket, in Ireland, received a welcome fillip with the excellent performance of the Irish Cricket team in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup. I'm sure we all still remember the wonderful matches where we beat Pakistan and Bangladesh and tied with Zimbabwe. The contests were very close and the excitement was felt by most people on the island. It was an amazing achievement to reach the Super 8's. That success in the World Cup gave a great boost to cricket at home. Cricket in Ireland has become more professional in terms of training, facilities and the general approach to every aspect of the sport. I hope that people will come to support all of the matches taking place in the various grounds across the city. The fact that the three matches in Clontarf, involving Ireland, Netherlands and Scotland have full One Day International (ODI) status is impressive and will surely add to the excitement and status of the tournament. This is a prestigious event for the Leinster Cricket Union following the previous success in Northern Ireland and is particularly important in the overall development of Associate and Affiliate nations such as Italy and Norway. I would like to mention my friend John Wright who passed away recently after a short illness. He was dedicated to building cricket in Ireland. He was an excellent bowler as a player and after his playing career finished he worked hard on the administrative side and we should all remember him during this Championship, I know how much he was looking forward to it. I hope that the Championships will be a massive success and I'm sure that the efforts of the Leinster Cricket Union clubs and volunteers will showcase cricket in Ireland to players and visitors alike. Best wishes to all involved. Brian Cowen TD Taoiseach 4 Welcome from Cricket Ireland I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to the Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Scotland squads, who will join Ireland in these ICC European Championships. Cricket Ireland is honoured to have the opportunity to host this prestigious event, and I'm sure the teams will enjoy the legendary Irish welcome and hospitality wherever they play. Although we are well practised in staging such events, they just don't happen. In particular may I thank the Tournament Organiser, Alan Hughes for all his preparatory work. He and his hard working Committee have received wonderful help from many officials at the host clubs and I would wish to add my thanks for their willing cooperation. On behalf of Cricket Ireland, may I warmly welcome our new sponsors Leeds Met Carnegie to the Irish Cricket family. We look forward to a successful partnership with them for the rest of this season and, we hope, for many years to come. I would also like to thank both Fingal County Council and the Irish Sports Council who have been unstinting in their support of cricket over the years. We are of course indebted to ICC Europe for again placing one of their principal tournaments in our charge and hope that everyone's efforts will be rewarded with fine play and sportsmanship. To all players, management and supporters, let's hope the sun shines, and that it is an enjoyable experience for all. John Caldwell President of Cricket Ireland 5 Message of Congratulations from the Lord Mayor of Dublin As Lord Mayor of Dublin and City Councillor for Clontarf, it gives me great pleasure to welcome the ICC European Cricket Championships to Dublin. This is an exciting time for cricket in Ireland and following the wonderful performance of our team in recent years interest has increased dramatically in the sport. We look forward to welcoming our guests from Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Scotland. With Norway taking part this year our Viking links will be strengthened and I suspect that Clontarf will prove to be the scene of even more epic battles! I understand that matches in Clontarf have full One Day International (ODI) status and will involve Ireland, Netherlands and Scotland. The ICC appointed match referee for these games will be former England opening batsman Chris Broad whose son Stuart is currently establishing a place in the English Test and One Day side. As a Clontarf representative I would like to extend to the members of all cricket teams a warm welcome to our area. I know that all of the match venues are delighted to have this opportunity to showcase this increasingly popular and skilful sport. The ICC European Championships were previously held in Belfast in 2002 so it is a wonderful honour for this island to again host such a prestigious event. I know that many of our young people will have an opportunity to watch and learn from those who have mastered the skill of cricket. As a sport it conjures up images of long, hazy summer days and tea on the lawns, I hope that our Irish weather will be good to the Championships. Sport has an important role in bringing people together. I am sure that these Championships will afford people the opportunity to make new friends and rediscover old acquaintances. Most importantly I am sure that it will provide a showcase for skill and sportsmanship and give hours of pleasure to those who participate and to those who attend. Go n-éirí an t-ádh le na hiomaitheoirí. (Best Wishes to all the competitors) Cllr. Eibhlin Byrne Lord Mayor of Dublin 6 Message of Congratulations from the Mayor of Fingal Is cúis áthais dom, mar Mhéara ar Chontae Fhine Ghall, fáilte a chur roimh an comórtas speisialta seo, Comórtas idirnáisiúnta go bhfuil sé tíortha páirteach ann. Guím rath ar an obair, agus tá súil agam go mbainfidh gach duine pléisiúr as. It is a pleasure and a privilege, as Mayor of Fingal, to welcome such a prestigious tournament to our county. I congratulate the Leinster Cricket Union on hosting the ICC European Cricket Championships in a number of grounds around Dublin, and I have no doubt that success will attend the event. The Leinster Cricket Union is, I know, building on the experience of previous successes, and, indeed, the Union is using the same six club grounds as were used in the latter stages of the 2005 tournament. The hosting of this event is a tribute to the organisational strength of the Leinster Cricket Union, and is particularly important in the overall development of the Associate and Affiliate nations such as Norway. I hope for fine weather, (although even in sunny North Fingal, we can’t guarantee it ), and I know that, given fine weather, the efforts of Leinster Cricket Union clubs and volunteers will showcase cricket in 0ur area to players and visitors alike. Bail ó Dhia ar an obair. Cllr. Michael O’Donovan Mayor of Fingal 7 Welcome from the International Cricket Council Welcome to the ICC European Division 1 Championship which is taking place in and around Dublin from 25th – 31st July. Six teams will battle it out in a round robin tournament for the ICC European Championship crown. Norway is making its Division 1 debut, after finishing top of Division 2 in 2006, joining Denmark, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Scotland. It will be up to current Champion Ireland to defend its title which it claimed in 2006 having won the event only once before at the first ever Division 1 Championship back in 1996. Between now and then the title has been won twice by an ECB XI and twice by The Netherlands. Aside from the glory of being crowned the European Champion, there is much at stake for this year’s participants. As part of the ICC World Cricket League the European Championships help to determine the placing of teams in the global league structure and the seven day event will also feature three official One Day International matches between Europe’s top three Associates - Ireland, the Netherlands and Scotland, which will count towards the global Associate ODI rankings. In addition these three sides plus Denmark will be using the tournament to help prepare for the ICC World Cup Qualifier in the UAE, 2009, where all is at stake for four places in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. This is the second time that Cricket Ireland has hosted the Division 1 Championship, the first being in Belfast in 2002. The organisation and planning that has gone into the event has been excellent and the players will enjoy playing in excellent facilities in and around Dublin. There are many people who have contributed much to this event not least the Tournament Organiser Alan Hughes, to whom myself and ICC are truly grateful. In addition the match officials – referee, umpires, scorers and web manager; groundsmen; match managers; and many other volunteers have made all this possible and we are very grateful to them for taking the time off. Good luck to all those involved in what will be a great week of cricket.