Beyond the Test World
Floodlit cricket arrives in Kenya
The first floodlit game of cricket in Kenya took place at Mombasa’s Jaffery Sports Club on October 7 where the club has installed new floodlights.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The first floodlit game of cricket in Kenya took place at Mombasa’s Jaffery Sports Club on October 7 where the club has installed new floodlights.
"The club can now be the first at the coast to offer such unique facilities of night cricket and football in addition to the floodlight tennis and volleyball courts,” said a spokesman.
Full postBermuda on World Cup standby
Bermuda is on stand-by as a possible World Cup host nation if any one of the seven venues which have been allocated matches fail to sign onto the Sunset Legislation by November 1.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Bermuda is on stand-by as a possible World Cup host nation if any one of the seven venues which have been allocated matches fail to sign onto the Sunset Legislation by November 1.
Chris Dehring, chief executive officer and managing director of the tournament, said countries that failed to approve the legislation - which also covers the sale and distribution of tickets and the broadcast of tournament play - would risk losing their matches to stand-by islands such as Bermuda.
Full postMore board bashing from a familar direction
Once again, the Nation’s Chris Tsuma has used his newspaper to continue his vendetta against the board of Cricket Kenya
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Once again, the Nation’s Chris Tsuma has used his newspaper to continue his vendetta against the board of Cricket Kenya. A fortnight ago we highlighted a number of instances where the paper carried slanted reports about the board, and Tsuma, whose reaction to cricticism is well documented, is back.
On Monday, he quoted Roger Harper, Kenya’s coach, who made some fair observations of the state of the domestic game. But Tsuma, who it should be stressed has made no attempt to contact Samir Inamdar, Cricket Kenya’s chairman, for his side of the story, really warmed to his task on Tuesday.
“Despite pre-election pronouncements to the contrary by the Cricket Kenya incumbents, the board has yet to do anything to improve the quality of domestic competition or start a national competition in any forms of the game,” Tsuma wrote.
For the umpteenth time – and it really happens too often for it to be an oversight – Tsuma chooses to ignore the fact that the Kenyan Cricket Association, the predecessors of the current board, left a legacy of debts totaling $500,000, no sponsors, and a sport so sullied that no commercial entities would touch it. Against this backdrop, it is trying to rebuild while existing on an annual grant of $70,000 from the ICC.
Full postChina crisis
Less than a month after the ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed described China as the sport's biggest growth market, the cricket photographer Graham Morris was refused a visa to enter the country.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Less than a month after the ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed described China as the sport's biggest growth market, the cricket photographer Graham Morris was refused a visa to enter the country.
Morris was asked to travel with MCC to record their first tour of China at the end of September. He was planning to work on the first leg only, to Beijing, host city for the 2008 Olympics. MCC applied for the visa on Morris's behalf nine days before the tour party left, sending his application with those for the rest of the members of the tour party - players, umpires and management. The Chinese government told MCC that, because of his role as a photographer, they would have to refer his application to administration in Beijing, which would take more than nine days. All other applications were successful.
"I have absolutely no idea why they wouldn't let me into the country," says Morris. "The most controversial photo I would have taken would have been the MCC team sitting on the Great Wall of China."
Full postBermuda run out of time for O'Brien
Controversial pace bowler George O'Brien has been axed from Bermuda's cricket squad because of "poor effort"
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Controversial pace bowler George O'Brien has been axed from Bermuda's cricket squad because of "poor effort". Although O'Brien is one of the most naturally gifted bowlers on the island, he was given the chop by the BCB because of concerns about his attitude and commitment.
National coach Gus Logie described the situation as 'unfortunate' but he said there was only so much leeway that could be given to any player - regardless of talent.
Click here for more from the Bermuda Sun.
Full postDurham's action cleared by ICC
Hasan Durham’s World Cup dream is still alive after it was revealed that in-depth tests of his bowling action passed his action as being within the ICC regulations.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Hasan Durham’s World Cup dream is still alive after it was revealed that in-depth tests of his bowling action passed his action as being within the ICC regulations.
Durham, a veteran left arm spinner who is seen as a key element in Bermuda’s spin attack along with Dwayne Leverock and Delyone Borden, was reported to the ICC in August after Bermuda’s opening Americas Championship game against Canada in Toronto, when umpires Ian Gould from England and Bermuda’s Roger Dill had suspicions that all was not right.
As a result, Durham flew to fly to the UK last month, where ICC-sanctioned bio-mechanics experts filmed his action from a variety of angles to determine whether he straightened his arm beyond the 15 degrees of flex allowed under the law.
A statement released by the BCB said the testing had shown Durham’s action to be “within the ICC level of tolerance”, allowing him to “resume bowling in international cricket immediately”.
Full postGovernment to intervene in player dispute
Bermuda’s government could be forced to intervene to help resolve the nearly month-long contract dispute involving Bermuda Cricket Board and national team cricketers, according to The Royal Gazette .
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Bermuda’s government could be forced to intervene to help resolve the nearly month-long contract dispute involving Bermuda Cricket Board and national team cricketers, according to The Royal Gazette.
Hours after the players rejected the Board's latest contract proposal, Sports Minister Dale Butler said his ministry was now prepared to put its foot down and resolve the ongoing dispute which threatens to put a damper on the Island's 2007 World Cup plans.
"I am extremely disappointed to learn about this impasse and our ministry stands ready to resolve the issue. There is a great deal at stake and we want our players to do well," Butler said.
Full postIt’s time Uganda styled up
The Uganda national cricket team’s latest performance will go down in folklore as the worst display ever
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The Uganda national cricket team’s latest performance will go down in folklore as the worst display ever. The game plan against Kenya was pretty straightforward; go out onto the oval, restrict the Kenyans to a chasable score, then come on chase and pile up the runs. But just like the angel of death who plucks out the heart of our loved ones, Kenya under the stewardship of Steve Tikolo tore Uganda’s script to shreds, and maybe the morale of the few fans who endured six, no five and half agonizing days in Lugogo.
Series Whitewash!
First was the three-day whitewash, where Uganda failed to even score half of Kenya’s total runs on any given day. The ODIs were misery the three-day was beyond misery. Many a fan walked away in disgust. Uganda’s batting problems stand out like spilled gravy on a white sheet, but there are far more underlying problems beyond that oval boundary. Uganda’s cricket has been a success in many aspects, especially the Schools Development Programme (SDP), but in life, there is such a thing as moving on. UCA needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Inside that metallic container, their excuse for an office, a lot of mismanagement is going on, and this has trickled down to the oval.
First was the three-day whitewash, where Uganda failed to even score half of Kenya’s total runs on any given day. The ODIs were misery the three-day was beyond misery. Many a fan walked away in disgust. Uganda’s batting problems stand out like spilled gravy on a white sheet, but there are far more underlying problems beyond that oval boundary. Uganda’s cricket has been a success in many aspects, especially the Schools Development Programme (SDP), but in life, there is such a thing as moving on. UCA needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Inside that metallic container, their excuse for an office, a lot of mismanagement is going on, and this has trickled down to the oval.
UCA squabbles
Forget the media hullabaloo that cricket is the best run organisation with flawless accountability and reasonable allocation of funds. UCA officials openly mismanage funds; fight for trips, neglect work, and so on. Those problems have to be tackled head on. Ironically, inside that container is a poster of Sachin Tendulkar hitting corruption for six. The words, “lets hit corruption out of cricket.” One can only wonder how much UCA has walked the talk.
Forget the media hullabaloo that cricket is the best run organisation with flawless accountability and reasonable allocation of funds. UCA officials openly mismanage funds; fight for trips, neglect work, and so on. Those problems have to be tackled head on. Ironically, inside that container is a poster of Sachin Tendulkar hitting corruption for six. The words, “lets hit corruption out of cricket.” One can only wonder how much UCA has walked the talk.
ICC grant!
Certainly the funds UCA receives are not enough, its officials will argue, but if that little were put to its proper use, the results would be as evident as Uganda’s attempt at chasing 200 runs. The national team’s progress on the international circuit is the only way UCA will be able to get more money in their confers in terms of grants and loans.
Full postCertainly the funds UCA receives are not enough, its officials will argue, but if that little were put to its proper use, the results would be as evident as Uganda’s attempt at chasing 200 runs. The national team’s progress on the international circuit is the only way UCA will be able to get more money in their confers in terms of grants and loans.
Canada's Winter Training squad announced
The Canadian Cricket Association national selectors have named their 30-man winter training squad
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The Canadian Cricket Association national selectors have named their 30-man winter training squad. This pool will be used to select the playing squads for the tours to South Africa, later this year, and Kenya, early next year. These tours set the stage for next year’s Cricket World Cup in the West Indies. Accordingly, the tours focus on One-Day International matches.
The players will undergo fitness and training programs that have been prepared by National Coach Andy Pick. The nucleus of the squad is from Ontario but includes players from British Columbia, Quebec and Alberta. There is a base of veteran players and others who made their mark with the national team this summer. Six others come into the squad.
The veteran base includes players such as John Davison, Ian Billcliff and George Codrington. It also has the opening bowling pairing of Henry Osinde and Umar Bhatti, commonly regarded as the best opening bowing pair within the ICC Associates. Geoff Barnett, Abdool Samad and Jyoti.
The highlight of the Kenyan trip is the inaugural ICC World Cricket League Division 1. The participants are Kenya, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Bermuda and The Netherlands.
The South African trip includes the 4-day ICC Intercontinental Cup match with the Netherlands. Canada has an excellent chance of winning their group, which would see the team reach the final.
Full postA new hope for the USA
The USA Cricket Association executive meeting in Florida on Saturday (October 7) is set to unveil an ambitious new partnership with an international sports marketing company.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The USA Cricket Association executive meeting in Florida on Saturday (October 7) is set to unveil an ambitious new partnership with an international sports marketing company.
The USACA is likely to enter into a joint venture with the company, and this body will be responsible for a number of aspects of cricket in the USA.
Full postMost Read
Writers