Ireland talks to Ken Rutherford, a Danish hurricane and other European off-season news. (21 Dec 1999)

19 December 1999

Ireland talks to Ken Rutherford, a Danish hurricane and other European off-season news.

The Irish Cricket Union is continuing its negotiations with former New Zealand captain Ken Rutherford to assume the vacant national team coaching position.

Talks have been going for some time and it is not known when a decision will be made.

The Irish coaching position became vacant after the departure of former England seamer, Mike Hendrick.

The AGM of the Danish Cricket Association held on the December 3 was overshadowed by the hurricane which the evening before hit Denmark with full force.

It was the worst storm ever recorded in Denmark and caused damage in excess of £300 million. The AGM was therefore the day after, in doubt, whether or not enough club representatives turned up to make any voting legal.

As it turned out the representative from Tønder turned up at the meeting 31/2 hours late and therefore made up the necessary 50% of active clubs. Full marks for this new club from Tønder, which area was one of the worst hit areas in the storm where nearly every building suffered damage or was flooded.

The meeting itself was no revelation for massive changes. The League secretary proposed changes to the league rules to avoid the situation in 1999 where the Danish Championship was decided on the calculator. In future where teams draw level deciding match (es) will be played on neutral ground to decide the Championship. Other changes were a tightening up on regulations governing not turning up to matches plus a change of rules in Ladies cricket, where there has been a heavy loss of players. In future Ladies matches will be played with 8-a-side and in 32 overs.

The Chairman CBS Hansen laid forth the first draft of the Danish Cricket-Association's strategies for the coming years. It was well received and several positive suggestions were put forward for inclusion in the plan.

In 2000 the Danish men's team will be in Zimbabwe in March in preparation for this years big tournament - the European Championships in Scotland to be played in July. Before that, the grass pitch in Brøndby should be ready to host the MCC who play 3 matches in Denmark in June, and Denmark will play two warming up matches against Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire prior to going to Scotland. The Under 19 team failed to qualify for the World Cup. Instead they will be going on a tour to South Africa in the New Year.

The Indoor Championship finals will be held at the end of March next year. The fixture list for the preliminary rounds to be played in January and February is now being prepared.

Barbadian Emerson Trotman has been reappointed as Netherlands national coach for a further two-year term. According to Netherlands official, Alex De La Mar, that was the only news to come out of the recent Dutch AGM.

A cricket development camp for young cricketers from Europe's emerging cricket-playing nations will take place at Charterhouse School, Godalming from 17th-19th December 1999

Organised by the European Cricket Council (ECC), the Camp will give outstanding young cricketers of Europe's developing cricket countries the opportunity to improve their skills, through quality coaching in a concentrated programme with excellent facilities. Participant's aged 12-15 will travel from Austria, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland to attend.

The camp will be lead by ECC Coach Ian Stuart, with assistance from Richard O'Sullivan, Richard Holdsworth and Steve Peyman, all of who are ECB Staff Level coaches. Tim Boon (ECB National Coach and England U19 Coach) and Alex Loudon (England U19 Captain) will also be on hand to encourage the youngsters on Friday 17th December at 11.30. Am.

Forty-five children will take part in the Camp, approximately five from each of the participating countries. The Camp will be filmed forming part of the television package for the International Cricket Council 'Cricket Week 2000'.

For further information, please contact Nigel Laughton on +44-171-4321019 / 385 527105