Record-breaking 31 teams participated in the European cricket tournament.
European cricket’s biggest cricketing event, the Dream 11 European Cricket Championship 2023 (ECC), concluded with England XI taking home the trophy after defeating the defending champions Netherlands XI.
Telling of the growing popularity of the game within Europe, a total of 31 teams participated in the tournament with 26,344 runs scored and 2,372 sixes hit within the span of four weeks of the tournament.
The England XI team – led by captain Dan Lincoln – is selected from the 20 National Counties.
England XI were in Group E of the six groups in the tournament along with Cyprus, Switzerland, Romania and Malta. Winners of each group qualified for the Championship Week which comprised of 21 matches, one Eliminator and two Qualifiers.
They faced Jersey, Germany, Netherlands XI, Italy, Spain and Ireland XI in the Championship Week. England XI cemented their place in the Finals by defeating Netherlands XI in the Qualifier 1, while Spain were knocked-out by Netherlands XI in Qualifier 2, to get the chance to defend their title.
Bowling first in the Finals, England XI’s Tom Sturgess took two wickets while Rich Edwards took one wicket to restrict Netherlands XI for 145 runs. In reply, Tom Hinley put on a batting masterclass scoring 71 of just 24 balls, and single-handedly lead England XI’s run chase in the much-anticipated Finals. England XI successfully chased down the target with 11 balls to spare, dethroning the defending champions of Europe.
League & National Counties Manager Paul Bedford said: “For the NCCA team to win twice against a strong Netherlands XI with nine young players not featuring in the 2021 European Cricket Championship win is testament to the depth of talent across the National Counties in shortform white-ball cricket.”
National Counties Squad:
Dan Lincoln (Berkshire – captain), Sam Young (Dorset), Freddie Fallows (Cumbria), Tom Hinley (Oxfordshire), David Scott (Dorset), Andy Rishton and Toby Greatwood (both Berkshire), Tommy Sturgess (Cornwall), Tom Bevan, Cam Hemp, Richard Edwards (all Wales NC), Matt Siddall (Cumbria), Conner Haddow (Buckinghamshire)
Coach: Tom Lambert.
Manager: Richard Logan