A busy Norwegian cricket season is underway with at least 12 clubs competing in four main competitions - the Norwegian Cricket League, the subsequent Norwegian Championship between the top league contenders, the Norway Cup and the Sinsen Midweek Cup.

The most coveted title is the 55 match Norwegian cricket league, involving 11 clubs, including Aliens CC, City CC, Centrum CC, Grorud CC, Jinnah CC, Noor CC, Sinsen CC, Star CC and Tamil CC.

The League season began on May 12, with Star CC defeating CC by 90 runs, Gorud CC fending offf Tamil CC by 31 runs, Noor CC crushing Aaylen CC by 155 runs and Sinsen CC brushing aside Tamil CC by 69 runs. All matches in the league are 30-overs-a-side.

Each of the 11 clubs in the league will play 10 matches each, which are 30-overs-per-side. All matches are played at Norway's only cricket ground in Oslo.

The six best placed teams in the League progress to the Norwegian Championship.

The Sinsen Midweek Cup began recently with eight teams split into two groups:

Group A - Sinsen CC, Noor CC, City CC, Aliens CC
Group B - Centrum CC , Oslo CC, Tamil CC, United CC

Matches are 15-overs-per-side played by teams wearing coloured clothing. The top two teams in each group qualify for the semi-finals.

It has not yet been decided how many teams will compete in the Norway Cup.

Here are my summaries of the main clubs in Norwegian cricket and their strengths:

Centrum is the oldest club in Norway. It is very good team. They have been top team of Norway in last two decades. In this season Centrum dependant on the performances of Zee Shan and Shamoon. Zee Shan is a stylish right-handed middle order batsman and right-arm medium peace bowler. His best quality is his batting. He is quick to approach the ball, and his shot selection is perfect. He is a high calibre batsman relative to the standard of Norwegian cricket. Shamoon is a good, sensible cricketer. His specialty is bowling, especialy when his team needs to slow down the oppnent's run rate. He is a very economical bowler.

Sinsen CC is also one of Norway's oldest club, yet very entertaining. They can beat any side on a good day. They have won all the first four league matches until now. Their performance is dependant on the batting of Shazed Ahmed, Sajjad Shah, captain Munawar Ahmed and the bowling of Nadeem Quershi. Shazed and Sajjad are the best opening pair in Norwegian league cricket. Munawar was captain of the Nowegian national team at last year's ECC Representative Festival in Austria. Munawar is also a wicket-keeper/batsman of immense potential who in his early days in league cricket in Pakistan played with fomer Test bowler Tauseef Ahmed.

Olso CC is one of the favourite for this year's Norwegian league season. A very talented and young side. Majid Butt, a good all-rounder, is captain of the club. Has played league in Pakistan.

Noor CC The defending champions are another entertaining side. The key batsman is the in form Shaid Ahmed, who on May 27, smashed the highest individual score in the history of Norwegian cricket, with a double hundred against United CC, in a 30 over match.

The big plus is that on their day, any team can beat any other in Norwegian cricket.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd