TRNC’s National Cricket team
has heads held high
Heads held high, as the TRNC’s National Cricket team finished their inaugural season in the South Cyprus league in a commendable 4th place.
Team manager, Nigel Holman said afterwards, if only we had managed to get our strongest team, including our Pakistani players, into the neutral UN Buffer Zone for our first 2 games, we may even have brought the trophy back to North Cyprus.
Now the season has finished, the new club is turning its attention to the future, having just announced its current fixtures programme below..
| w/c 25th August 2014 | UN/British Army | at 20 Temmuz Stadium, Girne |
| 14th September to 27th October 2014 | South Cyprus League | at UN Buffer Zone Ground |
| Mid-January 2015 | UN/British Army | at UN Buffer Zone Ground |
| 3rd May 2015 | South Cyprus | at 20 Temmuz Stadium, Girne |
| 10th May to 28th June 2015 | North Cyprus League | at 20 Temmuz Stadium, Girne |
The exact dates will be known nearer the time.
The Club’s aim is to make cricket accessible to the whole Community, with teams being encouraged to develop throughout the Country to compete in a North Cyprus league. Several universities have already said they want to participate with more sides being expected from local groups and bars/restaurants. The best players will then be selected for the TRNC National side to play in the South Cyprus league. The Cyprus Cricket Association, who administer cricket in the South and are ICC members, have promised
to help the North get fixtures against the likes of Malta & Gibraltar, either in the UN Buffer Zone or preferably in the TRNC. Also, some of the top TRNC players will be eligible for the all Cyprus team and play in the ICC international competitions.
The First game in Girne on 3rd May 2015 will be a fabulous new season opener, as effectively it’s an international between North & South Cyprus, with all the passion that it implies and the Island’s best talent on show. It will be a must see and a huge crowd is expected.The final details are being currently agreed between the Countries with the likely format being a 40 over/side game, played under the International Cricket Council’s conditions.
Following the season’s opener, the North Cyprus Cricket League gets into full swing. A particularly exciting competition, as it is expected to involve 8 teams playing 15 over/side cricket. A fast & highly entertaining format, attracting not only experienced players, but also broadening cricket out to those who simply fancy playing and want to be part of something special. It will be a great opportunity for fans to get behind their local side.
It is hoped other fixtures will be added and that the Royal British Legion will again hold their Festival in May, although no dates have yet been given.
The Cricket Club is looking for players of all abilities and to hear from teams wanting to enter the league, as well as those interested in learning to umpire or generally helping.
For more information please contact Nigel Holman 0533 8248999 nigel@nigelholman.com
To read more of the TRNC’s National Cricket team please visit their web site by clicking here and for Facebook users please click here
