Photo © ECC

Several important steps have recently been taken in the development of cricket in Slovenia. In particular, we would highlight the formation of the second club here, in the second city of Maribor, at an event sponsored by the British Ambassador to Slovenia, Mr Hugh Mortimer. Maribor CC got off to a flying start due to the emergence of a group of about 15 Slovenes who, unknown to us, had already been playing cricket informally for some time in their village of Smarje pri jelsah. This came about because two of their number had picked up on cricket during an extended stay in Oz, and had brought back sufficient equipment to get things off the ground there. Once they had learned of our existence via some media coverage we had had in the spring, it was logical to tie them in with the various ex-pats we knew of in the Maribor area and get a proper club up and running. With this combination of a base of Slovenes already playing, plus the experience and coaching potential that the ex-pats can offer, we are very confident of their success. They are in the process of securing a site in Maribor for practice facilities, and hope to play their first competitive games next summer.

Two club members are also planning to break away from Ljubljana CC and form their own club in Skofja loka, about 15 km west of Ljubljana. They have already secured land for building nets in the local primary school, and have had meetings with the mayor about getting a decent-sized piece of land for a ground. More details about progress there during the autumn. This will mean a total of three active clubs in Slovenia next year.

Our schools programme in the Ljubljana area has been formalised with the start of the new school year. Steve Mayland has been appointed Schools Co-ordinator, and cricket is now on the sports curriculum at 4 primary schools in Ljubljana and one at Grosuplje (about 20km away), with one other waiting in the wings. Club members are visiting these schools during school time, rather than after hours, which is absolutely vital, we feel. The kids are all playing and learning cricket instead of basketball, handball and other such silly pastimes. Shortages of equipment are starting to be a problem, as the scheme becomes a victim of its own success, but we hope that the European Development Program's Annual Support Scheme may be able to come to our rescue very soon...

Photo © ECC

Our inaugural National Junior Championships take place on Sunday 19 October at Kodeljevo sports centre in Ljubljana. Teams from each of the schools in our schools programme will contest the title, with most of our schools sending more than one team. The winning team will be crowned National Junior Champions. The prizes will be presented by Olympic sprinter Merlene Ottey, who originates from Jamaica but is now a Slovene national and a leading sporting figure here.

Negotiations about the new ground have run into a couple of problems, and we have not signed the contract yet. This means that Valburga will probably be used again next year, with the new ground in Ljubljana not being ready until later in the summer. More news on that soon, we hope.