Beyond the Test World
Hapless Bermuda collapse to Hansen
Bermuda's problems continued to grow as they started their European tour with a five-wicket loss to Denmark at Brondby's Svanholm Park
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Denmark 114 for 5 (Klokker 43, Leverock 2-19) beat Bermuda 113 (Hansen 7-13) by five wickets
Bermuda's problems continued to grow as they started their European tour with a five-wicket loss to Denmark at Brondby's Svanholm Park.
Although Bermuda were missing several players because of business commitments while others in the World Cup squad had retired, a side ranked as one of the leading Associates should still have been too good for the Danes.
Bermuda won the toss and batted, but they had no answer to the medium pace of Thomas Hansen who was almost unplayable. The first four overs were maidens and the batsmen appeared unable to cope with the swinging ball.
Full postDanish test for Bermuda's new boys
James Whittaker
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
James Whittaker
Bermuda's national coach Gus Logie has a threadbare squad of just 12 players at his disposal as Bermuda prepares to begin the post World Cup era against Denmark.
Practically everyone that travelled to Europe this week is guaranteed a game over the next few weeks with Bermuda's thin resources stretched to the limit. Just four of the World Cup squad - skipper Irving Romaine, new vice-captain Stephen Outerbridge, big hitter Lionel Cann and spinner Dwayne Leverock - boarded the plane on Monday night with a host of new faces being asked to fill the enormous void left by the likes of Janeiro Tucker, Clay Smith, OJ Pitcher and Kevin Hurdle.
The middle order - Bermuda's strength over the past few years - has been completely decimated. As well as Tucker, Smith and Pitcher there will be no David Hemp, no Dean Minors and no Kwame Tucker. A squad of up and coming youngsters and international novices will take their place.
Full postDenmark hosts Under-13s
This year's ICC European Under-13 Championship, starting on Tuesday, is taking place on the small island of Mors on the northern part of Jutland, Denmark in the picturesque town of Nykobing.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
This year's ICC European Under-13 Championship, starting on Tuesday, is taking place on the small island of Mors on the northern part of Jutland, Denmark in the picturesque town of Nykobing.
Nykobing has a long tradition in Danish cricket where the sport has been a large part of the town's sporting picture for many years. However, Denmark, and also the Netherlands, will on paper always struggle in comparison to Ireland and Scotland simply because they don’t play that much cricket in this age group. Tradition says it will be a struggle between Ireland and Scotland for the title although Netherlands surprised last year with a win over Scotland which left all three countries with the same points.
The Under-13 Championship has been won by Ireland since 2000 so that brings a weight of expectation, but captain Ben Wylie is the sole survivor from last year in Copenhagen. However, Scotland seem to be taking the tournament very seriously with the team playing warm-up matches against Cleveland and Durham.
Last year Netherlands’ youth development was under the control of Roland Lefebvre and his work has begun to show results as Netherlands managed a win over Scotland as well as last-place Denmark.
Full postDehring brings experience to US problem
Chris Dehring, who headed the organising committee of the World Cup, has been named as the independent third party in attempts to resolve the dispute which led to the United States being suspended from international cricket by the ICC.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Chris Dehring, who headed the organising committee of the World Cup, has been named as the independent third party in attempts to resolve the dispute which led to the United States being suspended from international cricket by the ICC.
The two main factions - the official USA Cricket Association and a group of disgruntled league presidents - met in Washington in June where they agreed to put aside their differences and work towards finding a solution.
That meeting was chaired by Ken Gordon, the erstwhile president of the West Indies board, and the two factions agreed to appoint a reconciliation commission headed by John Aaron, the president from the New York region, and consisting of four lawyers and Julian Hunte, who last week replaced Gordon as WICB president.
That commission examined the new constitution which is at the centre of the row. Drawn up by the USACA, its opponents were highly critical of it, and the commission's report will be submitted to a three-man panel comprised of Dehring, Aaron and Gladstone Dainty, the USACA president.
Full postScotland name Twenty20 squad
Cricket Scotland has announced a 15-man squad to take part in September's Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa.
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Cricket Scotland has announced a 15-man squad to take part in September's Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa.
"I know that this bunch of cricketers will give everything they've got to make an impression," Ryan Watson, Scotland's captain, said. "We have nothing to lose, and we have to play with that certainty in order to spring a surprise or two."
Roddy Smith, chief executive of Cricket Scotland, welcomed the opportunity for Scotland to play on the world stage and said, "The team showed in their very close loss to West Indies last month that they can compete very well against Full Members."
Scotland have two warm-up games arranged in South Africa prior to the tournament, against Bangladesh on September 8 and Zimbabwe on September 9.
Full postThe future is bright thanks to US youngsters
As recently as five years ago, no one would have given US junior cricket a chance to exist, let alone flourish in any meaningful sense.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
As recently as five years ago, no one would have given US junior cricket a chance to exist, let alone flourish in any meaningful sense.
Active US cricketers, it was argued, were mostly ex-pats from cricket-playing countries, too busy with their own game to expend energy on junior cricket development. The few juniors who could be found playing cricket were the younger brothers or sons of adult US cricketers, playing as 12th men or extras in senior league matches with little opportunity to display their all-round skills. There were no resources, it was argued, to develop junior cricket skills; no incentives offered to cricket clubs or leagues to develop youth cricket programs, and draconian eligibility rules set by the ICC which hindered overseas cricketers from representing the USA.
How different things look in mid-2007. By Cricinfo's count, there are at least 100 US cricketers under 19 whose skills are up to the highest senior standards, and many more on the way as US cricket academies develop Under-15 and Under-11 talent.
Just how good these players are was demonstrated by USA's clean sweep of the Americas Under-19 tournament in Toronto in 2006, and their subsequent performance at the U-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka where they turned in the best performance by a non-Test country and the first official victory by any USA team in a World Cup tournament. This was followed by another US sweep of the Americas U-15 tournament in Florida, and a tightly-fought series against the visiting Australian National Under-15 team at Woodley Park in California.
Full postKhan: China are serious about their cricket
Rashid Khan, the former Pakistan allrounder now coaching China, says the country is developing cricket the right way by focussing on local grass-roots cricket rather than relying on expatriates.
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Rashid Khan, the former Pakistan allrounder now coaching China, says the country is developing cricket the right way by focussing on local grass-roots cricket rather than relying on expatriates.
"The biggest plus point for the development and promotion of cricket in China is that the locals are taking interest in it," Khan told Reuters. "The local boys and girls show a lot of potential and interest in cricket. Realistically speaking China is a viable commercial growth market (for cricket)... in the next 10 years.
"It is the ideal platform to globalise the sport," he said. "These people are serious about their cricket. Their fantastic sporting culture gives them a big edge over other countries where cricket is still being promoted."
The ICC sees China as a key country for the growth of cricket. Its delegates frequently visit China and are assisting the Chinese Cricket Association in establishing more facilities.
Full postRichmond to get cricket pitch?
Is Richmond in the United States about to get its first cricket pitch?
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Is Richmond in the United States about to get its first cricket pitch?
Since she became mayor, Lawson said that in addition to the miniature golf course, the city has built a “chip and putt” course for beginning golfers and outdoor basketball courts.
“I have been happy to seen that many of our Hispanic residents have begun using the Lake Reba basketball courts,” she said. “I think the next thing we may do is create a field for playing cricket. We’ve had so many requests from cricket players. I never realized how many we have. That shows just how diverse our area has become.”
Via the Richmond Register.
Full postWright not keen on Scotland coaching job
Who do you think should be Scotland's new coach
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Who do you think should be Scotland's new coach? Let us know in the comments below
Craig Wright, the former Scotland captain, has ruled himself out of contention as Scotland's coach and the search to replace Peter Drinnen continues.
Full postAussies off to the USA
Adding yet one more event to the ever-expanding program of US junior cricket, an official team representing Australia is to make their first ever tour of the USA in late August
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Deb K Das
Adding yet one more event to the ever-expanding program of US junior cricket, an official team representing Australia is to make their first ever tour of the USA in late August.
The USA tour is a stopover for the Aussies, on their way back from the West Indies after a series of matches with their counterparts in the Caribbean. Several matches are scheduled with the top US junior teams in California, on a tight and demanding schedule. The event should also serve to verify the abilities of US youth cricketers when faced with serious international competition, and this would as a benchmark for the future.
Full post