Optimists Cricket Club

Robert Deed has been elected chairman of the Optimists at the club's AGM, taking over from the outgoing Mark Fitzgerald. A senior member of the club for many years, it is the third time Robert has presided over the committee.

Tim Andrews and Graham Cope were welcomed onto the committee, as was William Heath, former 1st XI captain, and Madhu Ramachandran who has held both the captain and chairman positions in the past.

The full committee, including those co-opted, comprises:
Robert Deed (chairman)
Steve Evans (vice-chairman)
Joost Mees (club captain)
Wayne Codd (secretary)
Deepak Gianchandani (treasurer)
Mark Fitzgerald
Arvind Pandey
Richard Neale
Tim Andrews
Madhu Ramachandran
William Heath
Graham Cope

Star CC edged a very tight play-off final for the Luxembourg cricket league title on Sunday 26th September, beating the Walferdange Optimists CC by one wicket. Batting first on a cool, damp day with a slow outfield, Walferdange Optimists CC made decent progress scoring 124 for 2 in 22 overs until Deepak Gianchandani took two wickets of both settled batsman. Here after, they were unable to kick-on to post a really imposing total, losing their remaining wickets for about 50 runs and failing to bat out the overs. Still, the final total of 169 was challenging at 4.8 runs per over.
WOCC: Phil Burliegh 54, Joost Mees 45, Piran Merkl 24
SCC: Deepak Gianchandani 3/20  Altaf 3/26

In reply, Star CC made consistent progress, staying up with the run rate. But at each stage when they looked like making the game safe a wicket would fall to bring the title decider back into the balance. WOCC fielding was committed and skilful, with several smart catches and a direct-hit run out. Finally, 14 runs were required with four overs remaining and only one wicket left to take. With the occasional wobble against probing spin bowling the final pair Gianchandani and Trivedi got Star over the line with just six balls to spare.
 
Star CC: Altaf 30, Amarnath 28, Roshan Vishwanath 26,
WOCC: Piran Merkl 4/35 C Evans 3/49

The previous day, Arcelor Mittal CC edged the Communities CC by two wickets in the 3rd place playoff. The final game of the year is scheduled for 3rd October at the Walferdange ground before the season goes indoors from November. See www.optimists.cc for details.

To finish off a highly successful season, the Optimists Juniors cricket team travelled with an U13’s team to the beautiful ground of Thoiry, near Paris. This is always a special fixture as the pitch is set in the grounds of a Safari park, so the team took to the field with the roar of real lions in the background to spur them on. Having lost the toss, Optimists were asked to bat first and needed a steady start to set the foundation. The opening pair certainly achieved this, racing away at more than 6 runs an over before William Cope retired on 45 not out and then so did Zach Foley on 22 not out.  This platform was further extended with some smart running between the wickets from Thomas Martin and the score eventually reached 112 from the allotted 20 overs.

At the break there was some uncertainty as to whether this total was enough and as Thoiry started their innings conditions also improved. A steady start was then accelerated by the Thoiry hitters and after 7 overs they were ahead of the required run rate. But then the quality of the Optimists fielding began to take effect with a smart catch by Joachim Schiodt behind the stumps followed by two run outs and a fine catch from Sebastiaan Van Gilst in the deep turning the game. Straight bowling from Isak Schiodt and Oscar Ramsden kept the pressure on and at that point, the win looked certain but the Thoiry youngsters kept fighting, most notably a young Sri Lankan player called Charles. His hitting and some good home support led to the situation where 11 runs were need for the win as the final over began. An immediate boundary and then two shots for 2 meant that Optimists were suddenly the side under pressure. It then all boiled down to the final ball with a further boundary needed. Tactical field placing and tight bowling restricted the hosts to 2 so Luxembourg Optimists triumphed by 1 run after a great contest.

A further 10 over contest was then staged and the Optimists kept their focus to triumph again to make the long journey home even sweeter. This ended a great summer season but indoor training starts immediately at the International School of Luxembourg this Sunday.

Last Sunday the Optimists Juniors travelled to Ghent for the final game of the Belgian Cricket Federation Under 15 League against Arcadians.  There was an air of quiet confidence following the four previous victories.    

Despite damp conditions Optimists chose to bat first.  After a few gentle overs to familiarise themselves with the pitch, Timothy Barker and Charlie Ramsden launched a blistering attack on the inexperienced bowlers.   Runs flowed from both ends and the century partnership was reached in only the tenth over.   Timothy then reached his half-century and retired.   Charlie almost did likewise but fell just short on 46. Coincidentally both openers collected 30 of their runs in boundaries.   Even after their departure the run flow remained high and, with several more batsmen chipping in, the innings closed on a mammoth 189 for 6.

The Arcadians youngsters found run scoring difficult against their more experienced opponents.   An early run out, followed by five catches, demonstrated the keenness in the field.  Wickets fell regularly and, although they managed to occupy almost all of their twenty overs, the home side was eventually all out for 46, leaving Optimists winners by 143 runs.  The wickets were evenly spread amongst the bowlers, Puneet Vyas achieving the best figures, of 3 wickets for just 4 runs.

This handsome victory, with bonus points for bowling as well as batting, left the Optimists Juniors winners of the Under 15 league at their first attempt, having won all five of their matches.

The second game of the day gave an opportunity to some of the younger members of the squad to show their development.   This time it was the Arcadians who batted first.  They accumulated runs patiently at nearly 5 an over.   However, the bowlers were well supported by good fielding, notably three fine catches by William Cope.  The close of the twenty overs saw a score of 93 for 8.   The bowling honours on this occasion went to Lucas Whale, with 3 for 13 and Thomas Martin, 2 for 11.

With a less forceful batting line-up the Optimists knew they were in for a struggle and so it proved.  Although the runs were coming so were the wickets falling.  At the half-way mark the match was evenly balanced at 51 for 5, following the departure of Puneet Vyas for a competent 21.   The momentum now changed as Marcus Cope and Lucas Whale added a patient 32 for the sixth wicket.   Although two more wickets followed, victory was achieved in the 19th over, by three wickets, with Lucas still there on 11 not out. 

Celebrations soon followed, both for the league triumph and the younger team’s victory too.

The long drive back passed by quickly, at least for the players, with memories not just of a successful day but also the season as a whole.   

 

 

                    

The Academy week is one of the highlights of the junior cricket calendar.    The arrival of our level 3 coach, Graeme Rickman, from the UK is awaited with great anticipation as he brings new techniques, challenges and games for the participants.

Graeme’s visit this year had an added ingredient in that seven of our local coaches underwent the first part of the level II coaching course with him immediately before the Academy itself.  The continuing growth of interest in junior cricket encouraged seven of us to start the next level of training in order to improve our skills.

Having spent two days of intensive course work, both theoretical and practical, we were well prepared for the juniors’ arrival at the Walferdange ground.

The maximum number of 40 young players, ranging from six-year old beginners to 17-year old regulars, spent five full days, concentrating on improving their overall physical as well as specific cricketing skills.    These varied between the more basic skills of catching and fielding to the more complex tasks such as wicket keeping.  Our new bowling machine, used at the Academy for the first time, proved an invaluable tool for Graeme Rickman, to help the older batsmen improve their technique and the younger ones to have a first taste of faster bowling under close supervision in the nets.

Games were another means of testing the newly learnt skills in a slightly more competitive environment.  Continuous cricket, diamond cricket and the pavilion game were always in constant demand.

The final Saturday attracted special interest as eight of the improving younger participants were selected to play in the senior game “in the middle”.   A 20 overs a-side match, played under the full set of junior rules, proved an entertaining and ultimately tense struggle, which went down to the last ball.    Not even the coaches could have managed to orchestrate such an exciting finish!

This was followed by the junior match, in which the beginners and other juniors fought out another keenly contested match. All the boys contributed to what was a superb exhibition, both competitive and fun, impressing parents and friends by the extent of their progress during the course of the week.  The pairs format, which allowed all batsmen and bowlers to have an equal share of the action, provided a similarly dramatic and sporting finish, which was a fitting conclusion to what had been a week of hard work, fun and friendship.

The climax to the week was the barbeque and awards ceremony, which this year attracted around 120 participants.  After the presentation of commemorative medals and certificates to all the participants awards were made to Costas Kaltsas, Euan and William Jenkins, Joachim Schjødt, Max McVeigh, and Oscar Ramsden, for their all-round improvement in the junior group and Luka Galliver, most improved batsman, and Thomas Martin, all-round improvement, both newly promoted to the seniors.

This rounded off another highly successful and action-packed Academy, on a glorious evening, with players and coaches ready for a well-earned break in August, but looking forward to another month of serious cricket and further matches in September.

Following the first visit in 2009 our under 14 squad was keen and optimistic when setting off for a four team tournament in early July 2010.   Teams involved this year were Denmark East, Denmark West, Penicuik, from Scotland, and ourselves.

 

Our first match saw Denmark West off to a comfortable start, reaching 60 for 1 after 13 overs.  However, the situation changed rapidly as James Barker removed five batsmen in the space of five overs for only 8 runs.  Two important catches were held by Tim Cullen.  From their strong position they collapsed to 87 for 8 at the close of their 25 overs.   This total presented only a modest challenge for our batsmen and we reached our target for the loss of only two wickets in the 20^th over.

 

The second match, against Penicuik, provided a tougher challenge.  Winning the toss Luxembourg batted first.  Timothy Barker hammered six fours and two sixes in a quick 53, at which point he was retired.   William Cope and James Barker attacked strongly and, with 33 and 31 respectively, added 73 for the second wicket.  This brought the innings to a close on 164 for 2.

 

A devastating spell from Charlie Ramsden, taking 4 for 16, helped by four catches from Timothy Barker, soon ruined any hopes that the Scots might reach their target.  Although two batsmen made decent scores there was never any doubt that Luxembourg would win.  The innings closed on 149 for 8, leaving us winners by 15 runs.

 

Denmark East were our next opponents.  An opening stand of 85 looked threatening but they were unable to accelerate towards the end of the innings.  While wickets remained intact they closed on only 139 for 1 from their 25 overs.

 

Another aggressive 50 from Timothy Barker, in which all but eight of his runs came from boundaries, ensured that we maintained the required run rate.   After his retirement wickets fell steadily but James Barker, with 27, supported by the middle order of Mark Radley, Tim Cullen and Alex Martin, chipped away at the target and victory, by four wickets, came with two overs to spare.

 

As winners of the round robin stage we played Denmark West again for a place in the final.  Another confident start saw them reach 79 for 1 after 11 overs.  However, the departure of their captain led to a dramatic change and from 92 for 2 they again collapsed, to 103 all out. The last five wickets all fell on this score.   Marcus Cope and Mark Radley took the bowling honours, with 3 for 6 and 3 for 3 respectively, aided by nine catches, three of which were taken by Alex Martin and two, plus a stumping, by William Cope.

 

A place in the final was the incentive for a successful run chase.   Steady progress was required and Charlie Ramsden’s watchful innings soon ensured that this would be a formality.  Victory came by 8 wickets in the 22^nd over, with Charlie unbeaten on 34.

 

The final, with 30 overs per side, matched us, unsurprisingly, against Penicuik.   Batting first, we were again indebted to Timothy Barker, scoring his third fifty of the tournament, and another ten boundaries to his name.    After his retirement the other batsmen, particularly William Cope, with 18, which included three boundaries off successive balls, and Alex Martin, with 14, all contributed to a final score of 167 for 7.  

 

Our hopes of a repeat of the first match were unfortunately not realised.  Penicuik made a very confident start and, despite some good ground fielding, we were unable to make a breakthrough until the score had passed a hundred.  A second wicket fell at 139 but Penicuik were able to coast home by 8 wickets with six overs to spare.

 

Despite this defeat the team can look back on another highly successful tournament, with four victories from five matches.  Everyone contributed: the 19 catches, from seven fielders, and 3 stumpings showed the quality of the fielding; seven bowlers took wickets; four different batsmen scored over 30.   These figures demonstrate the development of a strong squad within Luxembourg youth cricket.        

A much improved batting display wasn't enough to stop the Optimists registering their second Belgian League defeat in eight days. Opting to avoid the chasing heebie-jeebies which have plagued the Luxembourgers this season, captain Joost Mees won the toss and elected to bat. Solid knocks from Neale and Heath in the top order, augmented by boundaries and quick running from Whiteman and Desai in the middle, saw OCC to a par score of 214-7 in the 45 overs.

In reply, Ghent never looked completely comfortable, but never broke sweat either. Most importantly, they never panicked with the long chase ahead of them, picking off singles at ease, combined with the occasional pressure-reliever over the top to keep pace with the required run-rate. Plenty of wickets in hand, they reached the target with an over to spare.

The Optimists 1st XI suffered its first BCF defeat of the season on Sunday.
For the third game in succession, the OCC bowlers limited the opposition to a modest total, bowling Arcadians of Ghent out for 150.
However, the Luxembourgian batting collapse which had threatened in previous matches, but been halted by the middle order, came crashing down this time as OCC were bowled out for 66.
Arcadians 150 a.o. in 35.4 overs
OCC 66 a.o. in 22.2 overs
Arcadians won by 84 runs.
Results, league tables and scorecards can be found on the Belgian Cricket Federation league website.