The European Cricket Network made a much-awaited return to Finland this past week, bringing two dynamic tournaments — ECS Finland and ECS-W Finland — back to the iconic Kerava National Cricket Ground. After a five-year hiatus, fans were treated to a mix of fresh faces and familiar flair across both men's and women's competitions.

The men’s tournament featured 10 competitive teams, split into two groups. After a week of fast-paced action, four sides advanced to Finals Day — BTCC Dark Knights, Hadley’s Empire XI, Greater Helsinki Markhors, and Vantaa Vipers.

Finals Day belonged to Hadley’s Empire XI, who delivered a flawless performance with three consecutive wins. Their path to the title included:

  • A dominant win over Vantaa Vipers in the Eliminator

  • A strong showing in Qualifier 2 against BTCC Dark Knights

  • And a convincing victory over Greater Helsinki Markhors in the Final

Their success was built on standout performances from Kripesh Sangroula, who was named MVP after finishing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 11 wickets. Batting star Jordon O’Brien also played a key role, amassing 270 runs to top the run charts.

In the women’s event, four teams competed in a tightly contested tournament. SKK-W emerged as the champions, defeating previously unbeaten Empire Lionesses-W in the final.

The star of the tournament was Divija Unhale, who was named MVP for her exceptional all-round display — scoring 132 runs and claiming 6 wickets, helping SKK-W secure the title in style.

It was a memorable return to Finland for ECN — filled with competitive spirit, breakout performances, and community celebration. With Hadley’s Empire XI and SKK-W writing their names into ECS history, the week in Kerava marked another proud milestone in European cricket’s expanding journey.