The Press Box | The Dynasty of Terry: Canada's Rise to Cricketing Supremacy
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NaviN GandhI
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Roundup of the Round of 16: Greece shock India; England forfeit against Norway
“Achilleas Paterakos' finish was merely the icing on the Greek cake as they stunned the world by knocking out the No.1 ODI Team in the tournament opener”
“Achilleas Paterakos' finish was merely the icing on the Greek cake as they stunned the world by knocking out the No.1 ODI Team in the tournament opener”
Greek fans rejoice after Greece beats India in an all-time classic at the Hellenic Cricket Fields in Athens © April 13, 2000
The inaugural edition of World Cricket Conference's Knockout Trophy commenced with Greece going up against the No. 1 ODI Team in the world - India - in the tournament opener. Not only did this mark the first instance of Greece being a host nation to an official WCC event - it also became the first officially sanctioned ODI to be played on Greek turf.
Greece vs India
In the first Round of 16 match, India won the toss and opted to bat first on a road-like surface. They validated their decision by finishing with an imposing 323/4 against a fairly inexperienced Greek attack. Any total below that would've been seen as a disappointment considering the sheer quality of the Indian team. Greece responded by taking India to the limit before a truly sublime cameo from Achilleas Paterakos killed off the run-chase in the 49th-over of the game. With the required equation being 25 runs off the final 12 deliveries, Achilleas Paterakos smashed Rushiraj Jadeja for two fours and two sixes in the second-last over of the game, effectively dousing India's hopes. Despite a truly inspired show of hitting, Georgios Pepellis was awarded the Man of the Match award for his phenomenal 117, which along with Antonis Vallakos' 95 kept Greece in the hunt. Achilleas Paterakos' finish was merely the icing on the Greek cake as they stunned the world by knocking out the No.1 ODI Team in the tournament opener.
France vs North Korea
The second game of the Round of 16 was a low-scoring affair between North Korea and France at The Marina Gouvia. France, who were only here because New Zealand withdrew due to financial strains, defeated North Korea by a hefty 48 run margin on the back of a clinical bowling performance. France batted first and were restricted to a substandard 195/7 despite Leonard Vilain's cunning counter-play from No. 8. If it weren't for his unbeaten innings of 40 from 57 deliveries, France would've not had much to defend. Tu Hyun-Jun and the debuting Kim Jong-Lee were the cause of a lot of worry for France with their figures of 2/24 and 2/37 in their complete quotas. With a target of 196 set, it was going to take some doing from the French bowlers to defend against a very strong North Korean side - and they did exactly that. René Chéreau used only four bowlers and they got all 10 wickets within 40.0 overs to shock North Korea and advance to the quarter-final to face Greece.
Niue vs Canada
The Spianada Cricket Ground in Corfu saw Niue take on Canada in what was more or less The Martin Terry Show. Canada won the toss and chose to bat, being fully aware of how difficult scoring was going to get as the game went on. Graham White provided a solid hand up top by scoring a stern 58, but wickets fell regularly for Canada with the Niuean captain - Duken Talaiti - being at the center of it all. Martin Terry and Frederic Baron played valuable knocks to guide their team to a defendable total. Canada's 235/7 proved to be just enough as they won by a 30-run margin in the end. Martin Terry was the pick of the bowlers, bagging 3 wickets for 55 runs in his full 10.0 overs. Niue's batters capitulated at the worst possible moment and let a golden opportunity slip from their hands. Mark Manusaute's 50 was the only glimmer of light in an abyss of dejection.
South Africa vs Denmark
Denmark stunned South Africa with a comprehensive - if not comfortable - 7-wicket victory in Athens. South Africa amassed 289/8 with Siya Ndlala and Mark Jansen's 88 and 81* (respectively) being the highest scores. Felix Nørregaard and Martin Lundgren claimed 5 wickets between themselves, which greatly affected the flow of runs for South Africa, but they still managed to finish with an intimidating total. A total their bowling unit would have no troubles defending against anyone - but Denmark proved to be the exception, at least in this all-important encounter. Aksel Johansson led the run-chase with a top-score of 77, which was followed by William Gunnarsson's 67• and Niels Håkansson 54. Denmark finished the run-chase with 7 wickets to spare, even if it ended in the penultimate over.
Pakistan vs United States
Pakistan versus the United States was one of the more one-sided matches in the Round of 16 as the former steamrolled the latter for a 7-wicket win after bowling them out for 211. Hashir Soomro was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan as they bowled the United States out for a minuscule 211, despite their captain Alton Watts' cornerstone knock which saw him hit 2 fours and 5 sixes. As evident by the scoreline, no other batter could contribute in a meaningful manner for the Americans. Pakistan chased the total down with their captain - Talha Hayat's fairly cheap dismissal being the only discernible blemish in the run-chase. Shabbir Khan Durrani top-scored with an unbeaten 70, and was adjudged the Man of the Match for it.
Spain vs Ireland
The Spianada Cricket Ground witnessed a Kelby Rogerson masterclass, only for it to go in vain and for Spain to beat the Irish in a rather simplistic run-chase. Ireland put themselves into bat first, but they finished with 268/6 only because of an 85-run partnership for the 7th-wicket between Tadgh Coleman and Kelby Rogerson. After a commanding start, their middle-order combusted in unbelievable fashion - losing 5 wickets for 44 runs in a collapse drawn out to nearly 14.0 overs. Kelby Rogerson and Tadgh Coleman's 85-run stand gave Ireland's score an air of respectability. But Spain were clearly unfazed as they chopped the 269-run target down in the second-last over of the game. Roberto Ruiz starred, scoring 73 runs up top before holing out to Kelby Rogerson. Fernando Reyes and Ian Morales finished the job with a 45-run stand between themselves as Spain knocked Ireland out despite Kelby Rogerson's all-round heroics.
Norway vs England
Norway basically received a bye into the next game as England had to forfeit the game due to undisclosed issues. An insider reported a deadly case of explosive diarrhea as the reason for England denying to travel to the venue on match day - but it was not officially confirmed by anyone in the English camp.
Guernsey vs Bangladesh
In the final game of the Round of 16, Bangladesh gave a legitimate scare to the Guernseymen before the World Champions of Test cricket got bailed out by their bowlers in stunning fashion to deny The Bangla Tigers a famous upset. Guernsey batted first and were constrained to 228/6 with Tom Nightingale's 89 from 115 deliveries being the only noteworthy performance in the innings. He batted wonderfully, making scoring look seamless on a pitch which hardly had anything for batters, as is evident by the Bangladeshi bowling card. Nirupom Debnath was unplayable at times - even if his wickets column isn't indicative of that. Bangladesh were served a golden opportunity to bookend the Round of 16 with two famous upsets, and certainly the most-famous upset in their history - but a rousing comeback from the Guernseymen saw their bowlers bowl Bangladesh out for a mere 166 and deny Arif Hassan's men those honors.
Quarter-Finals
With the Round of 16 going down the way it did, these are the quarter-finals set for the Knockout Trophy:
April 22 -
April 23 -
April 24 -
April 25 -
NaviN GandhI
Panel of Selectors
NaviN GandhI
Panel of Selectors
Q : How do you see this early knockout from the tournament against the Host Nation?
Q : Do you suspect a foul play by the host nation or was it just bad performance from your side?
Q : Rumours as it that the reason for loss is corruption during the Team selection. What is your take on it? where more talented people left out?
Well that was an evading answer, anyway lets move on,
Q : We got info from confidential source that the spat between Captain Vijay with some of the other senior players is the reason for early exit? Will the board look for a different captain?
Q : What do you expect the future to be moving forward?
Loosing is always difficult, but the most important thing to do is get up after falling. We wish you all luck to stand up on your feet soon.
Watch the thread for more exclusive interviews with team managers in our talk show "Cricket Unfiltered" hosted by "One among you".
Q : Do you suspect a foul play by the host nation or was it just bad performance from your side?
Q : Rumours as it that the reason for loss is corruption during the Team selection. What is your take on it? where more talented people left out?
Well that was an evading answer, anyway lets move on,
Q : We got info from confidential source that the spat between Captain Vijay with some of the other senior players is the reason for early exit? Will the board look for a different captain?
Q : What do you expect the future to be moving forward?
Loosing is always difficult, but the most important thing to do is get up after falling. We wish you all luck to stand up on your feet soon.
Watch the thread for more exclusive interviews with team managers in our talk show "Cricket Unfiltered" hosted by "One among you".
pillowprocter
Panel of Selectors
VANUATU DAILY POST
Extract from Sports section
Vanuatu application for WCC Membership accepted
The WCC, governing body of international cricket, has recently announced that Vanuatu's application for membership has been accepted. The country's thriving club cricket scene is still going strong since being established a decade ago, and the calls to establish a national cricket team had been getting louder every year. That led to the formation of the Vanuatu Cricket Federation (VCF), which led a bid for Vanuatu to become only the second Pacific island country, after Niue, to earn WCC membership. The VCF is chaired by Johannes Kalotang, who was widely considered the best cricketer to take the field in the club system. His son Luuk is among the 15 cricketers to earn a central contract this year.Extract from Sports section
Vanuatu application for WCC Membership accepted
NaviN GandhI
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Denmark to face Spain in the final of the inaugural Knockout Trophy edition
“Athens gears up to host the final of the first-ever Knockout Trophy - and it promises to be one hell of an end to an incredible two weeks of cricket”
“Athens gears up to host the final of the first-ever Knockout Trophy - and it promises to be one hell of an end to an incredible two weeks of cricket”
Adam Solheim sulks as Guernsey beat Norway by 1 run in the fourth quarter-final © World Cricket Conference, April 25, 2000
At the end of the second week of cricket at the Knockout Trophy, we have our finalists in Denmark and Spain for the inaugural edition of the tournament. The quarter-finals and the semi-finals of the tournament concluded with Denmark and Spain booking a berth each for the final after a series of remarkable wins and stunning results in Greece
Quarter-Finals
Greece vs France: Break it like Perropoulos
Greece played France in the first quarter-final on a road-like pitch at the Hellenic Cricket Fields in Athens. France, putting themselves in to bat first, were bowled out for a mere 218 as Dimitris Perropoulos spun a web around France to record the best-ever Greek figures in ODIs with a maiden 5-for. The legbreak bowler dismissed five of the top-six French batters and finished with figures of 5/37. A remarkable showing from Perropoulos marked Greece as the favorites for a semi-final berth unless France could conjure up something truly magical to deny the hosts a straightforward win - which they could not. In reply to France's total, Thomas Thanidis and Evangelos Xenallis set the stage for an ecstatic Greek win over France in the first quarter-final. France's frontline pacers - Renaud Trémaux and Léon Carpentier bagged a wicket each but that's about it. With not much to defend on a pitch like this, and against an opposition which chased down 324 in the previous game (against the World No. 1s no less) - France failed to put on a show that would see them go through the semi-finals.
Canada vs Denmark: Maple Leaf Heartbreak
Denmark revolted against the idea of Canada being the second semi-finalist with a thorough performance despite a shivering jolt in the second innings. Canada were bowled out for 181 with Noah Bendtsen and Chris Fredriksson leading the charge for the Danes with 3 wickets apiece. Rajiv Bhatnagar's unrelenting 43 and ensuing partnership with Frederic Baron was the sole highlight of a dull batting performance for Canada, as every other batter in their lineup faltered in an all-important encounter. Even with a fairly simplistic run-chase served on a silver platter, Denmark only just made it out of the game on the winning side because August Eklund bailed them out with a gritty fightback. Denmark started their run-chase rather swiftly with Niels Håkansson's watchful knock up top and Aksel Johansson's near run-a-ball fifty laying the groundwork for a comfortable victory - but a rousing comeback from the Canadian bowlers dismantled Denmark's middle-order. William Gunnarsson played a vital role in keeping the scoreboard ticking despite a constant fall of wickets, but things started looking bleak after his dismissal. That was before August Eklund rallied behind the tailenders to secure the semi-final spot against Greece.
Pakistan vs Spain: Mikail Gondal's day off
Pakistan faced Spain in the third quarter-final, and it was played at the Hellenic Cricket Fields in Athens. Pakistan batted first and finished on 275/4 with Shabbir Khan Durrani and Talha Hayat's scores of 77* and 62 (respectively) headlining the batting card. None of the bowlers clicked for Spain in the manner they would've wanted them to - but controlling lines and lengths from Vasil Perez and Roberto Ruiz stalled Pakistan's progress somewhat. Mikail Gondal remained unbeaten on 38 from 50 deliveries, but he could never shift into that final gear to provide his team with a few extra runs right towards the innings. Unfortunately for Pakistan, a terrible day with the bat was only the beginning of Mikail Gondal's woes. In defense of 276, Ali Mazari made early inroads to reduce Spain to 37/2 in what was a visibly demanding run-chase - but a 124-run partnership at near run-a-ball between Moises Costa and captain Riley Delgado rejuvenated the innings and brought Spain back into the game. With wickets falling and the scoreboard ticking, the game swayed both ways right up until the end. With the required equation being 12 runs off the last 6 deliveries, Pakistan were in a commanding situation but tragically they had run out of bowling options as Hashir Soomro, the only bowler left with an over, was off the field after a suspected broken finger from a fielding mishap. Which meant Mikail Gondal had to find himself at the center of what ended up being a tragic heartbreak for Pakistan. The non-bowler conceded three boundaries as Pakistan crashed out after having the nearly game won. For Spain, it was a sweet escape - a sweet victory - and a sweet, sweet semi-final berth in Corfu.
Norway vs Guernsey: To choke the impossible choke
The final quarter-final between Norway and Guernsey came down to Adam Solheim swinging his bat three times, and missing all three swings to give Guernsey an unbelievable 1-run win. With 2 runs needed off the last 3 deliveries, Adam Solheim failed to even touch the ball as Norway suffered an ungodly choke in what was effectively, their first game of the tournament after they received a bye in the Round of 16. Whatever transpired before that moment was completely overshadowed by Adam Solheim's nervous breakdown in the last moments of the game, including Erik Eriksen's masterclass and the rebuilding effort led by Tobias Jørgensen and Odin Solberg. A truly surreal end to the game as Guernsey somehow found themselves in the final four of a major WCC event - yet again.
Semi-Finals
Greece vs Denmark: Dream run ends for the Greeks
Greece punched well above their weight throughout the entire tournament - perhaps it was due to their familiarity with the conditions, perhaps it was because of rabid support from their fans, perhaps it was because of a general surge in quality the Greeks have gone through in recent years - but their impressive run was finally brought to a screeching halt by Denmark. And for it to come in a semi-final was enough of a justification for the pin drop silence that was palpable when August Eklund hit the winning runs for Denmark. Greece, being forced to bat first, folded over for an underwhelming total as Denmark exploited the bowling-friendly conditions perfectly. Martin Lundgren rocked Greece first ball by getting rid of Thomas Thanidis, setting the tone for Denmark. Noah Bendtsen followed up by dismissing Georgios Pepellis and Evangelos Xenallis soon afterwards, but an inspired counterattack from captain Daemon Moropoulos and Antonis Vallakos swayed momentum in Greece's favour momentarily. Two quick wickets got rid of the two set batters but another crucial stand between Elias Simallis and Achilleas Paterakos provided invaluable runs. Chris Fredriksson trapped Achilleas Paterakos to end the stand and blow over Greece's tail. Noah Bendtsen was easily the pick of the bowlers despite being a little on the expensive side in an innings where the opposition could only conjure up 180. Denmark put an end to the Greek party with a phenomenal run-chase led by the calm-headed veterans Aksel Johansson and William Gunnarsson. Yanni Chronas made early inroads but a 95-run partnership for the 3rd-wicket between Aksel Johansson and William Gunnarsson pretty much sealed the fate. Greece needed wickets, which they eventually got after the third-wicket stand but Paul Boesen and August Eklund gave Denmark a clean finish, and a berth in the final.
Spain vs Guernsey: World Champions knocked out
In the second semi-final, the Spanish knocked-out the World Champions of Test Cricket - Guernsey - following another scintillating run-chase led by the run-machine Heinrich Silva. A controlled bowling performance constrained Guernsey to 257/6 - a substandard score. Abraham Bolívar made quite the impact in his first game of the tournament, and he did so without picking-up any wickets. He bowled 10.0 overs and conceded only 26 runs, playing a pivotal role in keeping Guernsey's score restricted to a modest score, in a semi-final no less. Even with Johannes Torres and Vasil Perez being taken for runs and ending up more on the expensive side, it did not take away from Abraham Bolívar's performance. For Guernsey, Harry Wroetoshaw played fluidly for his fifty whereas Dom Nightingale and Phillip Austin had their hands tied in their scoring by the Spanish bowlers. With both of Guernsey's wins coming after batting first, and both of Spain's wins coming chasing, this set-up an enticing run-chase - especially with the artillery Guernsey possess. But those bombs were defused proficiently as the Spaniards marched into the final. After being reduced to 88/5, nobody would've backed Spain to chase down a target of 258 - but a truly magnificent performance from Heinrich Silva coupled with Ian Morales and Johannes Torres' unwavering, unflinching supporting roles did the unthinkable for the Spanish. A famous upset in a famous run-chase saw Spain triumph over the mighty Guernseymen in the final over of their first-ever international semi-final, setting-up a Denmark-Spain final for the inaugural Knockout Trophy.
The Final
April 30 -
Denmark vs Spain: Unlikely finalists
Denmark versus Spain is set as the final of the inaugural edition of the Knockout Trophy - a final no sane cricket pundit would've predicted when this whole thing began. But that is precisely why cricket is considered the great equalizer - on their day, any team can beat any team. And the two teams that made it to the final, made it on the back of deserving performances against the very top cricketing nations of the world.
Denmark, despite being one of the bigger cricketing nations, did not have an easy route to the final due to their ranking. In their Round of 16 contest, they were paired-up against South Africa - the fourth-best ODI team at the start of the tournament. In the quarter-finals, they had to face Canada - another nation that has had millions of dollars funneled into their cricket economy recently. And in the semi-final, they went against the host nation moving ahead at full steam in Greece. It was far from easy for them to reach the final, and despite having such a tough route, they are the heavy favorites against Spain.
Spain - the designated underdogs in the final - had an arguably tougher road to the final. In the Round of 16, they faced the European juggernauts in Ireland. In the quarter-final, they faced Pakistan - the second-best ranked nation in the world. And in the semi-final, they faced (and stunningly upset) the World Champions of Test Cricket - Guernsey. A truly remarkable story for a nation where cricket is far from the top sport of the country, but the Spanish have shown nothing but class, grit and determination to get to the final.
Athens gears up to host the final of the first-ever Knockout Trophy - and it promises to be one hell of an end to an incredible two weeks of cricket. Denmark take on Spain at the Hellenic Cricket Fields, tomorrow - join in as the Knockout Trophy reaches its crescendo.
NaviN GandhI
Panel of Selectors
Q: Congrats on entering the finals, How is your dressing room atmosphere?
Q: Your bowler's stepped up to the occasion to restrict Greece to a total of 180, was that score above or below you initial target?
Q: Batting did struggle a bit, will you be able to rectify it before the big match? what are your plans for that?
Q: Absence of Felix Nørregaard , is it affecting the teams balance? Can we expect is return to the side before the grand finale.?
Q: Denmark is said to be the favorites, what is your take on it? Do you guys have a chance?
Denmark is being humble and not taking their opponents lightly. On the other hands rumors' as that Spain is being furious and confident on their ability to win this tournament. Lets see what happens as the grand finale is not that far away.
Watch the thread for more exclusive interviews with team managers in our talk show "Cricket Unfiltered" hosted by "One among you".
NaviN GandhI
Panel of Selectors
World Cricket Conference
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- Location
- Berlin, Germany
Denmark crowned champions of Knockout cricket; rise to No. 1 in ODI rankings
“Niels Håkansson - the first captain of Denmark - retired with international honors in Denmark's first appearance at a WCC event”
“Niels Håkansson - the first captain of Denmark - retired with international honors in Denmark's first appearance at a WCC event”
Niels Håkansson pictured with the Knockout Trophy in his last international appearance © World Cricket Conference, April 30, 2000
The inaugural edition of World Cricket Conference's shiniest addition to their international calendar - the Knockout Trophy concluded on Sunday with Denmark taking the title after a hard-fought game against Spain. Niels Håkansson - the first captain of Denmark - retired with international honors in Denmark's first appearance at a WCC event, giving his career the fairytale ending it deserved. Spain went on an unbelievable journey to nearly take the trophy but they fell short at the final hurdle.
Recap from Athens
Spain won the toss and opted to bowl first - a wise yet expected decision given all three of their wins in the tournament came batting second. And so did Denmark's, so forcing them to defend for the first time in the tournament only added to the validity of this decision. To keep Denmark's score to a bare minimum was still going to take some doing, even with Abraham Bolívar getting rid of Niels Håkansson in the second over of the innings. Niels Håkansson scored 4 runs in his final international innings and was sent back to the pavilion by a stunning catch from Moises Costa.
Abraham Bolívar struck for the second time to remove the swashbuckling opener - Chris Mattsson - after he took the fight right to Spain following Neils Håkansson's dismissal. He perished 9 runs short of a well-deserved fifty, but not before leaving an indelible mark on the innings with his relentless hitting. Aksel Johansson reached his half-century with two illustrious cover drives, recording his fourth fifty in just as many innings. He proved to be a staple for Denmark and led from the front with unreal consistency - but the job was far from done so early in the game.
Spain's bowlers continued to struggle as a commanding stand between Aksel Johansson and William Gunnarson put-up 100 runs for the third-wicket to firmly cement Denmark in the driver's seat. But a lucky break from Johannes Torres finally provided a breakthrough for Spain after conceding a six on the previous delivery. He dismissed the Danish skipper two runs short of what would've been his maiden ODI hundred - and what an occasion it would've been to bring his maiden century up in.
But nevertheless, despite him falling two runs short, his masterclass gave Denmark a solid foundation in the final. A foundation that was built alongside William Gunnarsson, who raised his bat for his hundred following Aksel Johansson's dismissal after quietly accumulating runs while playing second fiddle to his captain, giving Denmark a lavish finish with 305/3 while remaining unbeaten on 114. Spain's bowling underdelivered massively in the final, but it wasn't exactly a detour for them.
With a mammoth 306-run target set in the final of the Knockout Trophy, Spain started their run-chase by losing Eduardo Alvarez to Noah Bendtsen. Moises Costa departed soon after as August Eklund got his first but Spain continued their scoring at an admirable rate, courtesy of Roberto Ruiz's resolute stroke play. Roberto Ruiz reached fifty in no time, and it was well and truly been an essential knock for Spain. They still had a mountain ahead of them, but now they had the foundation to get there.
But that was before Felix Nørregaard turned the game on its head. The left-armer, returning from injury, set Spain back massively by getting rid of both their set batters a delivery apart from one another - Spain still required 173 runs and they had lost Roberto Ruiz and Riley Delgado. They needed someone to step up and play the innings of their lifetime, and who better to have in the middle in a situation like this than Heinrich Silva - the leading run-scorer of the tournament, coming into the final.
Martin Lundgren struck to remove Fernando Reyes but Heinrich Silva and Ian Morales re-formed a familiar tandem to cross 50 runs for the 6th-wicket in no time - keeping Spain afloat with 110 runs still needed, and only 5 wickets in the bank. But unfortunately for Spain - their hopes were short-lived as Martin Lundgren returned to find a timely break for the Danes and got rid of Spain's best batter in the entire tournament. With the required run-rate spiking and the game headed towards its end, this dismissal proved to be game-changing.
Denmark's bowlers squeezed the run flow entirely which led to Ian Morales throwing his hands at everything that was bowled to him, with his desperation eventually doing him in. The required equation had become nearly unreachable for Spain at this point, but they still somehow had a tiny glimmer of hope in Johannes Torres. He struck a six and a four to bleed 15 runs Noah Bendtsen's over, but 45 runs from the last 18 deliveries was just too much for the Spaniard to bare. In the end, Spain fell 25 runs despite Johannes Torres' best efforts as Denmark held their nerves to take the title.
Spain were visibly heartbroken after finishing second following their dream run, but they should be proud of themselves nevertheless. They took their opponents to the very limit, and fell short by bare margins in the end.
For Denmark, it was a more or less a perfect campaign. Their batters were prolific in their scoring with Aksel Johansson and William Gunnarsson finishing as the top-two run-scorers, scoring 277 and 265 respectively - finishing ahead of Spain's Heinrich Silva who accumulated 234. Their bowling clicked unlike any other team despite Felix Nørregaard spending two out of four games on the bench due to an injury. Noah Bendtsen was the star of the Danish attack with 10 wickets - the most for any bowler in the tournament. He finished with two more scalps than the second-highest wicket-taker, Denmark's own Martin Lundgren, who bagged 8. Paul Boesen also had a very prolific tournament behind the stumps, claiming 12 catches in 4 games. The icing on the cake however, was Aksel Johansson being adjudged Player of the Tournament.
WCC rankings were updated and Denmark were positioned as the new No. 1 ODI team following their Knockout Trophy win, a feat they missed out on in the series against India after a 2–1 defeat. Spain are now the second best-ranked ODI team, making a leap from No. 6 with the rest of the Top-16 ordered according to their final rank in the Knockout Trophy.
Greece proved to be a magnificent host for the first-ever Knockout Trophy. An enthralling two-or-so weeks of cricket resulted in a truly magnificent tournament, but with the tournament now over, all eyes turn to the European Championship in June. Greece are slotted as the hosts for Euro 2000 and if all goes to plan, and World Cricket Conferences' bid to include cricket at the Olympics goes through - they will also host cricket at Athens 2004.
NaviN GandhI
Panel of Selectors
NaviN GandhI
Panel of Selectors
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pillowprocter
Panel of Selectors
VCF ANNOUNCES DOMESTIC COMPETITION
In a recent press conference, VCF chairman Johannes Kalotang announced that they had set up a domestic cricket structure.
It includes two tri-series, of 7 matches each. "30 players who aren't with the national team have been given domestic contracts." Kalotang announced, "We have also reached out to overseas players, which will be announced at a later stage. Our main aim is to improve the quality of cricket in Vanuatu and prepare our players for the CONOC Nations Cup later this year.
It is understood that the 4-day competition, named the Island Championship, will start in mid-June, and the 50-over competition, named the Vanuatu Blast, will follow directly after.
Only one overseas player will be permitted per team for the Vanuatu Blast.
