Austria: United Nations C.C. dominate early season

Austria`s newest cricket ground (Seebarn 2) near Vienna has fallen victim to the driest spring since records began in 1855. The grass seed has all but died and the whole ground will have to be reseeded in the autumn. With only 3 rain days since end of March, local farmers have rightly predicted a drought summer. Cricket has not been spared, and although cricketers and their families enjoy the hot summer weather (40° is forecast for July/August), the vegetation suffers greatly.

Austrian Open League fixtures due to take place on Seebarn 2 have been rescheduled for Seebarn 1 for September and the season will be prolonged by a few weeks.

The dry weather has not stopped the United Nations C.C. from steam-rollering into pole position in the Open League. Convincing victories over the much-fancied Vienna C.C. and last year's champions Lords C.C. have made the UNCC favourites to lift the Open League title especially as they have a run of fixtures against weaker opposition such as C.C. Velden 91, Pak Falcons C.C., and Five Continents C.C.

The UNCC`s success is due to an allround performance led by Australian import, N. Gallus (74 vs Lords C.C.; 91 vs Concordia C.C.), T. Hind (70 vs Vienna C.C.; 80 vs Concordia C.C.) and in the bowling department by Jaypaul (8-1-23-4 vs. Lords C.C.).

The Trophy knock-out competition, this year with entries from Austria, Poland, Czech Rep., Slovenia, and Croatia, has proved extremely popular. Prague C.C. were disappointed to lose to a keen Sri Lankan S.C. team from Vienna, newcomers Zagreb C.C. travelled to Vienna only to be bundled out for 116 by Vienna C.C.`s front line bowlers Zulfiqar, Hudson, and Celeghin, Vienna won comfortably by nine wickets.

Warsaw Warriors C.C., however, enjoyed the most success in their inaugural trip to Vienna, sweeping aside both young Austrian clubs, Pak Falcons C.C. and Five Continents C.C., to progress to the Semi-Finals to be played in Seebarn at the end of July.

All eyes are focused on the very first U`15 internationals to be played in Central Europe between Germany and Austria on 24/25 June in Seebarn. This is a sweetener for the ECC Representatives` Tournament in August which will feature hosts Austria taking on Norway, Finland, Slovenia, and Croatia. Poland and the Czech Rep. were forced to pull out of the tournament, the first of its kind in the short history of the ECC.

Austrian National Team Coach, S. Nadarajah, will be taking the U`15 team to Gibraltar in August to compete in the inaugural ECC U`15 competition alongside the hosts, together with teams from Greece, Sweden, and Germany.

Youth work continues to thrive in Austria, with an Open Day at Seebarn to coincide with the U`15 internationals on 24 June, featuring around 300 local children taking part in a cricket workshop run by the ACA.