Spain hosts the European Indoor Championships
Tony Munro - 7 February 2000

Arguably Spain's biggest ever cricket event, the 2000 European Indoor Cricket Championships, gets underway this Friday in the Costa Blanca towns of Jávea and Benissa.

The 10 nation tournament has received a late boost with the addition of continental cricket's giants, Denmark and the Netherlands.

They replace Belgium and France.

This will be the first time a long term ICC Associate member has entered the competition, joining the host Spain, recently newly promoted Associate members, Germany and Italy, and as well as Affiliate members, Austria, Greece, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland.

Participating countries have been asked to enter into the spirit of the event by choosing only players who learnt their cricket in that country.

The event is being organised by the Asociacion Española de Cricket (AEC) in association with the European Cricket Council (ECC).

The AEC is proud of the totally indigenous nature of its team.

Defending its title will be Portugal, which beat Austria in last year's final in Mechelen, Belgium.

AEC official, Ken Sainsbury, said local media organisations had signalled their intention to cover the event, while national media outlets had shown interest.

The International Cricket Council had also commissioned Trans World International to tape parts of the tournament for transmission during its 'Cricket Week'.

Group A
Saturday
JAVEA
0830 - 0935 Portugal v Spain  
0945 - 1050 Denmark v Switzerland  
1100 - 1205 Germany v Portugal  
1215 - 1320 Spain v Denmark   
1330 - 1435 Switzerland v Germany  
BENISSA    
1515 - 1620 Portugal v Denmark  
1630 - 1735 Spain v Switzerland  
1745 - 1850 Germany v Denmark  
1900 - 2005 Portugal v Switzerland

Group B
AUSTRIA - SWEDEN - GREECE - NETHERLANDS - ITALY
Saturday
BENISSA    
0900 - 1005 Austria v Sweden  
1015 - 1120 Greece v Netherlands  
1130 - 1235 Italy v Austria  
1245 - 1350 Sweden v Greece    
1400 - 1505 Netherlands v Italy    
JAVEA    
1445 - 1550 Austria v Greece  
1600 - 1705 Sweden v Netherlands  
1715 - 1820 Italy v Greece  
1830 - 1935 Austria v Netherlands  

Sunday JAVEA    
0900 - 1005 Spain v Germany  
1015 - 1120 Sweden v Italy  
1140 - 1245 Group A Winner  v Group B Runner-up  
1255 - 1400 Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up  
1420 - 1525 Third & Fourth Place Play-off 
1545 - 1650 Final  

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