The 2001 outdoor season in France got underway with a spate of postponements following the country's wettest winter since records began. With widespread floods across the north of the country, the new national 50-over Elite league, reserved for clubs who run youth sections and encourage French players, was unable to start on time - at least its outdoor section.

The indoor Elite league, begun in January, reached its halfway stage with Chauny (from Picardy) and Thoiry (from near Paris) both unbeaten; their scheduled clash in Chauny in March was postponed, not because of waterlogging, but because of travel restrictions imposed at the height of the foot-and-mouth scare. Chauny had won the inaugural indoor knock-out cup back in January. The Elite indoor league resumes in October with the return round of matches.

Another Elite outfit, Evry CC from south of Paris, are placing the emphasis firmly on youth and attempting to sign up the enfant terrible of French cricket, 16-year-old Sulanag Hewalawandage, from the powerful Paris Université club where his chances of a top-order batting spot are limited.

Sulanga, gifted as both offspinner and paceman, established himself in the national senior side last season and Evry are hoping to reunite him with the immensely promising 14-year-old Arun Ayavooraju. Arun was born in Poindicherry, one of France's five 'counters' around the Indian coast, and moved to Paris when he was five. With his elegant batting, and brisk bowling flavoured wth awkward late inswing, Arun has the potential to make his mark at adult level this season and impressed everyone at the European Cricket Council's under-15 coaching camp in England last month.

With the weather causing mayhem up north, France's early-season spotlight will shift to the south of the country, where the south-west and south-east 40-over expatriate leagues were due to start during the second half of April.

Cabris C.C. have been top-dogs on the Riviera for several years and, with their huge catchment area from the Anglophone workforce in the hi-tec zone of Sophia Antipolis near Nice, their supremacy is unlikely to be threatened in 2001.

Cabris also have a flourishing youth section under Parmjit Jutla, with over 30 children attending Sunday morning training sessions at the International School in Mougins; and several adult club members recently attended the Level I coaches' course run by the European Cricket Council in Grasse in February.

Attempting to challenge Cabris this season will be Entrecasteaux, who plan a new pitch for their pretty riverside ground in the Provence hinterland; and Provence C.C., who recently acquired a new ground near Aix-en-Provence, and have also forged links with their local international school with an eye to youth development.

Across in the Aquitaine region of south-west France, Bordeaux, Damazan, Eymet and St-Astier will all be in with a shout this season. One of the early highlights will be the South-West v South-East representative game at Damazan on May 6.

The home side will be looking to captalize on the absence of powerful all-rounder Phil Martin from the Riviera XI. Martin will be away in Luxembourg where the national side kick off their season with two ODIs on May 5/6, before announcing the 14-man French squad for the ICC Trophy in Canada.

France have no particular ambition for the Trophy, other than gaining experience, but competition for places has been fierce during winter training sessions at the Houlgate sports centre on the Normandy coast, and France will take a squad of 18 to Luxembourg to give everyone a last chance to stake their claim.

France then face home games against Belgium and Switzerland at Thoiry, the country's top ground - which is also looking forward to the visit of France Cricket's Hon. Patron, Richie Benaud, on April 29. Mr Benaud will be attending a youth day with over 60 youngsters from the Paris region, aged 9-17.

Look out for Richie's article in the next edition of 'Beyond The Test World' - Editor.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd