European Cricket Council 2006 tournament schedule announced

The European Cricket Council (ECC) has announced its tournament schedule for 2006 with Israel set to host its first international cricket event.

The Israel Cricket Association (ICA) will stage the European U/17 2nd Division Championship, hosting teams from Belgium, France, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Italy and Jersey over a seven-day period in August.

The matches will be staged at two venues, the Olympic Athletics Stadium in Tel Aviv and also in Ashdod, 40 kms south of the capital city.

Stanley Perlman, Chairman of the ICA, said he was ecstatic and thrilled at the award of the event and promised to make it a great tournament for everyone involved.

"When we started our youth program officially in September 2000 we set certain goals and one of our distant aims was to host cricket tournaments," he said.

"Hosting the ECC U/17 tournament is a fulfilment of that aim. This is just great and I am proud for everyone.

"It shows the coaching staff and most importantly the youth that we are extremely serious and determined to take the game to even greater heights of achievement

"This is not only going to be a sports spectacle but we also intend to show all participants what a great country Israel is from a cultural, historical and religious point of view.

"Whether it is the water bottles, the food or the sightscreens everything is going to be perfect at the 2006 games. Israel means business," he added.

Mr Perlman also sought to reassure those who may have concerns over security.

"I can understand that concern," he said. "All I can do is to reiterate that all the grounds are under severe security provision.

"There has been a change around in the perception of what is going on and there is optimism in the air.

"One of our next aims is to set up a cricket scheme with Palestinian children and we will definitely achieve it within the next three years.

"Already we have some amazing stories with the youngsters we have worked with and our motto is `Hit poverty for 6'," he added.

ICC Regional Development Manager for Europe Richard Holdsworth said: "This is hugely positive for cricket in Europe and in Israel in particular.

"Cricket there has a huge emphasis on youth, they have fantastic programmes in schools and clubs and use cricket as a force for good to keep children off the streets.

"The exposure the game will get through this tournament can only help development there even more."

Israel, an Associate member of the ICC since 1974, has 18 domestic clubs in three divisions with 270 seniors and 270 juniors playing the game plus a further 1000 youngsters involved in development programs.

The tournament in Israel is one of 11 scheduled by the ECC in 2006, equalling the highest number it has previously staged, in 2004.

The first event is set to take place at Lord's on 10, 11 and 12 February when Hellas (Greece) defends its European Indoor Championship title.

The event will take place at the recently-refurbished Indoor School at the Home of Cricket and also includes teams from Belgium, Demark, Finland, France, Holland (the Netherlands), Luxembourg and Portugal

2006 sees Guernsey, Jersey and Slovenia taking part in their first events as ICC members after the trio were elected as Affiliate members at the 2005 Annual Conference in June.

Guernsey and Jersey will play in the European 2nd Division Championship in Glasgow and the event in Israel, both in August, and in the same month Slovenia face Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland and Luxembourg in the European 4th Division Championship.

Divisions one through to five are all part of the qualifying process for the newly-constituted ICC World Cricket League.

It will allow nations to play against similarly ranked teams regardless of their geographical locations and also offers a qualifying pathway to the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

The ECC European Women's U/21 Championship will take place in Holland (the Netherlands) in August with sides from the hosts, Ireland, Scotland and the England and Wales Cricket Board taking part.

Details of the ECC tournaments for 2006 can be found here