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SLOVENIA SQUAD AFTER 20/20 MATCH
vs FINLAND in ANTWERP 2006
Our rather
fetching uniforms unfortunately made us look
better than on our cricket in our debut
International 20/20 match which we were
convincingly beaten by Finland. The highlights
included some consistent bowling from Urban
Blaznik and some solid hitting by top-scorer
Robi Jakofčič.
Team:
Back Row from left to right.
Damir
Alidžanovič, Brad Eve, Mark Oman (c), Johnny
Reja, Robi Jakofčič, Tom Furness (v/c), Dan
Ryan, Steve Mayland
Middle Row left
to right
Rob Crawford,
Urban Blaznik, Greg Davies (w/k)
Front Row:
Lalantha Karunatilake, Egon Jakofčič
The
boys dress up for the Gala Dinner. Surprisingly, we scrubbed up
alright.
L-R Tom, Urban,
Steve, Johnny, Robi, Dan, Egon, Brad, Greg, Rob, Mark, Ian and
Damir
MORE PHOTOS FROM
ANTWERP 2006
Part One: Off the field
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National Team
Manager Ian Donchi is handed his cap and uniform. |

Robi Jakofčič
receives his first Slovenia cap. |
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Johnny Reja becomes the newest Slovenia player. |

"Only 1300kms
to go boys!" Our heroes pose in a Skofija Loka petrol station carpark as
they prepare for the long drive to Antwerp. Rob Crawford
openly flouts
the no beer rule (while others discretely hide cans of Union from the
cameras.) |
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"Who fancies
trying some of this Belgian beer then?" |

"Beer, it's not
ONLY for breakfast." Johnny, Egon and Robi show their fondness for the
local brew with a round of Guinness.Brad's pint looks untouched, so he
must already be on his second. |
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Mark, Donch &
Tom arrive to make sure their star cricketers don't get too
"lubricated." |

(L-R) Robi, Egon, Johnny and Tom get
some dietary supplements while trying to convince everyone else that
they are really for their WAGs. |
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"Call
this a chip?" Lalantha eyes the local fried potatoes with some
suspicion. Other team members eat for their country.
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The other half
of the team rue the day they discovered the local "All-you-can-eat"
restaurant. |
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"What no 'roadies' then?" Johnny
Reja looks disappointed as vice captain Tom Furness enforces the beer on
the bus ban just before the match. Brad lulls the opposition into a
false sense of security with a rather big knee brace. |

Hoping to win something, the boys
enter the "best-dressed team" competition with as much enthusiasm as
they showed for the breakfast. Quite a lot. |
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Another day, another gutbuster at the
"All you can eat." Note the professionalism of some of the players who
are drinking coffee instead of beer. Also note those who have both.
Greedy buggers. |

While the rest of the team went for a
kebab or a pizza or something equally crass, the sophisticates of the
team enjoy a cultured evening in a Korean restaurant. Messrs Donchi,
Eve, Ryan and Furness pass the Kim-Chi. |
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Team manager Ian Donchi does a
great job on the scorer's table, despite the chilly conditions.. |

..which has absolutely nothing
to do with us finding this result on the points table going into the
last match.
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Brad attempts to improve his fitness
way too late.
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Johnny shows us his form on the
treadmill. |
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Egon gives it his all in the Hotel Gym.
Are these guys dedicated or what? |

Steve Mayland turns back the clock as
he battles a Cardio machine. |
PHOTOS FROM
ANTWERP 2006
Part Two: The Cricket Action shots
many thanks to Jari
Schabel of Finland
for most of these brilliant action photos.
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The traditional prematch wandering
aimlessly and looking for things pic, before our first game vs
Cyprus. |

"I can't see a thing, sunshine,"
Captain Mark Oman assists Rob Crawford with his helmet on a chilly, wet,
Belgian summer day. |
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Grabbing the best seats in the
house in the hope of watching some exciting Slovenia batting. |
Urban and Robi cling to each other in a
desperate attempt to keep warm. They are also discussing the cries of
encouragement in Slovene that they will shortly inspire the team with. |
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Damir (right) looks rather pleased to
see the Finnish dangerman Jonathon October (centre) run out by a direct
hit by an ecstatic Egon (far left)
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"The Urbanator" perplexes another
Finnish batsman. Urban bowled extremely well in Belgium and the
opposition had real trouble in picking what he was doing.
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Not the
best way to remember a wicket, the camera clicked at the momnet the ball
spills out of Egon's normally rock-solid hands. Don't worry though, he
had the nerves to grab it on the second attempt and Urban gets yet
another wicket. |
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Steve Mayland puts his
back into one.
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Brad steams in. |

"Got
him!" Finnish captain Petteri Moilanen
is trapped LBW by the delighted veteran opening bowler Brad Eve. Keeper
Greg Davies seems keen too.
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Textbook defence from
Mark, a real study in concentration.
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Tom goes for a big shot
down the leg-side. |
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Johnny likes the look of this one
straying down leg.
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We're looking forward
to seeing a lot more of shots like this next year from Mr Johnny Reja. |
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Bowlers should know better than bowling
here to Brad. Fools, don't you know he's only got one shot? The one
where the ball lands right about there. |

A glorious cut shot
from Greg Davies. Such elegance.
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Cricket is never dull when Robi
Jakofčič comes into the middle. |

We haven't seen
slogging like this since Chris "Slogger" Bishop went home. "Belt it
Robi!"
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Urban drives to mid-wicket.
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Steve Mayland uses his
feet to charge towards the bowler. |
Detailed Scorecards
Cyprus v
Slovenia
Luxembourg v Slovenia
Finland v
Slovenia
Finland v
Slovenia (20/20 match)
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