Beyond the Test World
Falklands head for England
Charlie Randall
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Charlie Randall
The Falkland Islands are playing their first matches as members of the ICC in southern England next week, and one of the seven tour fixtures is against Outwood, the Surrey village who played Argentina in 1979, three years before the south Atlantic war broke out.
Outwood are looking forward to the match on July 12, proud of their unusual double. Keith Barham, the club’s fixture secretary, said: “We flew the Argentinian flag on our ground when we played them, and I have asked the Falkland Islanders to bring theirs so that we can fly that – blue with union jack and Falkland coat of arms.
He added: “We got soundly beaten by Argentina in a 60 overs match when they were over for the ICC Trophy, though we weren’t as strong as we are now. We don’t expect the Falkland Islands to be very good. They’ve only got a population of 2,500, and they are a bit limited who they can play. They can’t really tour Argentina.”
Full postWomen's teams wanted for Hong Kong
If you’re a women’s team looking for a fixture or two abroad, it’s unlikely that you have considered touring Hong Kong
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
If you’re a women’s team looking for a fixture or two abroad, it’s unlikely that you have considered touring Hong Kong. Yet it would be worth thinking about, particularly as the Hong Kong Cricket Association would love to host any teams who would be keen.
They contacted Cricinfo with this message:
"The Women's Cricket Committee of the Hong Kong Cricket Association would love to hear from any women's cricket teams around the world interested in playing in Hong Kong, or including Hong Kong in their tour itinerary.
Hong Kong has a thriving women's cricket scene and can offer some of the finest cricketing facilities in the world at such venues as Hong Kong Cricket Club and Kowloon Cricket Club (home of the famous Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes).
Full postJersey joins the ICC's second tier
Jersey became the 33rd country to be granted Associate membership at the ICC Annual Conference held last week at Lord's .
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Jersey became the 33rd country to be granted Associate membership at the ICC Annual Conference held last week at Lord's.
The decision comes after a successful 12 months for cricket on the island and makes Jersey the 11th European Associate Member joining the likes of Denmark, Ireland and Netherlands.
Cameroon, The Falkland Islands, Peru and Swaziland were awarded Affiliate membership, taking the total number of ICC members up to 101. Jersey was the only country to be granted Associate Membership.
The Falkland Islands were elected with only one dissenting voice. Argentina abstained in the week that marked the 25th anniversary of the end of the Falklands War.
Full postNepal aim high
The official site of the Asian Cricket Council carries an interview with Binaya Raj Pandey, the president of the Cricket Association of Nepal
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The official site of the Asian Cricket Council carries an interview with Binaya Raj Pandey, the president of the Cricket Association of Nepal. Since he took over in September 2006, things have started happening and major sponsorships have been announced, domestic cricket has been revamped and work has started on a new training centre for national cricketers.
We can play in the Asia Cup and the World Cup. We can win senior finals. Right now we are semi-finalists in things like the ACC Trophy. Our U-19s have beaten four Test-countries at U-19 World Cups.
Most people have had access to cricket through the TV and sports channels like ESPN, STAR, Ten Sports and even Doordarshan. So they do know a little bit about the game and how it’s played. But the stumbling block at this time is that there is a lack of cricket grounds. But once these are provided it will much easier for us to teach and train them.
Full postBhairahawa are Nepal champions
Region No 4 Bhairahawa won their maiden national championship defeating Region No 3 Kathmandu by 94 runs in the final of Nepal’s Shikhar Senior One-Day National Tournament at the TU Cricket Ground.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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Bhairahawa scored 212 for 8 in their 50 overs - thanks to Dipesh Khatri’s half-century – and then bowled out Kathmandu for 118 runs in 40 overs to lift the trophy.
Full postBermuda to announce new-look squad
Bermuda are set to announce a new squad in the next 10 days, as well as a new director of cricket, as they try to rebuild following their disastrous performance in the World Cup
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Bermuda are set to announce a new squad in the next 10 days, as well as a new director of cricket, as they try to rebuild following their disastrous performance in the World Cup.
The team are set for a long tour in August, with games scheduled against Denmark, Ireland and Netherlands. However, since the World Cup their coach, Gus Logie, has made no secret of his disappointment at his senior players' apathy; several have failed to turn up to training sessions, raising questions about their commitment, and a greater concern of how to rebuild their team.
"I've said it before but the turn-out at training from many of the players who were involved in the World Cup has been pretty poor," Logie told The Royal Gazette. "They are obviously no longer under contract with the Board and are free to do as they choose, and a lot of them have said that they want to spend more time with their families.
"Even still their attendance overall has been a little bit disappointing, but on the plus side the attendance from many players who didn't make it into the World Cup squad has been very good and there are a core group of players showing up every week who have been working very hard and are knocking on the door for selection."
Full postThe last last-chance saloon
The cricket world - or at least those running the game in countries from Australia to Zambia - assemble in London this week for their annual get-together
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The cricket world - or at least those running the game in countries from Australia to Zambia - assemble in London this week for their annual get-together. However, there will be a notable absentee. For the second time in three years, there will be no representation from the USA.
While the US might not be a major player on the field - it would probably rank just outside the top ten Associates if it ever managed to take to the field - but it does control one of the game's biggest and potentially most lucrative markets. It also is home to one of the most dysfunctional and unaccountable boards, the USA Cricket Association, and it is its ongoing shenanigans that have twice caused the ICC to suspend it from the international game.
A fortnight ago, in Washington, the two factions claiming to have the right to run the game in the USA met with Ken Gordon, the WICB's president, acting as peacemaker. The irony of Gordon, head of a board under fire from almost every side and millions of dollars in debt, being asked to sort out someone else's dirty linen caused more than a few wry smiles. But the two-day sit-down ended with a brief statement that the two sides had agreed to work together to resolve their problems.
The announcement was hardly a hold-the-front-page moment. For one thing, although there are thousands of players in the USA, and millions of fans, the USACA has almost no affect on anything they do. As one administrator told me, it could disappear tomorrow and nothing would change. The other issue is that both parties agreed not to say anything. To anyone.
Full postBray highlights issues facing Associate players
Jeremy Bray, Ireland's opening batsman, has branded the Irish Cricket Union's efforts at turning the game professional 'a joke'
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Jeremy Bray, Ireland's opening batsman, has branded the Irish Cricket Union's efforts at turning the game professional 'a joke'. Bray opted out of Ireland's weekend ODIs against India and South Africa, having also been unavailable for a large part of the Friends Provident campaign, because of family commitments and admits his future is in doubt.
"I was a bit tired and needed a rest", he told the Sunday Tribune, "at least that was the initial plan. But it's hard to get to training because I live so far away. My wife has her own hair salon business so organising childcare has become a big issue. The reality is that it costs me money to play for Ireland."
Since Ireland returned from the World Cup there has been much talk of Ireland turning professional and negotiations are well advanced, but Bray isn't impressed. "It's just a joke", he said, "But I'm not surprised - that's the Irish Cricket Union for you."
Full postHong Kong win historic encounter
The Hong Kong women's team scored an emphatic ten-wicket victory over China in an historic match played at the Shenzhen University Stadium
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The Hong Kong women's team scored an emphatic ten-wicket victory over China in an historic match played at the Shenzhen University Stadium. While records of matches between teams from Hong Kong and Chinese clubs date back to the 19th century, this match was the first full international played between teams from Hong Kong and China.
Full postGuyana play Guyanese… in Canada
Guyan visited Scarborough, in Ontario, last Sunday to play a team of Canadian Guyanese in the Celebrity Cricket match
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
Guyan visited Scarborough, in Ontario, last Sunday to play a team of Canadian Guyanese in the Celebrity Cricket match. The game, won by Guyana, was part of the Guyana Festival weekend to celebrate Guyanese independence.
The Canadian side made 143 for 8. Aftab Shamshuddeem, who is in the Canada squad to face UAE next month, topscored with 32 as the Canadians put on 143 for 8. Two more Canadian internationals, Sunil Dhaniram and Abdool Samad, also played for the side.
Guyana won easily, by seven wickets, with Sewnarine Chattergoon making 30 and wicketkeeper Darwin Christian 38 before both retired. The Guyanese Consul General to Canada presented the main trophy.
Full post