Reporter Tom Curphey spoke to Edward Walker and Carl Hartmann, both Crosby Cricket players, to find out more about their European Cricket League campaign that kicks off today.
Category
đ„
SportsTranscript
00:00 So we're going to Spain on Monday to play in a three-day tournament.
00:04 We were invited because we won the T20 League last year, so we got an invitation to go over and play in Spain.
00:10 And you're saying it's a new thing this year?
00:12 Yeah, so the Alverman has been given an invite this year for the top-ranking team in the T20 League,
00:18 and we won the league last year so we got that invite this year.
00:21 A few of the boys have been over, you went in September as part of the Ireland team.
00:25 Yeah, there's a national version that was played in September, so then there's a similar country to play in,
00:29 but it's like each country, the winning team of their country, then comes into the club version.
00:34 And are you looking forward to it?
00:36 Yeah, it should be good. I've never played in any competition like that.
00:38 The Cols obviously went in September, I didn't go, so it's completely new to me.
00:43 It should be good fun.
00:45 It'll be a bit different than playing them around the Royal Playing Fields.
00:47 Yeah, exactly. Hopefully a bit warmer, so that's the main thing.
00:50 So you won the league this year, did you win it by a lot? Was it close?
00:53 No, we won it before the last game, then we lost our last game, which meant we went down to net run rate,
00:59 which is the equivalent of goal difference in football.
01:01 Oh, so it's really tight.
01:02 It was close, yeah.
01:03 And was that with St John's?
01:04 Yeah, against St John's.
01:06 And if they had won it, would they have had this opportunity to go away?
01:10 Yeah, we'd have been there.
01:11 So just by a narrow margin, you were going away.
01:14 And does that represent the Isle of Man effectively?
01:17 Yeah, it's got the Isle of Man badge and the Crosby badge.
01:21 And how many of you will go?
01:22 I think there's a squad of 14 players and Craig Hartman, team manager.
01:27 Yeah.
01:28 He's going.
01:29 And I believe you've got some sponsors to thank as well.
01:30 Yeah, we'd like to thank Aon, Sid Koguru, Zedra and who else is the other one?
01:35 IFGL.
01:36 Remember them all.
01:37 Much appreciated for them paying for a spot on our shirt.
01:41 It's much appreciated for us.
01:42 We get kits from, they make kits for us, it's all custom-made.
01:45 Each arm, there's two sponsors on each side.
01:47 And I can imagine for a thing like this, it's really important to get the money to help you guys go away.
01:52 Well, actually that tournament, they pay for everything, so they pay for a lot of flights.
01:57 But the money that they've contributed will go to club funds and we're trying to raise money for new nets and things like that.
02:03 So, yeah, money goes a long way, especially for a club like ours.
02:06 And can this happen again?
02:08 So if you guys win the league this year, will there be another opportunity to go away?
02:10 Yeah, yeah.
02:11 It looks like it's going to be a continual thing.
02:12 So whoever wins the league each year will then get represented, the Isle of Man, in this tournament.
02:17 So to make some more emphasis on the league actually means something.
02:21 Yeah, a bit more competitive.
02:22 Yeah, definitely.
02:23 Do you think that's a good thing for cricket all round, that people can now go and play on a Saturday,
02:27 whenever you guys play, Saturday?
02:28 Yeah.
02:29 And do you think that's a good thing just for cricket in general?
02:31 I think it gives people a lot more motivation on a, you know, there might be,
02:35 more motivation, you know, as the nights get darker on a cold September evening.
02:40 So it keeps people motivated.
02:42 Yeah, people coming down.
02:43 And you guys have got a junior set-up at Crosby and a senior set-up?
02:46 Yeah, right the way from, you know, three, four, five-year-olds up to, you know,
02:50 70-year-olds that bat for the C-team.
02:53 So, yeah, we've got a very diverse, diverse group of players at Crosby, yeah.