Portugal win 1999 Indoor Championships CricInfo - 13-14 February 1999 CricInfo report

MECHELEN, Belgium

Eight teams entered the 5th European Indoor Championships; Austria Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland. This was the 2nd Championship organised by the ECC and a number of significant rule and qualification changes were implemented.

All participants were required to be birthright citizens, and under the SPIRIT of the event each player was also to have learnt their cricket in the country they were representing. For the first time age restrictions were also applied. Affiliates teams were required to play with a minimum of 4/6 players U28, whilst France, as ICC Associates, were restricted to U19 players except their captain.

The Tournament Referee, Don Oslear, supervised a panel of 8 BCF qualified umpires and an official scorer. The Championship was played at the ``De Nekker'' indoor venue in Mechelen.

The tournament draw was made on Friday evening in the Mechelen Town Hall by the Vice Mayor, and the Group Matches began at 0900hrs on Saturday. Prior to the final on Sunday afternoon, 18 local school children participated in a demonstration game of Kwik Cricket.

Austria defeated the hosts in one semi-final, whilst Portugal won the other against Greece, in the 'match of the Championship'. In the high scoring final Portugal retained their title by beating Austria by 3 wickets. Roger Knight, MCC Secretary, presented the Indoor Trophy to Portugal, along with the 'Man of the Match' to Portugal's P. Ferreira, whilst his brother N. Ferreira was adjudicated as 'Player of the Championship' by the Tournament Referee.