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The Swiss Under 17s squad competing for the first time at the European Under 17s Championships in Germany finished in 8^th place offering a performance which combined both promise and naivety.

The achievements of the five Under 15s in the squad, who can all compete at the next championships in two years’ time, offered a lot of encouragement and the Swiss team did leave Germany with the MCC Spirit of Cricket Fair Play Award, due recognition for their positive approach throughout the week.

Their tournament began with a nail biting 2 wicket defeat at the hands of Gibraltar.  Batting first in a rain-shortened affair, the Swiss side scored a competitive 130 for 7, with Lee Fisk top-scoring with 35 and Matt Hill chipping in with 26 in a 57-run 4^th wicket stand.   In response only one of the Gibraltar batsmen got into double figures, but they kept up with the run-rate as the nervous Swiss bowlers gave away 60 in wides (with each wide worth 2 runs).   David Kuster took 3 wickets for 25 and debutant Leon Bacarese 2 for 21, but each time Switzerland looked like taking control of the game, indiscipline with the ball haunted them.  The Gibraltar team secured their narrow victory with just 10 balls of the match remaining.

Switzerland bounced back the next day with a comprehensive 9 wicket victory over Greece at the picturesque JHQ ground in Monchengladbach.   Once again only one Greek batsman reached double figures, as David Kuster with 3 for 37, Ali Saleem with 2 for 9 and Waleed Saleem with 1 for 6 caused all sorts of problems.  Although the number of wides conceded was reduced to 57, it amounted to more than half of Greece’s final total of 103 for 8 in 40 overs.

The Greek team was even more profligate in response conceding 70 wides.  Matt Hill top scoring with 17 and Trystan George with 10 not out put on 86 for the first wicket, as Switzerland completed their victory with 17 overs remaining.

Spain, who were one of the best sides in the tournament, offered a much sterner test.  Two of their batsmen scored half-centuries as they provided a great example of how to pace an innings.   Their 40 over total of 255 for 3 put the game beyond the inexperienced Swiss side.  However, they batted with great determination against a strong attack, scoring 129 for 9, with Trystan George top scoring with 20 and Ali Saleem finishing with 13 not out.

The performance against eventual champions Belgium the next day was in many ways the most disappointing of the week because of the way a good start was thrown away.  After 15 overs, the Swiss team were in a good position of 64 for 2 and were looking set for a final total close to 150, but a rash of injudicious stokes and an ability to play a long innings brought a rapid decline to 99 all out.  Three players also ran one short, as they succumbed to pressure.  Lee Fisk and Ali Saleem, who took 2 for 31, bowled well but with little luck in reply, but the Belgian batsmen had little difficulty passing the total with just two wickets down.

The 7^th and 8^th play off place pitted neighbours France and Switzerland in a match played over 30 overs-a-side.  Inexplicably, the Swiss bowlers suffered another bout of wides nerves, with 18 runs coming this way in the first four overs and a massive 59 over the course of the innings.  Four of five run out opportunities were also missed, as the wheels seemed likely to come off the bowling wagon.  It was thanks to the efforts of Nikhit Nanjungud with 2 for 22, Leon Bacarese with 2 for 21 and Ali Saleem with 1 for 13 that some semblance of order was restored and France were restricted to 154 for 9.

Once again the Swiss reply began well and stood at a promising 60 for 1 in the 16^th over.  But two wickets in two balls and four suicidal run outs turned the innings on its head.  The batting remained positive but manic, as the young side struggled to cope with the pressure of managing a run-chase.   The final total of 114 all out hid the fact that the match should have been a much closer affair, as Trystan George top-scored with 23 and Matt Hill and Lukas Kuster both scored 10.

Coach Michael George commented: “Despite some disappointments, this was a good performance and a great opportunity for our squad at our first ever tournament.”

“We have learnt about the importance of bowling straight, staying calm under pressure and not throwing our wickets away after a good start.  This experience will help us to improve, prepare and come back much stronger in two years’ time.”

The Under 15s pair of Trystan George and Ali Saleem topped the batting and bowling averages respectively, while David Kuster, Nikhit Nanjungud and Matt Hill from the same age group gave strong performances. All five should be available for the next championships.

The final highlight of the week was the tournament dinner and presentation ceremony, at which the Swiss side were recognised.    Throughout the week, the 12 umpires observed teams and voted for those who they felt had provided the best example of the MCC Spirit of Cricket Code.   Announcing Switzerland as the Fair Play Award winner,  Tournament Referee Sandy Scotland remarked that the team had been won by a “considerable majority”.   Swiss captain, Richard Marsden, who set a magnificent example to his team, collected the award on behalf of the squad.

Averages

Batting	Inns	No	Runs	Av
T. George	5	1	60	15
L. Fisk	4	0	54	13.5
M. Hill	5	0	58	11.6
N. Nanjungud	5	1	39	9.75

Bowling	Ovs	Runs	Wkts	Av
A. Saleem	37	130	8	16.25
D. Kuster	27	133	8	16.63
L. Bacarese	17	84	4	21
N. Nanjungud	18	89	4	22.25

Catches/dismissals

C. Cohen	4ct/1st
T. George	3
L. Fisk	3
N. Nanjungud	2