Chairmans Update:
As we have now crossed the halfway mark in the summer, I wanted to update you on all the activities that have been taking place in the world of the Optimists Cricket Club, both on and off the pitch.
Cricket – Belgian Cricket League:
The 1st XI have been playing very well in the BCF League, Division 2, and it likely they will make the quarter-finals in the newly formatted Belgian League.
They have played 7 matches, with 4 wins (1 walkover), 1 loss, and 1 match rained off.
Some notable performances have come from Ben Embleton and Vivek Dixit, who have recorded centuries, and a notable mention to Amit Halbhavi, who scored 98 last Sunday vs Eagles to help the team chase down 211. On the bowling front, the skipper, Pankaj Malav, has been leading the way along with Raju Akulwar, who have taken 8 wickets apiece.
This Sunday (10th August), the team travels to Ostend and we wish them the very best of luck.
Cricket – Luxembourg Cricket Federation:
With both the 1st XI and 2nd XI in the first division of the LCF league, it was apparent at some point in the season that they would meet each other. A few weeks ago, on a sunny Friday evening, this happened! It was a fantastic club event, with the 1st XI and 2nd XI battling it out on the pitch, the BBQ and bar were in full swing. The 1st XI emerged victorious, but the match was enthralling, played in the spirit of the game and showcasing the tremendous talent the Optimists Cricket Club now possesses.
In the league, the 1st XI has played 6, won 5, and lost 1. Led by the captain, Ed Packard, the 1st XI has proved their class this year and I believe they are favourites to go on through the knock-out stages to win the whole division again. William Cope hit a brilliant century against Heritage CC and Ashgar Ali blasted a destructive 88* in just 40 balls to ensure victory against Lux Knights. On the bowling front, brothers Hashmat and Milad Momand have been terrorising the opposition with some fearsome pace and plenty of wickets! There is real competition on the bowling front with Sareer Shah, Eliyas Jabar, Pankaj Malav and Asghar Ali Khan all contributing with the ball. The skill and passion the 1st XI play with is truly impressive, and I would encourage all members to come down to the ground to support them and be thoroughly entertained.
The 2nd XI has also proved they are worthy of being in the 1st division. Andries Venter has led with purpose and also led from the front with the ball, as the 2nd XI leading wicket-taker this season. The 2nd XI has played 6, won 3 and lost 3. Two of the losses came against Star CC and Heritage CC and I know the team felt they had ample opportunities to win both matches. Lessons have been learnt, and they have also qualified for the knock-out stages and will look to go all the way. Will we get a 1st XI vs 2nd XI final? That would be tremendous!
On Saturday, 28th and Sunday, 29th June, the LCF hosted the Peter Mitchell Cup. An annual event between the top clubs in Luxembourg to determine who will be representing the country at the ECN in Malaga next year. It was a great weekend of cricket, featuring some hard-fought games, all played in the spirit of the game. Heritage CC looked dangerous all weekend and had already beaten us twice. However, when it mattered, the 1st XI proved to be the better side. It was an incredible performance by the squad, and massive congratulations to Ed and his team. The player of the tournament was the OCC all-rounder, Asghar Ali Khan.
Friendly Cricket:
On Saturday, 5th July, the club held a family day. There was a bouncy castle, BBQ, and bar in full swing whilst teams comprised of all corners of the Optimists playing membership turned out to play against each other. Both games were great fun, but it was also time to thank and say goodbye to two long-serving Optimists.
Atif Kamal will be leaving Luxembourg shortly to move to London. Since joining the Optimists nearly 10 years ago, he has been the leading light in the fast-bowling department. Atif has been a hardworking committee member for many years and has been pivotal in welcoming many new joiners and ensuring they have been included and introduced to the many facets of the club.
Joost Mees will be heading back to the Netherlands. Joost joined the Optimists CC 18 years ago and has held nearly every position going, including Captain and Chairman. Joost’s passion for the Optimists Cricket Club and cricket in general in Luxembourg is contagious. The amount of work he has put into the club is extraordinary, and we have Joost to thank for the very long-awaited new pavilion, as he led negotiations with the commune for several years in his capacity as Chairman.
On behalf of the club, we would like to thank you both for your dedication and hard work over the years. It is genuinely appreciated and we look forward to welcoming you both back to the PWCG whenever you visit Luxembourg.
The following day, the Optimists were to host the British Chamber of Commerce in a friendly match. However, the weather had other ideas and after weeks of blue skies and sunshine, it poured with rain. Although the ground staff were happy with this outcome, it did mean that no cricket was played. However, the rain would not dampen anyone's spirit and we enjoyed a fabulous afternoon of cakes, Pimm’s, etc, thanks to Think Pink and the British Chamber of Commerce.
A plea to all players:
We are fortunate to have strong availability for each fixture, and the selection committee works hard to pick a team for each game in a fair and unbiased manner. However, it is very frustrating when people mark themselves as available and, once selected, immediately say they cannot play. Of course, unforeseen circumstances can arise that lead to withdrawing your availability, but we are increasingly seeing members back out on a regular basis.
The amount of extra work this causes the selection committee is great. They do a sterling job, and I implore you to think and plan carefully before you commit to saying you can play in any given fixture. If this continues to happen, those members who continually drop out at the last minute will be noted, and it will affect future selection.
Off the pitch activities:
2025 has seen nearly as much action off the cricket pitch as on it. In mid-June, the Optimists attended the Walferdange Fête multiculturelle with a stand representing the Commonwealth countries. Thank you to Tim Andrews, who organised and participated in the event with some help from a few other members.
The following weekend, Walferdange celebrated its 175th Anniversary. Once again, the Optimists CC participated with a Pimms Stand. Although some locals were a little reluctant to taste this “funny English drink”, after one sip, they were hooked! It was a superb event and brilliantly organised by the Walfer Commune that included magic from the world-famous David Goldrake, and the evening ended with an awe-inspiring drone show.
The club has continued to host BBQs at the ground around various matches or on Friday evenings, and they have proved to be very popular. The committee is aware that improvements need to be made in the communication of these events, and it is something we are actively working on.
Future Events:
This weekend the club hosts Barnet CC from the UK. Regular visitors to the PWCG, it is always an enjoyable weekend of cricket. The 1st XI travel up to Ostend for their final game in the round-robin part of the BCF league and we wish them the very best of luck.
On Saturday 16th August, the 1st XI play their Eliminator game in the LCF 1st division, and the following day, the 2nd XI are in action for their Eliminator game. Please make every effort to attend both matches to give the players the support they deserve.
BackYardCricket UK (you might have seen them on YouTube or Instagram) will be visiting Luxembourg on 5th, 6th, and 7th September to play various formats of their tape-ball cricket. It will be a unique tournament, and the ground staff have already started to prepare a grass track for this event! It will be streamed live on YouTube and should be a great weekend. Make sure you look for e-mails, posts etc regarding events around that weekend.
On a final note, thank you very much to the ground staff who continue to work hard to ensure the ground is in fantastic condition and give us all the opportunity to play on one of the best grounds in Europe. Thank you also to every member who has volunteered throughout the many events we have hosted, it does not go unnoticed, and as a volunteer club, this support is vital.
Here’s to a strong finish and we wish the all the teams competing for glory, whether it be in the LCF of BCF the very best of luck in the final games.
Yours Optimistically,
Richard