Torrevieja rugby and cricket teams play host to Lisburn RF & CC

Torrevieja Cricket Club continue to go from strength to strength and hot on the heals of their win last week against local rivals San Fulgencio, they hosted their first Tour Team, in the shape of Lurgan RF & CC, from Northern Ireland on Friday. Due to the whistle stop nature of the tour itself, late arrival on Thursday night for example, the game started mid afternoon for a 20-20 game, more for fun than laurels, so with absolutely nothing at stake, both sides played out an entertaining game in front of a crowd of one!

This was the final scheduled game for Torrevieja CC, while they wait for announcements as to the opening of the new Rugby/Football/Cricket facilities, which Dani Plaza, Councillor for Sports, is expected to declare the opening of, within the next couple of weeks. Both teams attacked the ball from the word go, with Lurgan conceding defeat with only three tail enders left, as the teams ran over their scheduled playing time limit.

The game was played in great spirit and was fun for everyone, with one of the highlights of the day being an unfortunate accident to Lurgan’s coach, Chris Stevenson who landed badly while trying to field a catch and seemed to twist his knee. Being unable to walk, and without any facilities nearby for a stretcher or ambulance, ingenuity played its part and Torrevieja’s Captain Ben Essuah improvised and commandeered a wheel barrow to take the injured player off the field to a place of safety!

It was then back to Shelleys Bar, in Torretta 3, who were the kind match sponsors of  the trophy and winners medals. ‘Man of Match’ award was presented by Torrevieja captain Essuah to RAF pilot Gough for his fine 22 not out. A veteran of the Iraq conflict, he is due to take up duties in Afghanistan very shortly and all at Torrevieja CC wished him a very safe tour of duty.

Lurgan Rugby Football Club are one of Northern Ireland’s oldest, with a proud history of 127-years behind them. Over the last three decades they have visited Sweden, Canada and now Torrevieja. The tour was inspired and organised by David Flemming, who owns a place in Punta Prima. Over the summer he spotted Euro Weekly News reviews about the new Cricket Club and the rejuvenated Rugby Club and so he contacted the local organisers and the tour was put together at very short notice. On Saturday they returned to more familiar grounds and played some good old-fashioned rugby, before heading back to Northern Ireland on Sunday night.
 
Anyone wishing to be a part of a winning but very sociable local cricket club should contact Ben Essuah on 677 335 707 or email:essuah@gmail.com. They are also desperate for umpires and scorers, which they need prior to joining the Costa Blanca Cricket League next season. Essuah wanted to thank David Flemming and everyone associated with Lurgan RF & CC for joining in the fun and playing against TCC, noting that most of the visiting team had not played cricket since their schooldays, which for some, was more years ago than they cared to remember!

Keith Nicol