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ECC Notts Sport Affiliates Championship
Richard O'Sullivan
With nine teams the tournament was played in two phases. In phase 1 three groups of three played in mini leagues over the first three days of competition with the top two from each league making up the phase 2 ‘super six’ who went on to play for places 1-6 with the 3rd place teams from Phase 1 playing each other twice to determine positions 7-9. All the teams knew at the start that with the new ECC Divisional format coming into operation from 2006 that every one of their 6 matches in the tournament could have an affect on their final placing and so it turned out with every team on the last day not exactly sure of their final position.
Hellas can be consoled with 2nd place and the hosts Belgium with the Spirit of Cricket Award and all those present can spend their winter waiting for their next tournament remembering the superb hospitality and pleasant grounds of Belgium. |
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A nine team ECC Notts Sports Affiliate Championship was won by a talented Norway side who remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. To further increase their celebrations Shahbaz Butt, their young leg-spinning batsman, was named Player of the Tournament at the Gala Dinner at the end of the nine day tournament.
However in the end despite superb tournament aggregate scores from S. Pivac (Croatia) 392, T Aziz (Portugal) 357 & J Callus (Malta) 340 and large wicket hauls from S Nikitaras (Hellas) 15, A Naudi (Malta) 14 & S Muhammed (Belgium) 14, it was the all round talent and strength of the whole Norwegian squad under the astute coaching eye of ECC’s Ralph Dellor that led them to eventual victory.