New-look European Cricket Championship gets under way at Malaga's Cártama Oval

Daryl Finch

Malaga

Monday, 23 September 2024, 18:14 | Updated 18:55h.

Elite-level European cricket returned to Andalucía once again this Monday morning as the Dream11 European Cricket Championship 2024 got under way in Cártama, near Malaga, with Estonia and Turkey facing off in the opening match.

The four-week event, featuring 32 national teams, will see a total of 127 matches and over 500 players competing in the T10-format competition taking place at the refurbished Cártama Oval.

This year, the tournament is split into two divisions for the first time. The Challenger Division, which began with a victory for Estonia, who beat Turkey by 137 runs, features teams aiming for promotion to the Premier Division next year.

However, this year's edition of the top-tier competition, comprising Europe’s top cricket nations, starts next Thursday and will run until the final on 19 October.

Until that date, Cártama’s upgraded cricket facility, now operated by the football agency PFC, will host matches daily from 11.30am to 9pm, with free entry for fans.

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The European Cricket Championship, now in its fourth edition, is a collaborative effort between local authorities and the European Cricket Network (ECN), with CEO Roger Feiner applauding the support from the Cártama town hall and the Junta de Andalucía.

The opening ceremony was attended by key figures, including Feiner, Cártama’s mayor Jorge Gallardo, sports councillor Juan Antonio Vargas and Jay Wild, president of Costa del Sol Cricket Club and leader of the Cricket’s Cool initiative, which promotes youth participation in the sport.

"Cartama has become the home of European cricket, and the continuous support from mayor Gallardo and the local community ensures the championship’s ongoing success," said Feiner, encouraging locals to attend.

Broadcast globally, the competition is expected to attract millions of viewers, further enhancing Cártama's reputation in the cricketing world.