Reporter Tom Curphey spoke to Edward Walker and Carl Hartmann, both Crosby Cricket players, to find out more about their European Cricket League campaign that kicks off today.
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00:00 So we're going to Spain on Monday to play in a three-day tournament.
00:04 We were invited because we won the T20 League last year, so we got an invitation to go over and play in Spain.
00:10 And you're saying it's a new thing this year?
00:12 Yeah, so the Alverman has been given an invite this year for the top-ranking team in the T20 League,
00:18 and we won the league last year so we got that invite this year.
00:21 A few of the boys have been over, you went in September as part of the Ireland team.
00:25 Yeah, there's a national version that was played in September, so then there's a similar country to play in,
00:29 but it's like each country, the winning team of their country, then comes into the club version.
00:34 And are you looking forward to it?
00:36 Yeah, it should be good. I've never played in any competition like that.
00:38 The Cols obviously went in September, I didn't go, so it's completely new to me.
00:43 It should be good fun.
00:45 It'll be a bit different than playing them around the Royal Playing Fields.
00:47 Yeah, exactly. Hopefully a bit warmer, so that's the main thing.
00:50 So you won the league this year, did you win it by a lot? Was it close?
00:53 No, we won it before the last game, then we lost our last game, which meant we went down to net run rate,
00:59 which is the equivalent of goal difference in football.
01:01 Oh, so it's really tight.
01:02 It was close, yeah.
01:03 And was that with St John's?
01:04 Yeah, against St John's.
01:06 And if they had won it, would they have had this opportunity to go away?
01:10 Yeah, we'd have been there.
01:11 So just by a narrow margin, you were going away.
01:14 And does that represent the Isle of Man effectively?
01:17 Yeah, it's got the Isle of Man badge and the Crosby badge.
01:21 And how many of you will go?
01:22 I think there's a squad of 14 players and Craig Hartman, team manager.
01:27 Yeah.
01:28 He's going.
01:29 And I believe you've got some sponsors to thank as well.
01:30 Yeah, we'd like to thank Aon, Sid Koguru, Zedra and who else is the other one?
01:35 IFGL.
01:36 Remember them all.
01:37 Much appreciated for them paying for a spot on our shirt.
01:41 It's much appreciated for us.
01:42 We get kits from, they make kits for us, it's all custom-made.
01:45 Each arm, there's two sponsors on each side.
01:47 And I can imagine for a thing like this, it's really important to get the money to help you guys go away.
01:52 Well, actually that tournament, they pay for everything, so they pay for a lot of flights.
01:57 But the money that they've contributed will go to club funds and we're trying to raise money for new nets and things like that.
02:03 So, yeah, money goes a long way, especially for a club like ours.
02:06 And can this happen again?
02:08 So if you guys win the league this year, will there be another opportunity to go away?
02:10 Yeah, yeah.
02:11 It looks like it's going to be a continual thing.
02:12 So whoever wins the league each year will then get represented, the Isle of Man, in this tournament.
02:17 So to make some more emphasis on the league actually means something.
02:21 Yeah, a bit more competitive.
02:22 Yeah, definitely.
02:23 Do you think that's a good thing for cricket all round, that people can now go and play on a Saturday,
02:27 whenever you guys play, Saturday?
02:28 Yeah.
02:29 And do you think that's a good thing just for cricket in general?
02:31 I think it gives people a lot more motivation on a, you know, there might be,
02:35 more motivation, you know, as the nights get darker on a cold September evening.
02:40 So it keeps people motivated.
02:42 Yeah, people coming down.
02:43 And you guys have got a junior set-up at Crosby and a senior set-up?
02:46 Yeah, right the way from, you know, three, four, five-year-olds up to, you know,
02:50 70-year-olds that bat for the C-team.
02:53 So, yeah, we've got a very diverse, diverse group of players at Crosby, yeah.