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“Grass roots – the evolution of Estonian
Cricket”
There are many sights and sounds you associate with Estonia.
Imagine quiet pine forests, calm lakes and bustling villages that
look as though they have been separated from time. Picture
cosmopolitan Tallinn’s steepled horizon, the trample of students
rushing from lecture to class in Tartu. The waves of the Baltic
lapping the beach in Pärnu. The sound of leather against willow at
Tallinn’s Hippodrome. Yes, you did read that last sentence
correctly. Cricket is in Estonia, and the team are doing are doing
rather well.
Cricket, believe it or not, has been played in Tallinn, Estonia
for approaching eight years. Since then it’s gone from a knock
about on the local football pitch, to an ICC recognised team,
competing in a division alongside teams from all over Europe.
The noble game first commenced in Estonia during the year 1998.
An Estonian businessman returned from a trip to Australia obsessed
with cricket and was determined to make a success of it in his
native country. He approached a local Indian restaurateur based in
Tallinn, and knowing his love for the game, arranged a match
between some local bemused Estonians, versus the staff of
Estonia’s premier Indian restaurant. The result may have been
forgotten, but the outcome has gone down in history. This was the
day Estonian cricket was formed.
Jeff Jarvis at the cricket game with the biggest audience in
Estonia
At first it was Indian restaurant employees, which consisted of
Russians, Ukrainians, Georgians and the odd Indian, against
Estonians or local ex pats. As word grew, so did the team. The
ground moved from a football pitch to a patch of ground in the
middle of Tallinn’s race course, the Hippodrome. An artificial
pitch was laid, and all of a sudden, the Estonian cricketers had a
home.
The Estonian players played amongst themselves, but as Tallinn
became easier to get to for those travelling by plane, and as the
jungle drums of the cricket world announced that cricket was played
in the Baltics, they came. Teams from Holland, Finland and the
United Kingdom all arrived with grey visions of Eastern Bloc
outfall, but all left with happy faces of Estonian hospitality and
glowing reports of cricket.
Cricket in Estonia became a regular fixture on the touring
team’s end of season calendar. The MCC, Finland, Lords
Taverners, Sir Tim Rice and his Heartaches all came to Estonia for
a social game of cricket and the chance to make new friends. The
more the Estonian team played against higher quality opposition,
the more the team improved. Estonia was now in the position to meet
these teams at their own ground and take Estonian cricket to other
countries across Europe.
Estonia’s first ever away fixture was in the Helsinki 6’s
competition against hosts Finland in 2003. Although the team came
second to a vastly experienced Finnish side, the team took heart
that they reached the final beating several Danish and Finnish
league teams en route. This defeat would harden the team and help
form a more serious structure for Estonian cricket.
Andrew Meek's first match for Estonian 1st XI. Team cap presented
by J.Barry
In 2004 the Estonian Cricket Association was formed. A board of
directors was voted and appointed and were tasked with developing
the game in Estonia. Main focus points were improving the standard
of play, encouraging more Estonian nationals to play, and to get
more children and schools involved.
These goals were helped by a donation of cricket kit and junior
training sets from the International Cricket Council. Although
Estonia wasn’t officially recognised as a cricket playing nation
by the ICC, it could be classified as “non affiliate” status,
which meant that the team had aspirations to one day compete under
ICC rules and regulations on a European basis. The new supply of
cricket bats and balls – understandably hard to buy in Estonian
sports shops – helped improve the standard of cricket
immediately, and gave the Board and the team a real determination
to succeed at a higher level. The junior kits were given to local
schools, and a demonstration of the game was led by the Lords
Taverners which provided great insight and fun for all
involved.
Throughout 2005 and 2006, over forty touring teams came to play
Estonia in Tallinn. The idea that these teams would come over and
beat the “locals” by ten wickets had now long since gone.
Estonia were able to compete on a level playing field, and those
that know the Hippodrome know that this is not an easy task, and in
many cases it was Estonia who were winning by ten wickets. Many
touring teams arrived thinking that the Estonian team was made up
of ringers and ex pats, but were surprised to see the names
Kogerman, Burget, Kämbre and Uueni in the starting eleven.
Kalev CC captain A.Burget accepting the trophy for 2007 from
R.Holdsworth (ICC)
The end of the summer season in 2006 saw the introduction of winter
training. By now, the cricket side had grown to some thirty plus
members. These players were not happy at not being able to play
their beloved sport during Estonia’s winter months. The nights
were too dark, the air too cold, and the ice on Harku lake, quite
frankly, too icy. Kalev Spoordihall was the perfect venue. An
indoor tennis court was booked, and every Wednesday night the
players met for training. Having such a small area to practice had
its disadvantages, but it had its advantages too. Soft balls were
used, which meant that the game was now much more accessible to
beginners. Dads started bringing their sons to training, who in
turn brought their schoolfriends. Spectators at Kalev sports hall
watched in bewilderment as ball hit bat but, more often than not,
these spectators brought their kit with them the following week and
joined the cricket players in the middle for some catching
practice. The importance of this was that not only were the team
developing their own skills, but the team was growing with its own
as well.
2007 saw the beginning of the domestic league game in Estonia.
Such was the number of members, it was now possible to assign each
player to one of four teams and play in a round robin league
format. Reval C.C, Tallinn Old Boys, Kalev C.C and Tallin C.C, all
took part over the season from May until September. Reval C.C
captained by Andres Burget won the first ever domestic league, and
a proud Burget will go down as the first Estonian to hold the cup
aloft.
Kalev CC in 2009
The domestic league did not stop the touring teams coming to
Tallinn, and this meant that the Estonian cricket team was now able
to field a first eleven and a development eleven, thus giving the
less experienced players in the club a chance to prove themselves
against serious touring opposition, and give the first eleven
players a well earned break – the season was made up of
approximately 60 games taking place every Wednesday, Friday,
Saturday and Sunday. The final match of the 2007 season saw Estonia
take two sides to the Helsinki 6’s competition. Both teams did
themselves proud by reaching the A and B finals, but they boarded
the boat back to Estonia with heavy hearts after finishing runners
up in both their matches. Heavy hearts turned to light heads as
talk of winning the competition the following year carried well
into the night.
1st XI in 2007 (some players missing)
2008 proved to be a momentous year for the Estonian Cricket
Association. In January, an ICC inspector responsible for the
European division of the Council came over to Estonia to assess the
quality of cricket in Estonia. He was pleasantly surprised at what
he saw in terms of ability, ground condition, junior development
and future ambition. The Estonian Cricket Association was advised
that they should apply for ICC affiliate status and, if the outcome
was successful, they would enter European division five alongside
Sweden, Czech Republic, Greece and other affiliate hopefuls
Bulgaria. The application, along with a mission statement and
development plans, was submitted and Estonia would find out in
August if they were about to be launched onto the international
stage.
ICC conference 2009 June - Affiliate countries delegates
Thoughts of becoming an ICC affiliate had to be put to the back
of the players’ minds in preparation for a busy 2008 season. As
well as the domestic league, thirty six fixtures were due to take
place, including a trip to the UK to take part in a Euro 20/20
complete with teams from Russia, Croatia, Slovakia, Czech Republic,
Poland and Wales. There was also an international fixture against
Latvia to play in Tallinn, twenty fixtures against touring teams
from the UK and of course the one fixture that everyone was looking
forward to – the Helsinki 6’s tournament. To say that it was a
busy schedule was an understatement. However, the teams went into
the season with great gusto and quickly chalked up wins against the
UK touring teams as perfect preparation for the UK tournament.
Arriving in the UK and playing on a grass wicket was a new
experience for many of the Estonian touring members in the side.
What better way for the Estonians to announce themselves on the
field than to play Russia in the opening game of the group? Estonia
won convincingly and soon was top of their group and into the semi
finals after great wins against the Czech side and Wales. The semi
final saw the Estonians win the game with 5 overs to spare, and in
a typical Estonian manner, the team had quietly and confidently
reached the final without being asked too many questions. The
opposition in the final was the Czech Republic who Estonia had
already beaten in the group phases, but it took a last over four
for the Estonians to repeat the feat and win the Euro 20/20
competition. It was a huge success for a club that was relatively
unknown and unfancied before the start of the series, but for the
players it was justification of all the hard work that had gone
into developing the national team.
Winning team in Wales 2008
More good news awaited the returning players. Estonian
television had picked up on the success and TV cameras met the
victorious team in the arrival lounge of Tallinn airport. Players
were close to tears as they were interviewed about their cup
success. And the good news kept coming. The following week, an
official telephone call from the chairman of the ICC invited
Estonia to become an affiliate member and join European division
five in 2009. After years of hard work and development, Estonia was
now ready to take their cricket up a level and compete on the
international stage.
The season had one final swansong - the Helsinki 6’s. Training
hadn’t gone according to plan. A week before, Estonia had lost
two matches against a London touring side. Putting it down to
fatigue due to the UK trip, the players were determined to rest up
for a few days before making the final push across the Baltic Sea
to Helsinki. Such was the keenness to take part, Estonia once again
took two teams with them to Finland. The format in Helsinki
consisted of two events – an A team competition and a B team
competition. The B team were up first and easily beat their
counterparts in the group stages. They made their superiority known
in the final, beating the Finnish opposition by losing only won
wicket. The Estonian B team had won the plate competition, but
could the A team replicate their success? The answer was yes. In
front of a packed crowd, Estonia A won the Helsinki 6’s trophy
for the first time in their short history. Everyone thought the win
was well deserved, and this was backed up by Estonian players
winning the best batsman, best bowler, and best overall player
awards. A truly fitting end to a magnificent season. The team
finished with statistics of played thirty six, won thirty four,
lost two. Winners of the Euro 20/20 competition. A team winners of
the Helsinki 6’s. B team winners of the Helsinki 6’s. Domestic
league winners, Kalev C.C.
Estonian teams in Helsinki 2008
Estonian teams in Helsinki 2009
The season may have ended, but cricket in Estonia has just
begun. Looking back at the mission statement put down in the ICC
application, it states that cricket is to become an accepted sport
in Estonia played by Estonians. It’s a very simple statement, but
actually a very hard task. Estonians still think of cricket as a
game played in England only. The look of surprise on an
Estonian’s face when informed that cricket is actually the second
most played sport in the world, just shows how much work the game
has to do in “lesser” countries. It’s not helped by the fact
that, to an outsider, cricket is a very confusing game played over
a long period of time. It doesn’t have the glamour of football,
or the quick fire tempo of basketball, but what it does have is
accessibility. Everyone can take part in cricket, and it’s a team
game where the person who can chase and stop a ball, is equally as
important as someone who can hit it out of the ground or bowl it at
the wicket. As of winter 2008, Estonian cricket will be setting up
roadshows around schools in Tallinn and introducing them to the
basics of the game. It’s hoped that by the end of the school
year, there will be an inter school competition, with all schools
up to an ability to create a fantastic cup final. Locals and
juniors are actively encouraged to represent their country in our
development team, and what more inspiration do they need but to
look at the four Estonian surnames on the first eleven team sheet.
Plans to introduce the game to Tartu, Pärnu and Narva are
underway, and when this happens, it can truly be said that cricket
is an Estonian sport.
First school tournament winning team from Tallinn English College
2009
Estonian team first official coach, Mr. Tim Filer
Estonian Womens 1st XI 2009
There is also the issue of the playing ground. Whilst the
Tallinn Hippodrome isn’t a purpose built ground, it’s ideal
because it is situated in the city centre, has a reasonably level
outfield and has a friendly bar which acts as the clubhouse. The
Estonian Cricket Association spent considerable sums of money in
2008 to install a new wicket, plus lengthening and widening the
covers with the aid of concrete and new turf. Unfortunately, with
property and land at a premium in the city centre, the club were
saddened to hear that the Hippodrome is to be converted to a new
housing site in 2011. The implications of this decision are very
grave for Estonian cricket, as without somewhere to play, there
can’t be any fixtures, and without fixtures then there will be no
team.
Baltic Cup winners 2009 - Estonia's 1st XI
The task now is to find land within Tallinn that is suitable for a
new cricket ground. However, without the support and recognition of
the Government or sports ministry, it is going to be a hard task.
Trying to convince anyone without the knowledge of cricket of its
needs is a challenge, but the club hopes that it will gain the
support of the Estonian Olympic committee to gain impetus in its
mission for recognition.
Estonian team in Corfu 2009
When Estonian cricket was first played on a football field eight
years ago, none of those players would ever dream that one day they
might be representing Estonia playing in Greece or Bulgaria.
Estonian cricket, like its nation, is a true example of what can be
achieved if one’s mind is set on something. Just like Estonia
making its first steps into Europe in 2004, the Estonian Cricket
Association will be looking to do the same on the playing field
during the summer of 2009. Recent Landmark Achievements Over recent years, there have been many achievements and events that shown just how far Estonian cricket has come, in a relatively short period of time. Take, for example, the Baltic Cup – an annual tournament that features Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In each of the last three years, from 2009 to 2011, the Estonian cricket team has won the tournament, cementing their position as a leading Baltic cricketing nation. Winning the Best Promotion and Marketing Programme award at the ICC Development awards for a cricket documentary that was broadcast nationwide was another huge achievement for the Estonian Cricket Association. Soon after that documentary was broadcast, ECA membership grew significantly, and the number of registered local Estonian players outnumbered ex-pat players for the first time. Following on from their international debut in 2009, when they took part in a Division 5 Europe tournament in Greece and won just one game, the national team took second place in a Division 3 Europe tournament, held in Slovenia in 2010. Another landmark soon followed, as the Tallin Cricket Club continued the touring with a trip to La Manga, Spain, to take part in Madrid Cricket Club’s T20 International Solidarity Tournament. This was the first time a touring side had an Estonian in a leadership role, with Marko Vaik as Vice Captain. The side included 7 players from the national team and a mixture of ex-pats and young native Estonians. After losing to Madrid in the opening game, the team went on to win the following two games and qualify for a semi-final before losing to Valencia Green. An important step on the road to getting cricket recognised throughout Estonia was taken in September 2011 when the first ever cricket match in Estonia’s second largest city, Tartu, took place. 2012 has seen progress continue with women’s Estonian team taking place in the first ever FinEst Women’s Indoor Cricket Championships. There has been further success in increasing the awareness of cricket at school level, with the sport being added to the curriculum at one the most prestigious schools in Estonia - The English College. Estonia was also been chosen to host the Pepsi ICC Europe Division 3 Championship in June, where the national team will be competing against Slovenia and Bulgaria. With Shane Warne expected to be in attendance, Estonian cricket is sure to benefit from this increased exposure. Moving Forward There is a way to go before cricket can truly be considered a national sport in Estonia, but there are plenty of indications that it will happen. The game has been introduced to Tartu and there are further plans for Parnu and Narva. Estonian TV has picked up on the sport which can only help, and after they aired a feature on the national team during prime time, 40 new Estonian players joined the club, including 12 women. There have been great strides taken to date, and the Estonian Cricket Association has a clear vision for the further development of cricket, including a specific focus on cricket in schools. The ECA recently submitted their plans to the ICC, successfully gaining a grant to assist with their endeavours. As part of the development plan, the ECA have highlighted some of the difficulties they face, such as the fact that climate in Estonia means outdoor cricket can only be played for four months of the year, and indoor cricket is substantially more expensive to run. There is also a cultural problem where cricket is widely perceived to be an ex-pat game that is played by foreigners – although this is starting to change. There are also language barriers to overcome, and a relatively small number of volunteers involved in the sport. Nonetheless, the ECA remain fully committed to their aim of making cricket a national sport, and have plans in place to try and overcome the problems faced. There has been a huge amount of effort put in the schools program and it could have a major impact on the sport if, as expected, it proves to work on a large scale - the scheme has already been trialled with great success. Known as the 5 week In-School Program, it targets the 14-17 age group and involves a coaching course designed for continuity. All materials are provided in English, Estonian and Russian and schools also receive a free cricket set. In the final week of the program, the participating schools take part in a competitive round of matches, and Participation Diplomas are awarded to the schools for display purposes. There can be little doubt that, with the continued work of the Estonian Cricket Association and related initiatives, there are solid foundations on which to build the future of Estonian cricket. When Estonian cricket was first played on a football field over a decade ago, none of those players could possibly have dreamt just how cricket would progress in the country. The fact that players from Estonia have gone on to represent their country playing in international tournaments is testament to just what can be achieved through determination and a desire to succeed. The enthusiasm and passion remain as strong as ever, and further progress is sure to follow. James Ramsden: November 2008 Tim Heath & Dan Renwick: March 2012 |
