Italian off-season update

Italian cricket is soon to enter its most exciting season as its national team competes in the top division of the European Championship. Dr. Simone Gambino lets you in on all the off-season developments.

"Less than a month separates us from the new Italian season scheduled to start on April 2nd with the preliminary phase of the Italian Cup, the competition for Italian players only played under Cricket Max rules. The nine clubs, Roma having joined the already existing eight, are divided into three mini round robins on a regional basis:

North (Bologna, Pianoro, Trentino)
Centre (Capannelle, Lazio, Roma)
South (Galatea, Maremma, Murri)

The three clubs winning the round robins will contest the final round robin on the Bank Holiday weekend of April 30th & May 1st in Grosseto.

Sunday May 7th sees the start of the EIS Cup. Pianoro defend the pennant they have won for the last four seasons on the trot. The tournament consists of a round robin in which each team plays the others over nine weekends up to July 2nd. From September 3rd the play offs will take place on a best of three basis, first playing fourth and second playing third in the semis, the better placed teams in the preliminary phase gaining home field advantage for the decider.

At the moment the air is full of rumours on the latest transfers. Professor Parisi's champions are trying to strengthen their cover by acquiring a fourth Sri Lankan, Samantha Ketipe, in addition to the three former first class cricketers they already have (De Mel, Jayasena & Ramanayake).

1999 runners up Capannelle will surely look to England and New Zealand to find the professional strength that served them so well last season under the form of the duo Michael Deane - Philip Chandler.

Lazio have orientated themselves towards South Africa with three Western Province players, two of which Italian, about to join them (Alessandro Bonora, Andrea Corbellari & Craig Sinovich).

Bologna are contesting with Trentino for the services of Benito Giordano, the Cheshire born napolitan with the latter also involved in the biggest deal of them all: securing New Zealand Test star Daniel Vettori whose father was born near Trento!

The highlight of the coming season will be unquestionably Italy's first participation to the A section of the European Championsips taking place in Glasgow from July 21st to 27th. The Azzurri will face Denmark, England, Holland, Ireland & Scotland in what appears to be a near "Mission Impossible". Nevertheless coach Doug Ferguson is assembling the squad in March in Pianoro to prepare the strategy that will hopefully cause yet another upset.

The under 19 nationals will be touring the UK at the end of August in preparation for the 2001 European Colts tournament and following a three week stage in Liverpool organized by the Federazione in association with Liverpool Comunity College, the Lancashire Cricket Association, the Liverpool Competition and made possible by the generous sponsorship of Candy UK."