Portugal and Malta to face each other in ECC Trophy (3 Sep 1999)

2 September 1999

Portugal and Malta to face each other in ECC Trophy

ECC Trophy favourites, Portugal and Malta, have both been pitted in Group B of the seven nation tournament to be held in Corfu, Greece from September 12-18.

The 1997 European Nations Cup semi-finalists will meet on the opening day of play in the event, which will also feature Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden and host, Greece.

Confined to European Affiliate members of the ICC, it will be a prime opportunity for Portugal and Malta to take advantage of France and Germany's elevation to Associate status.

Germany and France contested the 1997 ENC final.

Malta and Portugal are not the only likely beneficiaries.

"When Germany was given Associate status a couple of months back we were pleased to volunteer to step in, even if it is short notice," Belgian cricket official, Martin O'Connor said.

It will be Belgium's first international appearance since 1994.

Maltese and Portguese officials are known to be optimistic of their chances.

Portuguese officials point to their batting line-up, which they say, goes to number 11.

One of their main hopes is 17-year-old Paulo Buccimazza who has struck two centuries in domestic cricket this season.

Two of the more interesting Portuguese inclusions are Ramesh Bhagvani and Camlesh Ramchande who learnt their cricket in the former colony of Goa, on the eastern coast of India.

For Austria, it is expected to be a learning curve.

"We're not as strong as previous teams as we have included a couple of indigenous players in our squad so it is a continuation of the development exercise," Austrian captain, Andrew Simpson-Parker said.

Group A Group B Austria Malta Belgium Portugal Greece Sweden Switzerland

The programme: 11/9/99: Meeting of captains, coaches and umpires 12/9/99: Belgium vs. Greece (Liston Square) Malta vs. Portugal (Corfu Golf Club) Opening celebration followed by welcome drink 13/9/99 Belgium vs. Switzerland (Curfu Golf Club) Portugal vs. Sweden (Liston Square) Greece vs. Austria (Marina Gouvia) 14/9/99 Austria vs. Switzerland (Liston Square) Malta vs. Sweden (Marina Gouvia) 15/9/99 Greece vs. Switzerland (Liston Square) Austria vs. Belgium (Marina Gouvia) 16/9/99 First Semi-Final Playoff for Seventh Place 17/9/99 Second Semi-Final Playoff for Fifth and Sixth Place 18/9/99 Final Gala dinner held by the Mayor of Corfu

Here are squads announced to date: Austria Andrew Simpson-Parker (Captain) (Vienna) Arshad (wk) (Pakistan) Raza (Pakistan) Celeghin (Vienna) Nedoma (Vienna) Grasinger (Vienna) Simpson (Vienna) Tesar (West Heath) Laager (Vienna) Roy (Concordia) Kamin (Concordia) Malik (United Nations)

Portugal Akbar Saiyad (Captain) RHB Wicket-keeper Torben Rankine (Vice Captain) LHB Wicket-keeper Ramesh Bhagvani RHB Right arm - medium fast Carlos Buccimazza RHB Right arm - medium fast Paulo Buccimazza RHB Left arm - medium fast Nadeem Butt RHB Right arm - Medium pace Nelson Ferreira RHB Brian Goodfellow RHB Right arm - medium fast Kirit Jaeintilal RHB Right arm - slow Intesab Mehdi RHB Right arm - slow Dinesh Maugi RHB Right arm - medium Camlesh Ramchande RHB Right arm - medium fast Mario Santilal RHB Left arm - slow

Sweden Eric Folker (Malmöhus C.C.) (Captain) (RH Bowl/Bat) Wayne Scott (Stockholm/Spånga Utd) (Vice-Captain) (RH Bat) Naeem Aslam (Gothenburg C.C.) (RH Bat/reserve wkt) Nihal Wickremasuriya (Spånga United C.C.) (RH Bat/Wkt) Rajan Sharma (Malmö C.C.) (RH Bat/Bowl) Tommy Wallgren (Malmöhus C.C.) (RH Bowl/Bat) Roger Sandén (Malmöhus C.C.) (RH Bowl/Bat) Desmond Colambega (Spånga United C.C.) (RH Bat/Bowl) Jeffrey Alexander (Stockholm C.C.) (RH Bat/Bowl) Barrington Gray (Stockholm C.C.) (RH Bowl/Bat) Claes Bertilson (Spånga United C.C.) (RH Bowl/Bat) Rauf Khan (Svea CK) (RH Bat/Bowl) Henrik Nilsson (Malmöhus C.C.) (RH Bat/reserve wkt)

Switzerland Nationals (4) Tom Brink (Bern C.C.): Captain of the Swiss 6-a-side team which took part in the annual European in-door championship in February 1999. Right-hand middle order batsman, left arm bowler. Andy Gilbert (Bern C.C.): Opening bat and occasional left-hand bowler. Debut against France in May 1999. Kurt Ziegler (Winterthur C.C.): Wicketkeeper and lower-order batsman . Has played in the Swiss team for several years. Daniel Kröpf (Bern C.C.): Lower-order right-hand batsman. Will be playing for Switzerland for the first time in Corfu 1999. Swiss Passport Holders (5) Maqsood Khan (Basel C.C.): Opening bat and right arm spinner. One of the survivors of the first European Trophy in Guernsey. Jimmy Khan (Bern C.C.): Usually bats at number 3, but also comfortable as opener. Right arm leg-spin. Debut in second European Trophy in Worksop. Tariq Khan (Bern C.C.): Right-arm opening bowler and pinch-hitter. Will be playing for Switzerland for the first time in Corfu 1999. Tariq Sheik (Bern C.C.): Right-arm opening bowler and middle order batsman. One of the survivors of the first European Trophy in Guernsey. Abraham Koshy (Bern C.C.): Wicketkeeper and middle-order batsman. Debut in second European Trophy in Worksop. Swiss Residents (4) Nasir Hamirani (Basel C.C.): Captain. Right arm medium bowler and middle-order batsman. One of the survivors of the first European Trophy in Guernsey. Jacques Boshoff (Basel C.C.): Vice Captain. Right arm medium bowler and middle-order batsman. Captain in debut game against France in May 1999. Rod Nish (Cossonnay C.C.): Opening bowler and high-order batsman. Debut against France in May 1999. Nelson Burrell (Geneva C.C.): High order batsman and change bowler. . Debut against France in May 1999. Stand-by Reserve Peter MacLaverty (Bern C.C.): Opening batsman. Team manager and one of the survivors of the first European Trophy in Guernsey.