The start of the Portuguese season is near. Peter Eckersley previews what is to come:
The cricketing fraternity in Portugal is looking forward to a very busy summer season with a tightly packed league programme and numerous foreign visitors plus the highlight of the Portuguese national team taking part in the European Championships in Glasgow in July.
Thanks to the introduction of the 6-a-side indoor version of the game, cricketers in Portugal no longer emerge from winter hibernation blinking in the sunlight and forgetful of how to hold their bats. The very successful Lisbon Indoor League which ran from October through to early March culminated in a final between the teams from Alcabideche & Parede.
Amadora had finished on top of the league table after the preliminary rounds and then the top 4 teams played in sudden death semi-finals. Parede, who only scraped into 4th place by a single point pulled off the biggest surprise of the semi-finals by defeating Amadora whilst the enthusiastic Alcabideche team accounted for the strongly fancied Estoril side in the other semi.
In the final match, Parede were boosted by the return from overseas of local cricketing hero, Paulo Ferreira and together with skipper Carlo Buccimazza, they produced a bowling attack to which Alcabideche had no real answer and Parede emerged as worthy winners of the GAUNTLETT TROPHY.
If the final was something of an anti-climax to the Portuguese indoor season it was perhaps because it followed straight after the E.C.C. Indoor Championships in Javea, Spain when Portugal, as the current reigning champions found themselves being beaten into third place. Losing only their second ever match at international indoor level, Portugal were defeated by the young Dutch side in a semi-final which, up until the last 2 overs, it looked as if they would win easily. Beating Denmark to claim the third place in the tournament was scant compensation for a team which had everything but luck on their side. Special tribute and mention should be made to Nelson Ferreira who opened the batting in each match, scored 183 runs in total and did not lose his wicket once throughout the entire tournament.
And so to the outdoor game...where the format of the leagues has changed for this year.
The National League is to be competed for by eight teams playing in two sections of four.
In the first section, current champions A.C.C. will compete with Oporto, Carcavelos & C.H.P. "A" whilst the second section will be comprised of Cavaliers, Oeiras, Panthers & C.H.P. "B". In this competition, which is due to commence on 30th April, every team in each section will play each other once and then the top 2 teams from each section will go forward into semi-finals and eventually a final.
There are a few new names and faces to watch out for in Portuguese cricket this summer as well as the hardy annuals.
Keeping wicket for Carcavelos will be Jay da Costa and his batting talent will enhance the already strong solid line up headed by veteran skipper John Simonson, evergreen David Baverstock, the reliable Ferreira brothers (Nelson & Paulo) and the youthful Buccimazza brothers (Carlo & Paulo).
The Oporto squad also holds much promise with the usual mix of youth & experience being quite evident. Stalwarts Steve Rogerson, Johnny Graham, Trevor Hawkins, Ian Selbourne & Brian Goodfellow will be supported by the younger element in the shape of the Chambers brothers (William & Edward), Martin Wade & Robert Perkins.
The A.C.C. squad names have not been released at the time of going to press but it is expected that they will continue to rely heavily on the influential presence of skipper Akbar Saiyad behind the stumps with Humayun Shazhad, Camlesh Ramchande, Intesab Mehdi, Dinesh Maughi & Ramesh Bhagvani forming a formidable fistful of all rounders.
C.H.P. "A" are newcomers to the Portuguese league (C.H.P. stands for "Communidade dos Hindus Portugues") although many of their players previously played for A.C.C. and Panthers.
Skipper Jayesh Popat is a much respected stalwart of the game in Portugal and his side will include Hericho Ramgi, Malesh Racicchandra and Manesh Virendralal.
In addition to the National League, the seven sides based in and around the Lisbon area will compete against each other in the Lisbon Casuals League - so named not because of the indolent nature of the cricket but after the club on whose ground in Carcavelos all the matches are played!
This league is scheduled to get underway on Sunday 9th April when A.C.C. play Cavaliers.
All league matches in Portugal will be played on a 35-over per side basis this year - an increase of five overs from previous years.
In addition to the League matches, there are several touring sides coming to Portugal this summer. Zeneca C.C. from England will play in Oporto on 29 & 30 April. The RNVR C.C. also play in Oporto on May 27 & 28 as do Archery Tavern C.C. on June 3rd & 4th.
An international triangular tournament will take place in Oporto from 9th to 12th June involving the Portuguese National side plus the national teams from Sweden & Switzerland. This is the first time that Portugal has hosted such an event and all concerned are eagerly anticipating an enjoyable 4 days of entertaining and enjoyable cricket.
On 14th June, Brunel University from England make their 4th successive annual visit to Portugal and will play 3 games on the ground in Carcavelos. Surrey Cryptics C.C. visit Oporto on July 22/23 but may find their hosts somewhat under strength as the Portuguese National side will be in Scotland at that time competing in the European Championship.
Other anticipated visitors include Philanders C.C., Botany Bay C.C., the Law Society C.C. and Cedars C.C. whilst a Portuguese Select XI will participate in the Mediterranean Tourney in Malta in early September.
The 115th annual match between Lisbon & Oporto for the Kendall Cup will be held this year on 8th & 9th July in Carcavelos.
When the season finally comes to an end on 1st October there will be little rest as the new 6-a-side indoor league will swing straight into action. The Cricket Association of Portugal (which is soon to become a Federation) has been appointed to host the 2001 E.C.C. Indoor Championships and this will undoubtedly increase local interest in the game in Portugal and heighten its already growing profile.