Beyond the Test World

25-Feb-2013

Eleven women from three ICC Americas Associate countries - Argentina, Bermuda and Canada – were joined by four players invited from Trinidad and Tobago at the first women’s regional cricket camp in the Americas. The ten-day camp was headed by a coaching staff of three former West Indies women's internationals: Ann Browne-John, Stephanie Power and Jasmine Sammy.

ICC Americas Regional Development Manager, Martin Vieira, visited the camp in Trinidad and said: “I am delighted when a project is planned, implemented and progressed as successfully as this. All involved, officials of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board at the complex, coaches and managers, and the players, have agreed it was a huge success."

In addition to daily drills and educational sessions in several areas, the group played as an Americas X1 in three games versus local competition. The management and coaching staff were amazed at how quickly the girls gelled as a team and the vast improvement in their skills over the ten-day period.

The Canadian contingent comprised Joanna White and Meara Crawford from British Columbia, plus Ontario’s Monali Patel and Mona Persaud. All four Canadians had visited Trinidad and Tobago in April in the first ever overseas tour by the women’s national squad. The Trinidad & Tobago Women’s Cricket Board had helped organize and partly fund that tour.

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Afghanistan president praises cricketers

Will Luke

25-Feb-2013

Hamid Karzai, the president of Afghanistan, added his voice to those of exuberant cricket fans welcoming Afghanistan's young team home Monday after they stayed on course for possible qualification for the 2011 World Cup.

The team was met at the airport in Kabul by sporting officials and a small throng of supporters who presented them with garlands before leading them through the city in a noisy, flag-waving cavalcade.

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Afghanistan claim World Cricket League Division 5

Following their qualification into Division 4 of the World Cricket League yesterday, Afghanistan marked a memorable week by winning Division 5 of the competition, beating the hosts Jersey in a thrilling two-wicket final.

Will Luke

25-Feb-2013

A fine all-round performance from Hasti Gul guided Afghanistan to the World Cricket League Division 5 title, with a tense two-wicket victory, in a low-scoring thriller against hosts Jersey. Gul hit an unbeaten 29, as Afghanistan slumped to 62 for 8 chasing just 81 for victory, to follow his three wickets.

Jersey were bundled out in less than 40 overs, but didn't give up the chance of claiming a trophy in front of their home crowd without a real fight. Ryan Driver, the former Lancashire and Worcestershire batsman, took four wickets with his medium-pace. However, Gul didn't take a backward step and launched the only two sixes of the match - over long-on and deep square-leg - to take Afghanistan within touching distance.

Click here for the full report.

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Perfect practice makes perfect

Michael Young, Australia's fielding coach, is spending time with Bermuda and Canada to lend his extensive experience to the two Associate countries

Will Luke

25-Feb-2013

Michael Young, Australia's fielding coach, is spending time with Bermuda and Canada to lend his extensive experience to the two Associate countries. But, in an in-depth interview for The Royal Gazette, he reveals how he doesn't think he could work with amateurs on a full-time basis.

"Justin Langer was not the most talented player, but he was committed to perfect practice, and that's one of the things I have talked to these guys about.

"Practice doesn't make perfect, but perfect practice makes perfect. And those are the things that they need to understand. There needs to be an accountability, every job is the same. You can do it half-arsed, and you're going to get half-arsed results. Or you can do the extra and try to get more, that's how you get to the other levels."

Getting the extra has been problematic in recent weeks, and while Young is happy to contribute some of his time, he doubts he could do it on a regualr basis.

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MACC win SE Regional Tournament

Mid Atlantic Cricket Conference won South East Regional Tournament convincingly, beating Florida by 210 runs thanks to Wasif Khawaja, who made 103 and was declared Man of the Match.

Martin Williamson

25-Feb-2013

Mid Atlantic Cricket Conference won South East Regional Tournament convincingly, beating Florida by 210 runs thanks to Wasif Khawaja, who made 103 and was declared Man of the Match.

Click here for the full report from the MACC website.

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Uganda to prepare for WCL in South Africa

South Africa have agreed to host Uganda for a month to enable them to prepare for their participation in the World Cricket League Division Three competition which is being staged in Argentina in January.

Martin Williamson

25-Feb-2013

The top two sides in the event will go through to the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, and Uganda are one of the favourites. They will be based in South Africa for approximately a month before the start of the tournament.

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Afghanistan through despite Singapore victory

The one remaining semi-final place in the World Cricket League Division Five went to Afghanistan after Singapore failed to beat Japan by a convincing enough margin to pip them into second place in Group B on Net Run Rate.

Martin Williamson

25-Feb-2013

Singapore have every right to feel hard done by. Although they finished level on points with the Afghans, their one game which was washed out was against Bahamas, who failed to win any of their matches, while Afghanistan's was against the unbeaten Jersey side. Click here for the full report of the day's action.

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UAE introduce home-grown quotas

The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has ordered that at least four of the country's 15-man Asia Cup squad must be Emiratis.

Martin Williamson

25-Feb-2013

The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has ordered that at least four of the country's 15-man Asia Cup squad must be Emiratis.

The UAE side has traditionally been almost entirely made up of expats from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India who are eligible under the ICC's four-year qualification rules. This was at its most apparent during the 1996 World Cup when the only non expat in the UAE side was Sultan Zarawani, the captain, whose place was more down to his passion and wealth than cricketing ability.

But the ECB has now moved to counter this with the introduction of a quota. Mohammad Tauqir has been named as the deputy to the captain, Saqib Ali, while Fahad Alhashmi, Alawi Shukri and Salman Farooq have also made the tour party.

Shukri, who had been campaigning for such a system, told The National that it was "a very good day ... we have won one small battle". He plays for UAE Nationals Club, a side of UAE passport holders plus three overseas players.

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Sommer reprimanded for dissent

Germany’s Graham Sommer has been reprimanded after being found guilty of two breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct during his side’s match against the USA in the ICC World Cricket League Division 5 in Jersey.

Martin Williamson

25-Feb-2013

The punishment was handed down by match referee David Jukes following a hearing that took place on Monday after the USA won the match in question by six wickets. The player was charged under clauses 1.3 and 1.4 of the ICC Code of Conduct which refer to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision” and “using language that is obscene, offensive or insulting and/or the making of an obscene gesture” respectively.

This followed an appeal for a lbw by Sommer which was turned by umpire Sanjeev Kad. The charges were laid by Kad, of Finland, and his fellow on-field umpire, Mike Carpenter of Jersey.

Explaining his decision after the hearing, Jukes said: “On the basis of the evidence put before me, it was proved beyond doubt that Mr Sommer showed dissent and also used language that was obscene after his appeal was turned down. Even though it is not the sort of example that players should be setting at any time, I decided to reprimand and warn Sommer of his future conduct for a period of 12 months after he showed a degree of remorse and apologised for his actions.”

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Barbados women to play in boys' league

Barbados women will take part in a boys’ Under-15 competition

ESPNcricinfo staff

25-Feb-2013

Barbados women will take part in a boys’ Under-15 competition. While it is not a new phenomenon – the women have played male opposition in the past – it will be the first time a female team has participated in this particular tournament.

The team are not expected to ace the competition or even win a game, particularly as their four internationals are away on West Indies duties for most of the time. But the experience is considered a valuable development opportunity.