Beyond the Test World
Bermuda wait for green light on national ground
Bermuda could be set to stage their first major international match, proving the ICC decides that pitches at the National Sports Centre have improved sufficiently since an inspection last year.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Bermuda could be set to stage their first major international match, proving the ICC decides that pitches at the National Sports Centre have improved sufficiently since an inspection last year.
Full postBangladesh beat plucky Malaysia
Bangladesh romped to a nine-wicket win over Malaysia in the third-place play-off in the CLICO International Under-15 tournament in Trinidad
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Bangladesh romped to a nine-wicket win over Malaysia in the third-place play-off in the CLICO International Under-15 tournament in Trinidad. Ireland defeated ICC Americas by two wickets to secure fifth place, while Netherlands thumped Kenya to take seventh.
Full postSlow progress continues in China
Shandong, the second-most populous province in China, has become the seventh region after Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Liaoning, Chongqing and Tianjin to officially take up cricket, according to a media release from the Asian Cricket Council.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Shandong, the second-most populous province in China, has become the seventh region after Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Liaoning, Chongqing and Tianjin to officially take up cricket, according to a media release from the Asian Cricket Council.
“The Shandong people are well known for their good physical condition in China … the majority of rugby players are from Shandong,” Aminul Islam, the ACC’s development officer for China, said. With cricket being aligned with rugby in the multi-ball games administrative centre in China, the Chinese Cricket Association (CCA) felt a partnership between both bodies to make use of athletes all-year round would be ideal.
”The local education bureau has said that they would organize the local junior students to learn cricket for promotion and then build for high performance,” said CCA secretary-general Liu Rongyao.
The appeal of taking the game to China is not hard to see. "The potential benefits and commercial revenues from [China's] presence in the cricket world are enormous," said Syed A shraful Huq, the ACC’s chief executive. "As soon as China breaks though, I foresee the total global revenues for cricket increasing by 30% to 40%.”
Full postImmigrants making a pitch for cricket
An interesting article in Canada’s Globe & Mail reports that the popularity of the game among immigrants is being stalled by the lack of pitches.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
An interesting article in Canada’s Globe & Mail reports that the popularity of the game among immigrants is being stalled by the lack of pitches.
There are more players than the cricket grounds in Surrey can hold, forcing some Sunday matches to be held in school playgrounds … [it] has two cricket grounds and there is a growing demand for more. Hundreds of cricketers cannot play because of the shortage of grounds.
And the son of one immigrant reveals that his son has now taken up the game.
Ethnically South Asian, the junior Kumar was born and raised in Canada. He started playing cricket this year. He says the game is fun, but it also helps him connect to his Indian culture. "If I leave my own culture, the culture [will] die out," he said.
Full postCanada set for Twenty20 boost
Canada have joined the Twenty20 bandwagon and will host their first tournament in Toronto on May 17 and 18
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Canada have joined the Twenty20 bandwagon and will host their first tournament in Toronto on May 17 and 18. Eight teams from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia will compete.
"In the light of what is happening in the IPL in India at the moment, what we are undertaking in Canada is a major step to restore this sport to its former glory which it enjoyed till ice hockey replaced it," the board's CEO Atul Ahuja said.
Ahuja was present at the launch of the IPL in Bangalore last month and said that the owners of the franchises had indicated a willingness to send teams to Canada. "All of them ... promised to send Twenty20 teams to Canada in the summer to help us groom players. We have a huge talent from the South Asian and Caribbean communities in Canada."
However, if they do, the sides are unlikely to bear much resemblance to those playing in the IPL at the moment and most of the high-profile players will be on international duty elsewhere.
Full postWorld Cup dream for twelve nations
Afghanistan will be one of 12 nations dreaming of a place in the 2011 World Cup when the World Cricket League Division Five begins in Jersey later this month.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Afghanistan will be one of 12 nations dreaming of a place in the 2011 World Cup when the World Cricket League Division Five begins in Jersey later this month.
Full postRocks win Nigeria's Twenty20 title
Rocks Cricket Club of Abeokuta has won the maiden edition of the GTA 20/20 tournament
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Rocks Cricket Club of Abeokuta has won the maiden edition of the GTA 20/20 tournament. The champions defeated Foundation Cricket Club of Lagos on Sunday, April 27 at Lagos’s TBS Cricket Oval by 23 runs to clinch the trophy.
Foundation won the toss and elected to put in Rocks CC to bat. The Olumo Boys scored 143 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 20 overs. The duo of Joshua Ogunlola (47*) and Kunle Adegbola (57*) played disciplined innings to take their team to the target of 143 runs. Foundation Cricket Club put up a good fight but the bowling mix of the Adegbola brothers, supported by Joshua Ogunlola ensured that Foundation was restricted to 123 for 7 in 20 overs. Niyi Adegbola (Rocks) took 3 for 17 while his brother Kunle Adegbola took 2 for 29.
Kunle Adegola was awarded Man of the Match. He was also awarded Cricketer of the series with $1,000.00 in the bank for his outstanding performance. Other recipients were Austin Areghan (Pioneers CC), Bowler of the series, Denis Ogunkoya (FCC), Fieldsman of the series, Jai Changrani (Lagos Indians CC), Wicket Keeper of the series and Femi Oduyebo (FCC), Batsman of the series.
George Wiltshire, chairman of the Lagos State Cricket Association, said that he was “certain that in some few years to come, Nigeria will be at the international stage playing Twenty20 series and the GTA will always serve as the platform for selecting the national team players”.
Full postRampaul signs for Ireland
West Indies fast bowler Ravi Rampaul will be Ireland’s overseas professional for the remaining seven games in this season’s Friends Provident Trophy.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
West Indies fast bowler Ravi Rampaul will be Ireland’s overseas professional for the remaining seven games in this season’s Friends Provident Trophy.
Full postBig guns thrash the minnows
There were big wins for West Indies, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Malaysia on the second day of the CLICO International U-15 Championship in the Caribbean
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
There were big wins for West Indies, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Malaysia on the second day of the CLICO International U-15 Championship in the Caribbean. Of the three, only Bangladesh are not guaranteed a semi-final place, meaning the winner of their match against Ireland will progress to the last four.
Full postDrakes takes charge of UAE
Former West Indies allrounder Vasbert Drakes has been appointed as the new coach of the UAE cricket team.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Former West Indies allrounder Vasbert Drakes has been appointed as the new coach of the UAE cricket team.
"Drakes will replace Kabir Khan as the next coach,” said Mazhar Khan, the administrator of the Emirates Cricket Board. "Drakes will take charge of the team from May 10. He has been very successful as a coach after his playing days.”
Drakes, 38, will have a month to get the side ready before the Asia Cup in June.
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