Gebruiker:Thomasvantdack/Kladblok

Leuven Cricket Club

Cricket in Leuven.

Leuven Cricket Club , also known as LCC is the first official cricket club in Leuven. LCC offers competition games and friendly games for its members as well hosts overseas teams. The club was founded in the late summer of 2010 and was allowed to enter the Belgian Competition in 2011 (division 3) and participated in a T20 knock out tournament the same year. The club mainly consists out of inhabitants of the city and university Students.

History

Leuven Cricket Club was founded by two ex - players from Mechelen Cricket Club (MCC), Imran Mirza ( current Club Captain) and Thomas Van 't dack. With the enthusiasm and help of two other former MCC members, Athreya Rajaraman and Amar Kumar Behera, Leuven Cricket Club found its existence in the summer of 2010. By realizing this, cricket was brought to Leuven and began its history.

During that same summer, mainly local cricket fanatics, mostly students joined the team to play friendlies against other teams from the Belgian competition. The results were quiet positive and the good vibe in the club gave the founders the courage and energy to take the club to the next level.

Early September 2010, the club found a partner in the KUL, the Catholic University Leuven, who believed in this project. They provided the club with an indoor and outdoor practice facility as well a cricket ground to host games.

At the start of the indoor season, the club had to recruit new members as the students that represented LCC had left. Time passed by and soon the club welcomed its 30th member.

Due to a reorganization of the Belgian competition, the Belgian Cricket Federation (BCF) allowed Leuven Cricket CLub to join the league. Leuven Cricket Club started it's first season in division 3 and also participated in a T/20 knock out tournament.

Besides being active in the Belgian League, the club also arranged some friendly games with (inter) national teams, such as: Lille Cricket Club (FR), Heerlen Cricket Club ( NL), Dusseldorf Blackcaps (GER)' and Enfield Cricket Club (UK).

During the 2011 season, the club secured a partnership deal with Novotel Leuven. As from the second part of the summer 2011 LCC will have the Novotel logo on their shirts.

As a member of the BCF, Leuven Cricket Club is also a member of Cricket Vlaanderen. This organization is responsible for the grow and development of Cricket in the Flemish part of Belgian. They aim at attracting more youngsters to "the noble sport of cricket" by giving sessions at school and organizing youth tournaments.

Leuven Cricket Club is aiming at developing its own junior team in the near future.

The Team

The team consists out of 29 registered players, most of them are based in the Leuven region.

Achievements

LCC finished 4th or 5th in its division ( at the moment the competition is still running) and made it to the pool games of the T/20 tournament.

But the biggest achievement of the season was the hosting of our Enfield Cricket Club Friends. It was the first game of LCC against an overseas visitor and after a close game, LCC proved their strong home reputation. The victory and friendships were celebrated with a curry diner later that evening.

Notable players

Altho the club considers every member as valuable as another, LCC wants to thank its following members:

Imran Mirza: Co- Founder & Club Captain Thomas Van 't dack: Co - Founder & Club Manager, also most popular player Athreya Rajaraman: Secretary and top wicket taker Syed Zaki Ul Hassan Shah: Top batsman Amar Kumar Behera: Fixtures Manager and Umpire for the Belgian League Kamran Mirza: Wicketkeeper

The 2011 Season

LCC ended it's first season in the top 5 of division 3 and made it to the pool games of the T/20 knock out tournament.

Usefull links

Leuven Cricket Club Leuven Cricket Club Fanpage KUL Cricket Belgium Cricket Vlaanderen Cricinfo Enfield Cricket Club