Another glorious sunny day awaited us at Seebarn as VCC prepared to take on ACCW.
Captain Dan one again won the toss and ACCW were sent in to bat. Big Dan Eckstein and Wali took new ball, making the opposition batsmen work hard for their runs. Wicky Wali was eventually rewarded with the scalp of the dangerous ACCW opening bat, despite the bumbling efforts of the catching fielder at mid on. VCC continued the discipline shown by the openers, and soon Abdullah Khan had enticed an edge that was stylishly taken by Owen behind the stumps.
The Abdullah/Owen combination soon extracted another ACCW wicket, this time from a run out as Abdullah’s rocket arm was too much for the tiring set batsmen. The spin of captain Dan and Ram accounted for a further 3 wickets, but unfortunately some sloppy fielding in the last 5 allowed ACCW to reach 147 at the end of their 20 overs.
Abdullah (15) and big Dan Cornerstone (22) opened up, with Dan subjecting the ACCW bowlers to the usually disdain we have all become accustomed to and Abdullah also scoring freely before being dismissed. Erwin (14) and Ram (26) ticked along nicely, however their dismissals brought the end nearer as VCC struggled with the run rate. Captain Dan (11) managed our only other double figure score towards the bitter end.
All in all despite a disciplined bowling performance but we were shown how to play by ACCW who were clearly the better side on the day, lots of positives to take into the following games!
Also, it was really nice to see players from both sides share a drink together after the game, hard on the field, respect off the field.
https://www.crichq.com/matches/638814/
It was another sensational day for cricket as VCC took on Sri Lanka CC in the first twenty20 game of the season. Captain Dan won the toss and SLCC were sent in to bat.
There will be a touch of sadness about Vienna CC’s next friendly vs United Nations CC this coming weekend in Seebarn (on 24 April), with the match being played for the Brian Lewis Trophy, named after United Nations CC’s founder and President, who recently died after a lengthy illness aged 70. United Nations CC are, after Vienna Cricket Club, Austria’s oldest continuously existing cricket club, with Brian having been a founder of the club. 
After two decades as the home of cricket in Austria and home to Vienna CC, Vienna CC finally managed to win Austria’s ACA Open League, with victory over Pakistan CC in the final. After so many near misses down the years – from seasons where we fell in the semi-final after brushing all opponents away with ease in the preliminary round, or being caught tantalisingly close the title, 2015 was the year the luck changed, and Vienna CC were able to celebrate a third Open League Title, the first since 2004, and also a maiden Open League title in Seebarn. The club’s only previous trophy win at Seebarn had been in the old ACA Trophy – played as a 40 over straight knock-out – in 2000.