Beyond the Test World
All change in Hong Kong
Hong Kong have redesigned their domestic cricket structure to account for the increasing numbers of players and the wide differentials in the players’ abilities
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Hong Kong have redesigned their domestic cricket structure to account for the increasing numbers of players and the wide differentials in the players’ abilities. There is a streamlined Premier League incorporating two-day games and the Saturday, more social, cricket league has been split in two. The Twenty20 competition has been done away with. Charlie Burke, Hong Kong’s effervescent young coach, explains why.
Full postEast Africa prepares for new superleagues
Cricket Kenya’s latest initiative to help develop the strength of the country’s domestic game gets underway later this week with the start of the new regional Twenty20 and 50-over franchise competitions.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Cricket Kenya’s latest initiative to help develop the strength of the country’s domestic game gets underway later this week with the start of the new regional Twenty20 and 50-over franchise competitions.
For a long time there has been a huge gap between standards of the country’s premier league run by the NPCA and the national team. A previous attempt to organise a competition for the leading players failed because of funding and a lack of interest among participants.
But following Kenya’s wretched performance at the World Cup, the board has made sweeping changes, backed by the government and stakeholders, and the East Africa Premier League and East African Cup are perhaps the boldest. Furthermore, the decision to include teams from neighbours Uganda will not only give an edge to matches, but will also help development in one of the most promising up-and-coming Associates.
Four teams from Kenya will participate - the Nairobi Buffaloes, Kongonis both based in the capital, the Rift Valley Rhinos from Nakuru and Coast Pekee in Mombasa - while Rwenzori Warriors and Nile Knights will represent Uganda. Teams will be comprised of international players, senior club players and age group cricketers aiming to make the national squads of both countries. The top two teams in each competition will compete in live televised finals at the end of October.
Full postBig turnout for Chinese national championship
Forty-eight teams took part in the final round of the Chinese National Cricket Championships this year, 21 more than last year
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Forty-eight teams took part in the final round of the Chinese National Cricket Championships this year, 21 more than last year. The senior finals were played in Shanghai and the junior finals in Linhai. Shenyang Sport University, as they always have been, were the men’s champions, this time joined by their women’s team and a local high school team win as overall victors.
In all other categories there were new champions. “The matches were competitive and the standard was higher than in other years,” says ACC Development Officer for China Aminul Islam.
Sixty-six schools and universities across Beijing, Jinan, Linhai and Shanghai took part in the qualifying round for the championships. Eighty-nine T20 matches were played in the final rounds for the men, women and youth teams. Eight grounds, as yet with artificial turf, were used in Shanghai and Linhai and they. along with local umpires and scorers, were all in good condition. The highlights of the men’s final and the results were shown on Shanghai television.
“This is a milestone achieved as this will help to promote cricket in the country,” said Chinese Cricket Association Deputy Secretary General Zhang Tian.
Full postFiji boosted by Singapore camp
THE Fiji Blues men's team will give themselves the best chance for success at World Cricket League Division 6 in September after confirming a one-week camp in Singapore before the tournament.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
THE Fiji Blues men's team will give themselves the best chance for success at World Cricket League Division 6 in September after confirming a one-week camp in Singapore before the tournament.
The 14-man squad, which will be named next week, will get the use of Singapore's state of the art facilities for the camp which includes both turf and synthetic wickets, international-standard grounds and an indoor training venue.
They will also play two warm-up matches against the Singapore A team.
Full postScotland finish top, PNG and Namibia qualify
Afghanistan, Namibia and Papua New Guinea won their games on the final day of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Ireland, to book their place in next year's tournament, which will be played in Queensland, Australia
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Afghanistan, Namibia and Papua New Guinea won their games on the final day of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Ireland, to book their place in next year's tournament, which will be played in Queensland, Australia. Scotland, Nepal and Ireland, who finished at the top of the points table, had already qualified. These six teams will be joined by the ten Full Members at the World Cup.
Full post'Rangers boycott of Counties a disgrace'
Southampton Rangers president Randy Raynor has denied making the “unilateral decision” to exclude his club from this year’s Western Counties competition.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Southampton Rangers president Randy Raynor has denied making the “unilateral decision” to exclude his club from this year’s Western Counties competition.
It is alleged the former fast bowler, who currently serves as vice-president of the Western Counties Cricket Association (WCCA), ordered his players to boycott the series in protest of his association’s decision to play matches at Somerset Cricket Club.
Raynor insists the venue change is “unconstitutional” but has dismissed claims he personally ordered his players not to play in this year’s Western Counties.
He said: “Rangers club met and decided not to play under the grounds of the wrongful venue change.”
Full postCan Uganda become Africa's second-best side?
Sixty years ago, Uganda played their first cricket match
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Sixty years ago, Uganda played their first cricket match. The details of that game have not been archived and records are unclear on whether their opponents were Kenya or Tanganyika. How the country has performed in international cricket since then is also not well documented.
Full postEasy win puts PNG in global Twenty20 playoffs
East Asia-Pacific Division One round-up
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
Papua New Guinea maintained their unbeaten run in the East Asia-Pacific Region Division One Twenty20, beating Vanuatu by a comfortable margin of 58 runs in the final in Port Moresby. The victory books PNG's spot in the Global Division One Twenty20 play-off in the UAE early next year which will determine the two Associate or Affiliates to play in the 12-team World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.
PNG elected to bat and got off to a streaky start when in-form opener Asad Vala was dropped by opposing captain Andrew Mansale early on. Vala, who had 344 runs in the tournament leading up to the final, and partner Tony Ura took advantage of Vanuatu's slip-up, adding 56 off 5.2 overs before Jelany Chilia got Vala to edge to the keeper. Ura stood firm though, putting on 47 runs with Chris Amini , before falling for 48. By then the platform was laid for PNG - with the scoreboard reading 103 for 2 in the 11th over - to push on to a big total. Mahuru Dai and Jason Kila provided the final surge, striking four sixes to carry PNG to 195 for 5 in their 20 overs.
The Vanuatu openers got the chase off to a steady start, but two wickets in the fifth and sixth overs put PNG in front. From there on PNG picked up wickets at regular intervals and kept the batsmen in check. Only Patrick Matautaava was able to inject some much-needed momentum into the Vanuatu innings, striking two fours and three sixes in his 36 off 18 balls. But when he holed out off medium-pacer Joel Tom - who was the pick of the bowlers for PNG, claiming 3 for 31 - in the 19th over, the victory was already beyond Vanuatu.
PNG captain, Rarva Dikana said the win at home, especially in front of the sizeable crowd, was fitting. "It is a huge achievement for the country, especially considering all of the development work going on," he said. "I'm glad we could do this for everyone involved in cricket in PNG."
Ura, who was the second highest-scorer in the tournament behind opening partner Vala, was named Man of the Match. Tom and Matautaava, along with Fiji's Iniasi Cakacaka, were the tournament's top wicket-takers with nine wickets.
Full postIn-form PNG favourites on home soil
The chances for the smaller cricket nations to reach the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka have been reduced now that the tournament will again be a 12-team event rather than 16, but there are still two places up for grabs for Associate and Affiliate
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
The chances for the smaller cricket nations to reach the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka have been reduced now that the tournament will again be a 12-team event rather than 16, but there are still two places up for grabs for Associate and Affiliate nations who are good enough.
Those from the East Asia-Pacific region have reached their final stage of qualifying for the global play-off in UAE early next year. Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, Japan and hosts Papua New Guinea will take part in a four-day event in Port Moresby to determine which team travels to the Middle East.
Papua New Guinea have sped up the rankings in the last 12 months and now sit at No. 19 in the world, but that success brings with it added pressure of being hosts and favourites.
Full postBelgium storm to Division Two title
Belgium 188 for 7 (Shah 58, Iqbal 40, Subhash 3-35) beat Austria 115 (Simpson-Parker 48; Khaliq 4-11) by 73 runs
Sahil Dutta
25-Feb-2013
Belgium 188 for 7 (Shah 58, Iqbal 40, Subhash 3-35) beat Austria 115 (Simpson-Parker 48; Khaliq 4-11) by 73 runs
Hosts Belgium won the final of the ICC European Division 2 Championship at Royal Brussels on Saturday with an emphatic 73-run win against Austria.
They were always in charge after posting 188 for 7, with Nirvam Shah (58) and Amir Iqbal (40) sharing an opening stand of 85. Simon Newport hit a brisk 30 from 15 balls, and Abdul Rehman struck two sixes in his 12-ball 23.
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