Wednesday, 19 July 2023, 19:10
Cártama will once again play host to top-level European cricket after it was confirmed on Tuesday that the European Cricket League (ECL), as well as the next two European Cricket Championships, would be coming to the town’s Cricket Oval.
The owner of the facility, David Cooper, has signed a new agreement with the European Cricket Network which organises both prestigious tournaments.
The ECL, which will return to Cártama for the third consecutive year, is scheduled to take place from 26 February 2024, for a total of four weeks. The T-10 format tournament brings together clubs from all across the continent.
By contrast, the European Cricket Championships is a competition for national sides. Thirty-one nations will battle it out from 25 September to 20 October this year (and again in 2024), while talks are ongoing over the first European women’s cricket championship, which would take place from mid-December.
“Excellent facilities”
During the official presentation at the venue on Tuesday morning, the president of the Costa del Sol Cricket Club and representative of the European Cricket Network, Jay Wild, thanked Cártama town hall and the Junta de Andalucía for their support, describing the Cártama Cricket Oval as “the best place to hold these tournaments”, thanks to its “excellent facilities”.
Cártama mayor Jorge Gallardo, meanwhile, shared his excitement at his town becoming the “nerve centre of European cricket once again”, as it will bring together people from all over the world with the sole purpose of enjoying this sport.