Denmark's Premier and First divisions get underway
Tony Munro - 8 May 1999

Peter Power provides a season's preview of Denmark's Premier League as well as a wrap of last weekend's First Division play.

In the latest edition of Danish magazine "Cricket" several leading players were asked the question: "Who will be champions in 1999 in the Premier League?" Surprisingly enough, a majority pointed towards Herning and not Svanholm, which has been winners since 1991. Herning, which last year only escaped relegation by beating Aalborg Chang in a playoff, has been strengthened by off-season arrival of Morten and Lars Hedegaard, both key national players, from Nykøbing Mors and the revival of Thony Hadersland, strengthening the spinning line-up.

Svanholm is still a strong side when everybody is fit. Søren Vestergaard, formerly of Warwickshire, is its new trainer and is not expected to play much due to his back. Alan From is recovering from a tendon strain. The championship is therefore expected to be fought between Herning and Svanholm.

Last year's runners-up Glostrup has since last year lost key players. Former Danish strike bowler Søren Sørensen has returned to native Køge in the First Division, Peer Jensen is injured, keeper Jesper Gregersen has returned to Aarhus. Glostrup has received the services of Wayne Ackermann who has played several times for Namibia. Glostrup is expected to remain in the league.

KB (Copenhagen), which won bronze last year, might find it difficult to repeat that this year as captain Saquib Tasneem has called it a day and left it to Rizwan Tabassum. His vast experience will be missed.

Nykøbing Mors, after losing the Hedegaard brothers to Herning, has been doomed by everybody to relegation to the First Division. Nykøbing has only national player Mogens Dahl Nielsen to lean on, but in the Knock out Cup Nykøbing's weaknesses were apparent when they lost to First Division Hjørring.

Nørrebro, the Copenhagen Pakistani side, is expected to be like last year - middle of the road. The club has still no home ground and only recently is getting decent practice facilities. Having no where to go has meant that the club has no youth development and might be facing difficulties in the long run.

Promoted Skanderborg will like all other promoted clubs in the past face a hard job to avoid relegation. Skanderborg on paper though, is strong or stronger than Nykøbing Mors, and are also younger. Skanderborg work hard and have a growing youth development program that should provide a basis for the future.

The last club in the league Esbjerg had a bad season last year, mainly due to the disappearance of key players. But it seems some of them have returned this year, so Esbjerg should do better. It has at least qualified itself to the semi-finals of the Knock out Cup, where it will meet Herning.

Finally a mention of the First Division, which is going through a transformation from formally 14 teams to 8 like the Premier League. This means that this year four teams drop out from 12. Fierce competition is expected as several clubs seem strengthened this year. The main contenders for promotion are Ishøj, Albertslund, Husum (north Germany) and Aalborg Chang, but Køge might pull off a surprise or two. Teams like Fredericia, Svanholm and Glostrup seconds, Ringsted and Holstebro will be fighting hard to avoid the drop.

The Danish season got underway last weekend with two matches from the First Division. The season starts in full for the two top leagues next weekend after Denmark has returned from England.

The winter rust was apparent in the match between Ringsted and Køge. Ringsteds' batsmen have yet to remember from last year how to move their feet. Køge, whose bowling strength this season is greatly improved by the return of Søren Sørensen, utilised this weakness and bowled RIngsted out for 40. David Christiansen's inswingers taking 7 for 12. Køges batting was not much better however, and if David Christiansen had not made 28 not out while five wickets fell, Køge could have been in serious trouble. For Ringsted the season can only improve.

Bad batting was seen in the other match between Kerteminde and promotion-hunting Albertslund. Kerteminde's opening bowler Knud Sarkel continued from where he left off from the Knock Out Cup by removing five Albertslunders for a meagre 18 runs. Thus Albertslund's score of 59 all out was not enough against Kerteminde's 105 for 8 in their 50 overs. Slow painful going orchestrated by upcoming Frederik Klokker with 35 in 31 overs. Albertslund's promotion hopes are already fading after the first match as Kerteminde were only expected to survive the drop. Remember four teams have to leave the division.

For the first time ever a Danish team has beaten the MCC on their own back yard. With a convincing batting display lead by century maker Bajit Singh Denmark is now prepared to take part in the NatWest on Tuesday against Kent at Maidstone.

The MCC, led by Australian, Tony Dodemaide, scored 182-9 in their allotted 50 overs. Fellow Australian, J.Macmaere top-scoring with 64 followed by Dodemaide himself holding the tail together with 49. Only one other batsman and extras made double figures. Danish opening bowler Dennis Zachariasson took 54-4 including two fine catches off his own bowling. He was supported by accurate bowling by Morten Hedegaard (17-2) and spinner Søren Klitgaard (25-1).