Towards Mongolia

Cricket and Mongolia are two things that have not been cited in the same sentence too often in the history of the world. They will be yoked together more often from now on. Aminul Islam has been to Liaoning Province, neighbouring vast Mongolia, continuing his mission to bring cricket to China. His latest, month-long, tour of the country has taken him to Guangzhou, Shenyang, Chaoyang, Linhai and Shanghai.

“Cricket development in China is progressing at consistent pace and as per the plan,” says Aminul, whose four-province, 18,000 mile tour of the mainland had him acting as a Match Referee at the ACC Twenty20 Women’s Asia Cup, coaching, providing technical support to the Chinese Cricket Association and generally communicating the merits of cricket every single day.

The season’s winding down in China now, winter sits heavily on the north and interior of the country, and administrators are starting to make plans for the year ahead. In between Beijing and Shenyang, in Liaoning Province, is Chaoyang, “another new city for cricket. The Head of Physical Education and Dean of Shenyang Sport University is working closely with CCA and ACC to introduce cricket in a number of cities in Liaoning province by putting up basic facilities and introducing it into the schools’ curriculum.