Latest Danish cricket news (10 Jul 1999)

9 July 1999

Latest Danish cricket news

The Pakistan A visit to Denmark has been confirmed. Here are the dates:
25 July Pakistan A arrives in Denmark
26 July Practice at Svanholm CC Brøndby Stadium
27 July Pakistan A v Jutland/Funen XI at Odense
28 July Coaching Clinic in Copenhagen
29 July Pakistan A v DCF Development XI at Glostrup
31 July Pakistan A v Denmark XI at Brøndby
1 Aug Pakistan A v Denmark XI at Brøndby
2 Aug Departure for Holland

The following have been chosen to take part in the DCF Provincial XI against Pakistan A or Development XI to be played in Odense on the 27th July starting at 11am: Kenneth Olsen (Esbjerg), Carsten Pedersen (Herning CC), Mogens Christiansen (Herning CC), Kent Jensen (Esbjerg), Allan Rasmussen (Esbjerg), Morten Kristensen (Skanderborg), Jeppe Vamberg (Skanderborg), Søren Kirk (Skanderborg), Andy Lambert (Skanderborg), Troels Thøgersen (Herning CC), Martin Øre (Esbjerg), Frederik Klokker (Kerteminde CC).

Meanwhile, on the domestic front, Svanholm, last year's champion and winner for the past eight years lost their first match for two years last Sunday against KB, last year's bronze-winner. This was also the first time Svanholm had lost to KB since 1975. The championship is now wide open as rival Herning just managed to win their match over Esbjerg. Both Herning and Svanholm have lost one match and in both cases to KB. Svanholm and Herning face each other after the summer recess in August. The pre-season prediction is that Herning will be champions, as Svanholm are certainly showing weaknesses and this was evident in the Cup Final, where the two teams met and Herning won.

Svanholm´s defeat was a surprise but not undeserved due to more agile fielding and stabile bowling. KB batted first and scored 166 for eight in their allotted 50 overs. A team effort as seven batsmen scored around the 20 run mark. The pitch and ground surface was slow due the recent large amounts of rain. So the batsmen had to graft their runs and this KB was able to do and all credit to them.

Svanholm´s four top batsmen, however, all managed a score between 0 and 1. Only Mohammad Siddiq with 41 stood up to the bowling. He had navigated himself through Amjad Khan's fast bowling (remember Mohammad is a small gentleman while Amjad is tall and fast) until he could resist cutting at a ball which was completely unnecessary at the time. Mohammad was supported by the old horses Søren Henriksen and Alan From but none of the rest could help defeat by 12 runs.

Esbjerg C.C. is celebrating its 85th anniversary and therefore there were about 200 spectators to the match between Herning and Esbjerg. The home supporters got their money's worth for excitement but not for the result. Esbjerg with two overs left needed 12 runs to win. Not impossible for the experts in one-day cricket, but Herning had captain Leif Slebsager whose accurate spinners and Morten Hedegard's fast seam bowling proved too much for Esbjerg as they only could managed seven of the 12 wanted runs. A six off the last ball was enough but alas not to be. Herning escaped with a five run victory. Esbjergs heavy resistance was due to Steen Anker Nielsen who is moving to Esbjerg and has now decided to play after a break. Esbjerg is slowly building a team who will be a formidable opponent next year.

New boys Skanderborg with their victory over Nykøbing Mors seem to have booked a place in next year's competion while Nykøbing Mors have realised that they are on the way to the first division. Their lower order batsmen showed that is they fought for the cause then they would have the ability to survive. Skanderborgs 166 came about due to their new star Stefan Juel who has no respect for any bowler - bad balls got thwacked after Skanderborg had lost three quick wickets for the second week running.

In the first division there was only one match. Albertslund continued its new found form and demolished Hjørring. Albertslund is however far behind the race for promotion. The prediction being that Husum and Ålborg Chang will fight it out in the last match of the season. Hjørring however is a member of the relegation group together with Glostrup II, Svanholm II, Kerteminde and Holstebro. We expect a tough battle at the bottom.

The Danish league is now holding a pause until August 14 due to the proposed visits from Pakistan 'A' and Sri Lanka 'A'. However Harry Brind from the MCC has inspected the new grass pitch in Copenhagen and has decided that it is unfit for use in 1999 due to the lack of grass. As the ground is to be used for the expansion of Brøndby FC stadium, it is unlikely this pitch will used at all before a new grass pitch is laid on the new cricket ground at Brøndby, which is to be built in the near future. The lack of the grass pitch had put doubt on whether Pakistan will come at all. This decision is expected in the coming week. It is expected that Sri Lanka will come and play on our artificial pitches.

First Division M. Runs Wkts Runs Wkts Pts Avge Agst Agst Chang 6 863 36 523 60 12 2,00 Husum 6 702 26 646 48 12 2,00 Fredericia 7 881 37 899 57 10 1,43 Køge I 5 670 40 618 42 6 1,20 Albertslund I 7 1105 61 957 63 8 1,14 Ishøj I 7 1146 53 992 51 8 1,14 Ringsted 6 593 47 737 41 6 1,00 Kerteminde 7 835 62 1017 49 4 0,57 Svanholm II 6 916 50 970 38 3 0,50 Holstebro 5 619 47 690 35 2 0,40 Hjørring 6 516 44 595 37 2 0,33 Glostrup II 6 869 56 1071 38 1 0,17