Beyond the Test World
Cricket's popularity growing in USA
It’s not often that the mainstream US press takes much notice of cricket, but a feature in The New York Times this week bucks the trend
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
It’s not often that the mainstream US press takes much notice of cricket, but a feature in The New York Times this week bucks the trend. Some of the writing is fairly predictable, but it does off a few interesting insights.
The sport of googlies and wickets, of five-day games and breaks for lunch and tea, has gained a toehold in this land of baseball and apple pie. Increasingly, immigrants from countries as diverse as England and Bangladesh are congregating in neighborhood parks, setting up pitches and reconnecting with lands left behind.
The report cites the success of the Atlanta Georgia Cricket Conference, which has has grown to 18 teams:
They don't come close to matching the influx of Latin Americans who have transformed soccer into an leisure-time phenomenon north of the border. But cricket has a strong following among those who emigrated from the former British Empire to the ex-colony that came up with its own bat-and-ball game.
New-look Intercontinental Cup schedule announced
The fixtures for the first half of the 2007-08 Intercontinental Cup have been released by the ICC.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The fixtures for the first half of the 2007-08 Intercontinental Cup have been released by the ICC.
The tournament undergoes a change of format once again, with the group stages scrapped and a round-robin system introduced. This will mean that the eight participants play seven matches after the two-year span of the competition.
The event kicks off on June 28 when Canada, who meet Ireland in the final of the 2006-07 tournament at Leicester between May 22 and 25, meet Netherlands in Toronto.
Scotland play back-to-back matches against Ireland and Netherlands at the start of August, while Bermuda will be in Europe to take on the same opponents at the end of the month.
Full postOsinde into Canada squad
Henry Osinde will replace Ashish Patel in Canada's squad for the Intercontinental Cup final against Ireland next month
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Henry Osinde will replace Ashish Patel in Canada's squad for the Intercontinental Cup final against Ireland next month. Patel could not get time off work according to the CCA website.
Full postEast Asia Pacific U-19 qualifier dates announced
The ICC East Asia - Pacific (EAP) office have confirmed the dates for the 2007 ICC EAP U-19 World Cup Qualifier hosted by Vanuatu Cricket Association in Port Vila
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The ICC East Asia - Pacific (EAP) office have confirmed the dates for the 2007 ICC EAP U-19 World Cup Qualifier hosted by Vanuatu Cricket Association in Port Vila. The tournament will take place from July 17 to 24, 2007.
Confirmed countries participating in this tournament are Fiji, Japan, Papua New Guinea and tournament hosts Vanuatu, with the winner earning direct entry to the 2008 Under-19 World Cup.
ICC EAP Regional Development Manager, Mr Matt Weisheit reported "We are delighted that Vanuatu will be hosting this significant ICC East Asia - Pacific U-19 tournament in July 2007. For Vanuatu, this follows the successful staging of the 2005 EAP Cricket Cup tournament and we see this tournament as building on the progress Vanuatu is making in terms of cricket development both on and off the field.
"With the winner of this EAP tournament progressing directly to the U19 Cricket World Cup means that this will be a hotly contested tournament. The lure of participating in a World Cup will provide significant motivation for the Countries involved and as such this is one of the major tournaments on the 2007 EAP Cricket Calendar".
Full postIreland plan to build on their success
Buoyed by their success in the World Cup, Ireland are preparing to ask the ICC for financial help to take the game forward.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Buoyed by their success in the World Cup, Ireland are preparing to ask the ICC for financial help to take the game forward.
Ireland beat Pakistan to reach the Super Eights, and added a victory over another Test side - Bangladesh - to their list of victims in the second round. Now Warren Deutrom, the Irish Cricket Union's CEO, has said he will be looking to the ICC for support.
The top six Associates - including Ireland - receive an annual High Performance grant of around £125,000 from the ICC as well as the same allowance of £70,000 paid to all Associate members. That aside, all money to run the sport has to come from sponsors and other fund-raising events.
"I shall certainly not be backward in asking ICC in what ways it might assist in ensuring that Ireland's performance curve improves consistently over the next few years," Deutrom told Reuters. "This would be in the same way the ICC pumped in significant funding to both the USA and Kenya to move forward. After all, it's what the HPP is for."
Full postKenyans kick off with four-wicket defeat
Westerns 201 (Williams 59, Varaiya 3-44, Obuya 3-45) and 175 for 6 (Coventry 76) need beat Kenya Select 218 (Mishra 89, Mupariwa 4-27, Dabengwa 4-45) and 158 (Dabengwa 4-39) by four wickets Scorecard
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Westerns 201 (Williams 59, Varaiya 3-44, Obuya 3-45) and 175 for 6 (Coventry 76) need beat Kenya Select 218 (Mishra 89, Mupariwa 4-27, Dabengwa 4-45) and 158 (Dabengwa 4-39) by four wickets
Scorecard
Scorecard
We hope to have a report from this match shortly.
ICC pleasantly encouraged by Jersey facilities
Matthew Kennedy, the ICC's Global development manager, has been “blown away” by the facilities of the Jersey Cricket Board, following a recent inspection of the country with Laurie Peters, a member of the ICC executive committee
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Matthew Kennedy, the ICC's Global development manager, has been “blown away” by the facilities of the Jersey Cricket Board, following a recent inspection of the country with Laurie Peters, a member of the ICC executive committee.
'Our role is to provide a report for the 32 Associate members for them to discuss the information and it is up to them to make the recommendation to the annual conference in June,” he told the Jersey Evening Post. “We have been blown away by the facilities in Jersey, you have some wonderful facilities here and we will be reporting that.
“One of the most important things in cricket development is not just on-field teams but off-field teams too - and you certainly seem to have an off-team with a great band of administrators who have good plans and good strategy,” he said. “The next step for Jersey is the ICC development meeting in Dubai on 6 and 7 May. That meeting comprises one representative from each the five regions - Europe, East Asia Pacific, Africa, the Americas and Asia.”
Read the full story here.
Full postResignations, recriminations and silence
It is almost two months since the USA Cricket Association was suspended by the ICC and, as is so often the case in the USA, no information has been made available to the public.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
It is almost two months since the USA Cricket Association was suspended by the ICC and, as is so often the case in the USA, no information has been made available to the public.
The association's website, the only source of official news, has not been updated in more than two months and makes no mention of the ICC's decision. Cricinfo has asked senior USACA officials to comment but none have replied to such requests.
So far little seems to have moved. The USACA apperas to have done nothing on moving ahead with the ratifying of the constitution - it has to name an independent audit group that is acceptable to all stakeholders, and with the authority to have its rulings accepted by all participants in the ratification and subsequent election process.
This independent audit group is to be approved by the West Indies Cricket Board, who the ICC have asked to oversee developments in the US. So far, no such group has been proposed, let alone accepted. Opponents of the association say it appears inclined to let the matter ride for as long as it can get away with it.
Full postGrace Road to host Intercontinental Cup final
The ICC has announced that the final of the Intercontinental Cup between Canada and Ireland will be held at Grace Road, Leicester between May 22 and 25.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The ICC has announced that the final of the Intercontinental Cup between Canada and Ireland will be held at Grace Road, Leicester between May 22 and 25.
The County Ground at Chelmsford had originally been earmarked to stage the game, but negotiations between Essex and the ICC broke down earlier in the month.
Full postGambia to host Championships
The Gambia will host the North-West African Cricket Championship between May 11 to May 18
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The Gambia will host the North-West African Cricket Championship between May 11 to May 18. Six countries - Mali, Morocco, Sierra-Leone, Nigeria, Ghana and the Gambia - are expected to take part in the championship which will be the first of its kind on the continent.
Full post