Finland: Helsinki snares Sixes trophy; Shares League lead with Vantaa

For the fifth consecutive year, Stadi Cricket Club organised the "Helsinki Sixes" tournament at Ruskeasuo in downtown Helsinki.

This year the organising committee, headed by Hugh Fitzpatrick the Stadi Chairman, had its work cut out with logistics this being the largest single cricketing event arranged in Finland to date.

In all 12 teams participated with two teams each from Stadi, Helsinki CC and Vantaa CC and one each from Tampere CC, Turku CC, Rauma, "Team Finland", Estonia and finally a team from Nokia (that well-known telecom company!).

The Finnish team was the first ever made up of natural-born Finns whilst the teams from Tampere, Rauma, Nokia and Estonia all particpated for the first time.

Refreshments were provided by the EastWest Restaurant whilst music was provided in the intervals by the "Dog in a Bucket" Band.

The tournament was blessed with sunshine and fun cricket played on three grounds. The semi-finals were played between Helsinki I and Turku - Helsinki making 89-1 from their 5 overs and Turku in return managing only 45ao. The second semi was a much tighter game, with Vantaa II making 47-3 in their innings; in reply Estonia needing 2 off the last ball made the runs and finished on 47-2 winning through by virtue of losing less wickets.

In the final however, Helsinki proved too strong for Estonia with a fantastic innings of 58n.o. by Sunny Sood the backbone of Helsinki's 97-2 leaving Estonia a dauntless task which they fell short, achieving 42-4 in reply.

Meanwhile, the Finnish Cricket Association League continued after a summer break with a game between Stadi and Helsinki at Ruskeasuo.

Helsinki won the toss and batted amounting 232/9 from their 40 overs. Some solid batting from Shahid 53 and Poppy 41 was helped by poor fielding from Stadi with missed run outs, overthrows and dropped catches supreme....more practice certainly needed here.

In return some tight bowling at the start of the innings by Rakesh and Vicky left Stadi well behind the required rate - never to recover, Stadi were finally dismissed for 110. This leaves the League finely balanced before the final games in the coming weeks.