Pickwick Final invitation - Geneva XI stars vs Power Winterthur at Fronwald grounds, Zurich Affoltern

In the face of such issues as the impact of Twenty-20, the influence of new money and the future of Zimbabwean cricket, cricket fanatics may be in danger of ignoring a more significant development - the sudden rise of Swiss youth cricket

At the Indo-Swiss Friendship Treaty celebration in Zurich the Swiss Cricket Association launched a publicity drive to promote cricket at all levels

SCA League 2008 points table

Swiss Under 17s finish in 8th place at the European Under 17s Championships in Germany and leave with the MCC Spirit of Cricket Fair Play Award

ICC Europe's selection of 12 participants to be involved on the ECB Head Coach course (International Level III) includes Swiss coach

The Swiss Under 11 team enjoyed a successful tour to Middlesex in August, winning one match and losing one, with the third ending in a nail-biting tie

Encouraging signs ahead of Under 17 European Championships

The Swiss Under 17s returned to action after a month’s break with a disappointing loss

Swiss Under 17 squad prepares for “ICC European Under 17 Division 2 Championship” in Germany, and Swiss Under 11 team ready to tour Middlesex in August 2008

On the weekend of June 14/15 the Third Swiss Zuoz Junior Cricket Tournament took place. Hosted by the Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz and the Swiss Cricket Association more teams than ever took part this year.

The Cricket Coaches Association of Switzerland (CCAS) was officially launched in Zuoz on Saturday 14th June 2008.

On 4th May the Zug Junior Cricket Club met for training for the first time. The club got off to an excellent start with over 30 children signing up.

Gingins village in the Lac Leman Region is now host to the junior Gingins Cricket Club (GCC). Launched in March this year initial interest has been overwhelming, and with over 40 youngsters signed up the training sessions are full. On May 24th Gingins Under 11s team played their first ever match. Hosted by GRYCC the match ended in an exciting tie. The next match, against Cossonay juniors, is already lined up.

The second half of the ECB Coach Award course in Switzerland took place on May 10th-11th in Zurich with the two instructors Richard Bedbrook and Richard Skyrmie.

The ICC Europe Centre of Excellence took place from the 7th April – 12th April at La Manga Club, and was a fantastic success. With 26 players and 14 coach/leaders, 14 countries were represented in the biggest intake yet. Switzerland's two Zurich Crickets CC players Cedric Cohen and Lukas Kuster were accompanied by Patrick Henderson, Switzerland’s Youth Development Officer.

Nine Swiss junior cricketers bumped into England hero Freddie Flintoff at a training session in Lancashire.

Switzerland's under-11s side win their second title of 2008 as they triumph at at the 7th International Youth Cricket Tournament in Vienna.

Eight Swiss coaches take part in the first ever ECB Coach Award course provided by ICC Europe.

Over 100 children from five countries competed in the Bavaria Indoor Junior Cricket Championships held on 8-9 March in Munich and Tegernsee. A total of 17 teams competed in three age sections, U11, U13 and U19.

Two Zurich-area youth cricketers are among 28 of Europe’s most talented teenagers selected for 10th ICC Centre of Excellence.

Switzerland's under-11 and under-13 teams taste success at the 2008 Bavaria Cup tournament.

Switzerland wins Photograph of the Year in the Europe section of the 2007 ICC Development Program Regional Awards.

Former England bowler Mike Smith and champion jockey Peter Scudamore attend the 20th anniversary of the St Moritz cricket on ice tournament.

Swiss cricket received a huge boost in January as sixteen new coaches qualified as UKCC Level 1 coaches, swelling the total number to 38.

Zurich United CC are crowned 2007 Swiss Cricket Association league champions following a high scoring record breaking final against Nomads.

The 60th anniversary of Indian independence was marked by a Day of Cricket held by the Indian Association Zurich and cricket clubs in the region.

Winterthur Cricket Club celebrated their 25th anniversary by winning an international eight-a-side tournament staged in honour of the landmark.

Nomads CC met beat Geneva CC in the Pickwick Cup Finals played in Bern on 19 Aug.

The Lyceum Alpinum school in Canton Graubünden celebrated another memorable weekend's festival of international cricket by winning the tournament in their own backyard on June 24.

Over 100 players, a couple of hundred spectators, 4 adjacent cricket pitches at an altitude of 1750m, and two days of perfect weather all helped to set the stage for the second Swiss Zuoz Junior Tournament.

Two Swiss under-11 teams demonstrated the rapid strides being taken in the country’s youth development system by dominating a recent tournament in Denmark. The enthusiastic and skilful boys and girls from Zurich and Geneva powered their way to the final in Copenhagen in early July, with the more experienced Geneva side clinching overall victory.

At the end of four days of intensive, exciting and, sometimes, rain-affected cricket, the Swiss team emerged triumphant at the Under 16s level, while Zurich Crickets were comfortable winners of the Under 13s group at the inaugural GRYCC International Festival of Cricket in Geneva held in May.

Two Swiss junior cricketers, John Gallon (17) and Richard Marsden (17) accompanied by coach and country leader Jay Singh attended the La Manga Centre of Excellence program from 15th - 19th April.

Switzerland’s Under-13s got junior cricket off to a winning start in the 2007 season by defeating an international cast of teams to lift the trophy at the Munich Bavaria Cup tournament in Germany. The victory kicked-off an exciting season of action, including tours to Vienna and Denmark, a tournament hosted by Zuoz in Switzerland and a number of home matches.

Some 80 Swiss junior players and support staff assembled in Basel on November 4 to take part in the annual indoor tournament following yet another successful summer season for Switzerland's youth cricketers.

Switzerland has gained seven more ECB Level 1 (Europe) coaches to join the five who passed the course last winter. ECC coaches Adam Cole and Dave Gelling put the volunteers through their paces over two weekends in Zurich and Geneva.

Youth Development Officer Patrick Henderson was at the home of cricket to pick up his deserved award as European Volunteer of the Year in the ICC Development Program Annual Awards ceremony at Lord's cricket ground in London.

With a couple of theoretical sessions under their belts the newly formed Zurich women’s club enjoyed their first session in the indoor facilities of Hottingen school.

Switzerland’s Under-13s got junior cricket off to a winning start in the 2007 season by defeating an international cast of teams to lift the trophy at the Munich Bavaria Cup tournament in Germany.

The Geneva Region Youth Cricket Club under-13s played a weekend of cricket on 15/16 September against our friends from Euratom.

On November 24th GRYCC played Zurich in a close and thrilling U13 encounter in Zumikon. The GRYCC team was represented by Barrett and Scott Fransen, Jai Sinh, Jamie Hadden, Jed Poole, Njabulo Mendlula, Rory Adams and Tom Kirby.

Two Zurich-area youth cricketers are among 28 of Europe’s most talented teenagers selected for 10th ICC Centre of Excellence. Zurich Crickets CC’s Cedric Cohen and Lukas Kuster have been had-picked to travel to La Manga in Spain in April, accompanied by Youth Development Officer Patrick Henderson, to take part in the annual training camp.

Bern CC loosened Geneva CC's iron grip on the SCA league championship with a thrilling one run victory in the 2006 final. The two teams could only be separated after a steward's (umpire's) inquiry, following a gripping contest, that finally confirmed Bern as victors by a solitary run.
The tightest of results ended Geneva's two-year domination of the competition and inflicted only their second league defeat in three years. Bern were crowned 2006 champions after amassing 147 for 9 and bowling out Geneva for 146.

Basel CC had an easier ride in the Pickwick Cup final, beating Nomads CC by the comfortable margin of 121 runs. Batting first, Basel racked up an impressive 187-3 before skittling Nomads out for 66. Basel are fast becoming Pickwick Cup specialists after retaining the trophy they won last year.