Dear members,
As many of you are aware, an important aspect of the Optimists Cricket Club is providing cricket to all members which suits their interests and level of competiveness. While the Belgian league and the LCF league offer competitive cricket, friendly matches against visiting teams provide the opportunity to those who may not wish to always play competitively but solely for the purpose of enjoyment and camaraderie. Many friendships and connections have been built over the years with visiting clubs, with the Pierre Werner ground being a welcoming place for all players of all abilities and interests.
Due to the impact of covid over the past couple of seasons, friendlies have been difficult to organise, and so this season a key objective for the Optimists is to host friendly weekends once again, in order to provide cricket to the entire cricketing community of the club. Currently three weekends have been agreed with visiting teams, as well as the annual Lagaan Cup fixture, and with another friendly weekend being discussed.
These dates are:
- 16th & 17th July vs TsV Asperg (Germany)
- 30th & 31st July vs Basel CC (Switzerland)
- 24th & 25th September vs Barnet CC (UK)
As has always been the case in previous years, in order to ensure that these weekends happen and the visiting team is welcomed to Luxembourg, the Optimists assign a Match Manager to each weekend to liaise with the visitors, and ensure that the fixtures run as smoothly as possible from a logistical point of view. We are therefore looking for volunteers who would be willing to act as Match Manager for one of these friendly weekends, and welcome anyone who would like to take this opportunity to help the club spread its positive image further afield. This involves agreeing match formats and timings with the opposition, helping them if they have any questions regarding accommodation, organising catering for the teams and officials, and anything else to ensure the weekend functions well. A more detailed summary of the Match Manager's duties can be found on the Optimists website in the sidebar titled 'Match Manager Duties.' Any costs involving catering for the weekend is covered by the club.
We encourage members to volunteer themselves to take on this role, as it is a key component of this club run by and composed entirely of volunteers in order to ensure the entire cricketing community has the most enjoyable experience possible. Many members have taken on this role over the years, and we urge anyone who has not yet done so to do so, as it is both a rewarding and appreciated aspect of being part of our wonderful club. Anyone interested in doing so will have the support of those members who have previously taken on the role should they desire any help or guidance.
Please do reach out to us at the email optimistsccfixtures@gmail.com if you have any questions regarding being a match manager, or if you would like to be assigned for one of the weekends mentioned above. Helpful information will be provided to you regarding contacts, prices, and anything else vital to the role.
These friendly weekends always offer plenty of entertainment to all those participating, and we encourge everyone to get involved to continue this tradition of welcoming visitors to our stunning ground with open arms.
OCC Committee