Slovenia the focus for Europe's minnows

The ECC Representative Festival
Five of European cricket's minnows will be chasing their first international title this week when Bulgaria, Croatia, Luxembourg, Slovenia and Switzerland join the defending champions Finland in the third ECC Representative Festival in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

As the ECC's Louise Kent explains, the tournament is intended to provide Europe's minor teams with their first taste of international cricket, with the reduced threat of embarrassment. "This tournament gives the prospective countries an opportunity to test themselves every two years against their contemporaries. It also includes any Affiliate member not involved in the European Affiliates Championships (ECC Trophy) as well as those countries placed 8 to 11 at the Affiliates tournament."

Norway and Finland debuted at the 2000 Festival, Norway winning before going on to snare the 2003 ECC Trophy, while Finland won the 2002 Representative Festival before beating the defending champions Portugal at the ECC Trophy.

Luxembourg, back in the international fold last year thanks to relaxation of eligibility rules, are chasing their first international victory which may well come in their last match against Bulgaria, who are taking part in an international competition for the very first time.

The host country will be led by Australian-born batsman, Mark Oman, whose parents are Slovenian, while Croatia also includes several Australian-raised players who returned home, instigating the birth of cricket there.

Financial pressures forced the withdrawal of Poland and Slovakia, whom the Czech Republic had staved off to win a triangular tournament in Prague, where all players were nationals of their country.

Richards and Walters head for China
Sir Vivian Richards and Doug Walters will be the guests of honour at Chinese cricket's biggest event, the Shanghai Sixes, to be held from September 10 to 12.

Richards and Walters are expected at some stage to pad up for at least one of the 14 teams from Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, India and Japan, all of whom are converging on the Shanghai Football and Cricket Club Ground.

The teams will contest Cup, Bowl and Plate competitions, while Richards and Walters will speak at the official tournament dinner on September 11.

Richards said he believed Sixes was the ideal format to attract Chinese to the game. "The Shanghai Sixes is a great place to start. It brings excitement to the game, spectators, interest and enthusiasm. The shorter versions of the game are the way to do this. It's a marvellous way forward in how to introduce the game to people who have never played before."

Although Chinese are playing indoors and in the nets, and Shanghai launched a four-team league this year, the first in the country's history, officials believe it is premature in their development to introduce a Chinese team to the Sixes.

In what may be the last tournament of its kind, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight are this week contesting the Four Island tournament in Guernsey.

The Isle of Man became an ICC affiliate-member in June, while Guernsey and Jersey are expected to follow suit next year, meaning ICC tournaments may take priority.

Guernsey are arguably the favourites, having beaten their traditional rivals, Jersey, by five wickets 10 days ago. They include the former India A batsman, Ami Banerjee, who has scored a first-class double-century, while Jeremy Frith, a batsman and slow left-arm bowler, has represented England Under-19s against Zimbabwe and also has considerable county second XI experience with Hampshire and Gloucestershire.

The Isle of Man expect stand-out performances from Simon Watson, the best batsman in Manx cricket for the past decade, and their fast bowler, Jamie Tomlinson, who played a season with Northamptonshire.