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Women’s cricket in Finland is going through a period of regeneration thanks to a much needed injection of ICC cash this summer.

After the announcement in March that $15,000 of ICC funding would be used to help the development of women’s cricket across Europe, several ECC member countries planned, and subsequently launched, women’s cricket initiatives. One such venture, Project Pheonix, has seen the resurrection of the women’s game in Finland.
The revitalization began with an initial recruitment drive and basic introduction to the game followed by the first introductory indoor sessions during the winter. This sparked further interest and led to a course of outdoor coaching sessions for women in the spring and summer. Part of the ICC funding was used to buy essential equipment for these training sessions.

The main aim of the outdoor training was to get ready for the SKK International Sixes Tournament at the end of July. Playing outdoors was a new arena, and saw the Pheonix ladies handling a hard ball for the first time. The team spirit continued to grow very positively and gradually the players started finding their own strengths within the team. As time drew closer to the tournament, the Phoenix team became hungry for action.

The SKK Sixes Tournament held in Helsinki saw the Phoenix come to life. The team played three matches against other women’s sides. The first of the Phoenix games was very close, but unfortunately the opposition managed to get the winning runs just three balls before the close of the game. In the other two games the inexperience of the Pheonix team showed as they struggled against more experienced sides. However these games provided the team with much needed match practice and allowed the Finnish ladies to watch and learn from the more experienced teams on display. More importantly the tournament was enjoyed by all and incited further enthusiasm within the Finnish ranks. Sights are now set on arranging further matches before the outdoor season draws to a close.

Things will not stop there for the project as training will carry on indoors throughout the winter, and the remaining funding will go towards venue hire for these sessions. There are plans in place for five indoor sessions before Christmas followed by regular training sessions once every two weeks in the new year. A new wave of advertising and recruitment will take place in order to carry on with the success so far and make the 2007 season bring in more numbers and more games. And with plans underway for a small tournament specifically for women’s teams, it looks as though 2007 will see the Phoenix spread its wings even further!