News from Spain
Does it seem an awfully long while since you last had the chance to enjoy a day out at the cricket? If it does, you may be interested to learn that the game is alive, well and thriving, not only in this corner of the Costa Blanca, but across the Spanish mainland and its archipelagos.
In the beautiful seaside town of Albir, just a few kilometres north of Benidorm, is the Woodbridge Oval, home to Sporting Alfas Cricket Club.
If you're on holiday, why not pop down and soak up the unique atmosphere? The ground itself is a gem, surrounded on three sides by imposing and highly picturesque mountain ranges and just a few yards from the beach.
The bar is open all day on match days, behind which you'll normally find Dennis, who not only serves a mean burger, but is also club president and a mine of useful information.
There are shops, restaurants and an internet cafe within very easy walking distance as well as some bars equipped with satellite TV should your visit clash with unmissable football or rugby action (the season here runs from the start of February until the end of November).
There are games every weekend and also some midweek fixtures. In the spring and autumn, the club's opponents mainly tend to be touring sides from the UK while the summer is set aside for the domestic league competition.
If you play at home, and would be interested in discussing tour options, don't be shy - Dennis, or any of the local players, will be happy to point you in the right direction.
To date, the club has hosted a total of one hundred and ten touring sides - many of whom return year after year - and can offer an extensive support package, including travel arrangements, hotel and restaurant discounts and advice on post-match entertainment options.
If you live locally, or visit often - and fancy a game - please also feel free to pop down. Celebrating its twelfth year, the club has gone from strength to strength since it was founded in 1996 and last year won the Spanish National League title for the seventh time.
The club now runs three sides and has a thriving youth section boasting several junior Spanish internationals. The Saturday 1st XI is very strong and includes several members of the senior Spanish national squad. The 2nd XI operates a strong youth policy, giving frequent match experience to its most promising colts, some of whom have already broken into the Saturday side.
It seems that the Midweek XI is actively looking to recruit new players at the moment - especially fast-scoring, top-order batsmen and/or quick and accurate pace bowlers, who can also field energetically. But seriously, players of all ages, shapes, sizes and ability are welcome midweek, if available, and the atmosphere tends to be quite fun and relaxed.
If you live locally and have children interested in taking up the game, there are supervised coaching sessions every Sunday morning run by an enthusiastic team of qualified coaches happy to welcome new members.
Facilities include a recently-relaid artificial pitch set in the middle of a generous grass oval, four practice nets, as well as a changing room block equipped with toilets and showers.
The bar serves a variety of hot and cold food and drinks and there are plenty of trees around the boundary to provide shade on very hot days for players and spectators alike.
More information, including forthcoming fixture dates and start times can be found on-line at
www.sacc.hitscricket.com, or by phoning Director of Cricket Steve Lewis on 660246351 or Chairman Phil Pennick on 620409173 or 96 686 5792 (e-mail
pennick88@yahoo.co.uk).
Specific tour enquiries should be directed to Fixture Secretary, Clive Woodbridge (e-mail
sportingalfascc@v5698.drago.net). The fixture list for 2008 is now almost complete, but the club is happy to consider bookings for future years.
More general information about cricket in Spain, including details of the national league competition, can be found on the Cricket España website at
www.icc-europe.org/SPAIN.
The Woodbridge Oval is located on the calle de los Músicos, Albir (Alfàs del Pi), 03581 (Alicante).
To get there from the N332 freeway (AP-7 motorway exit 65, take second turning on right immediately after toll booth) heading north from Benidorm towards Altea, take a right at the first set of traffic lights after the motorway junction just before the McDonalds drive-thru restaurant.
At the first roundabout (major water feature), take second exit along riverbed gardens. At the second roundabout on this one-way street, turn round as though to go back the way you were coming, and the ground will become immediately visible on your right.
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