CRICKET IN LANZAROTE, AS IT IS THRIVING TODAY, HAS COME A FAR WAY FROM WHERE IT STARTED IN 1993.  THE 8 CLUBS AND A 15/15 TOURNAMENT TO START OFF THE SEASON… IS AN ACHIEVEMENT IN ITSELF…. Cricket started in Lanzarote in 1993, at a very preliminary stage.  In Sept. 1995, one month after my arrival in Lanzarote, I played my first match at Valterra municipal ground against Las Palmas. This was just the beginning…. we started playing regular cricket near the general hospital. Our love for cricket was strong enough not to discourage us from playing on the black sand ground every Sunday morning. Fixing a carpet hammered with nails on the ground, equipped with a full cricket kit, we played various matches against Fuerteventura, Las Palmas and Tenerife.  After nearly about 7 years we got the first opportunity to play in Puerto Del Carmen ground in the year 2000, which was also a black sand ground.  Here the team started practising with the Indian players.  Cricket is to India what football is to Spain. This sport runs in the Indian blood. Every child in India grows up playing cricket, even if it is just on the streets  outside their homes. Finally, our team got registered with the Canarian government on the 14/05/05, having Mr.Daniel Jethani as President, Mr. Deepak Dadlani as Vice President, Mr. Naresh Mahtani as secretary and Mr. Sonu Jethani as treasurer.  Once Ayuntamiento recognised us as an official team, we started receiving subencion (HELP) from them and also a free play ground to practice or play, whenever we asked one.  As we had the grounds available, we started extending invitations to the teams from other islands. This is how we came in contact with St. Georges team, and slowly one by one went on adding other teams to form the present chain of 8 teams. This jump from just one team (ALCC) to the 8 teams shows the positive interest and growth of cricket in Lanzarote. Other Canary islands have many teams and associations. Cricket on this island is played on artificial grass due to the lack of real grass pitches. It is also dependent on the permission of the use of the football pitches by the Local Ayuntamiento. This year will find 8 teams competing in the league championship & cup championship. The season starts with the 15/15 competition. I wish Good Luck to all the Teams! --Daniel Jethani   President Lanzarote C C