Fixtures finalised for 2003 Season

The fixtures for the forthcoming season in Austria have been published today (Feb 3, 2003). The Open League, Astria's premier cricket competition will once again be contested over 50 overs, with defending champions Pakistan Falken CC opening the Open League season on May 10 with a match in Concordia's Markomannenstrasse, against Zagreb CC, who are returning to the league, with the opening day also seeing Vienna CC take on United Nations CC at Seebarn.

By then the season will have already been underway for a couple of weeks, with United Nations CC travelling to Zagreb at the end of April, the same week as the grounds at Seebarn and Markomannenstrasse play hosts to this year's revived ÖMS competition. The ACA Trophy will take place split over two weekends, with Prague CC once again joining the competition. This season will also see the first Open League games played in Valburga and Zagreb.

The ECC Trophy, which is once again being held in Austria will be the highpoint of the season, with a week long tournament being held at Seebarn's two grounds, and Concordia's ground on the edge of Vienna, with all teams playing on all the grounds during the course of the first three days of group matches. Gary Palmer will continue to coach the Austrian National Team and will have some training weekends prior to the tournament working with the team, as well as being with the team during the tournament.

MacSports from India will be playing two games against Concordia CC to officially open their ground, whilst there will also be a third, eagerly anticipated visit from the Crusaders, from Melbourne, who in 2001 brought along a very strong side featuring Liam Buchanan and Simon Burriss, led as ever by Robert "Swan" Richards. There will also be a visit from Tegernsee CC of Germany.

Before then, the National Team will be heading off to Herning to the ECC European Indoor Championships, coached by Christian Kamin, and Walter Blaschke, Chairman of AUCUS will be running an umpiring seminar. It promises to be another very busy season for Austrian cricket.