Beyond the Test World
Sweden finish unbeaten to reach Division 2
Sweden completed a clean sweep of the ICC Europe Division 3 tournament in Solvenia meaning they progress to the Division 2 event in Belgium next month
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Sweden completed a clean sweep of the ICC Europe Division 3 tournament in Solvenia meaning they progress to the Division 2 event in Belgium next month. Estonia finished second ahead of the hosts.
Sweden were the stand-out team throughout the four-day competition and brushed aside Bulgaria on Saturday who were bowled out for 50 in 12.4 overs as Serge Conein took 4 for 21. Sweden knocked off the runs in just 7.1 overs
Full postSquads named for European Twenty20s
With a new European structure in place this year, Slovenia will host the ICC European Division Three Championship from May 11 to 14
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
With a new European structure in place this year, Slovenia will host the ICC European Division Three Championship from May 11 to 14. The squads for the six teams taking part - Slovenia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Slovenia, Sweden and Turkey - have been finalised and success will bring the prize of a place in the ICC European Division Two tournament in Belgium in June. Beyond that, teams will look to the theoretical prospect of progress to Division One, the global qualifier in the UAE next March, and the World Twenty20 championship itself, to be held in Sri Lanka in 2012.
Hosts Slovenia are unquestionably the most experienced side in the tournament, having taken part in European competitions since 2000. Most recently, they played in the ICC European Division Four of the 50-over championship in Cyprus in 2009, where they finished without a win.
Batsman Tom Furness takes over the captaincy from Mark Oman, and the side will be reinforced by the return of Stephen Mayland, who missed out on the Cyprus event. The squad includes seven Slovenian-born players, including newcomers Blaz Praper and Primoz Pustoslemsek.
Of the remaining sides, Sweden have the best credentials, having finished second to hosts Hellas in the Division Five tournament in Corfu two years ago. Seven of that squad will be in Slovenia, including the leading wicket-taker in Corfu, Afghan-born Azam Khalil, who took 16 wickets at an average of 6.31.
Full postCricket Espana to host national festival
Cricket Espana, in collaboration with the MCC and the ICC, is all set to host a national cricket festival on May 15
Nikita Bastian
25-Feb-2013
Cricket Espana, in collaboration with the MCC and the ICC, is all set to host a national cricket festival on May 15. The festival includes events that will introduce Spanish locals and expats to cricket, through schools, colleges and clubs, and give young enthusiasts a chance to get some coaching and take part in cricket competitions.
Following a visit to La Manga – a five-star sports resort in Murcia – last year, where the MCC played two matches against the Spanish national team, the club decided to fund the festival, along with the ICC. The main events, including a Twenty20 competition, are reportedly scheduled to be held at La Manga.
With its Mediterranean climate, La Manga is used by various professional cricket sides, including English counties, as a training base. The resort also runs junior cricket academies, and has recently had two turf pitches and four full-length nets installed.
Full postOf winning over new fans and a day in the wild
By Andre Leslie
Nikita Bastian
25-Feb-2013
By Andre Leslie
At the halfway mark of the tournament I'd be lying if I said it's been all sweet-smelling roses so far for us [Germany].
Today's match against Botswana ended in a narrow loss – tough to swallow after we put in another fighting performance. After a top effort from our middle order to get us up to 229 from 47 overs, we just didn't put in the performance we wanted in the field. Credit to Botswana, who held their nerve well at the end.
It was nice to be visited by the German Ambassador to Botswana, Annette Guenther, before today's game. She was there at the close of play too. I suspect that – despite our loss – we managed to win over another fan for cricket. The final stages of the game were very tense.
Full postKenya unveil ambitious new domestic structure
Cricket Kenya has announced new 20 and 50-over domestic competitions aimed at bolstering the standard of cricket in the country
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Cricket Kenya has announced new 20 and 50-over domestic competitions aimed at bolstering the standard of cricket in the country. The inclusion of two Ugandan sides in the six-team set-up will also provide a valuable boost to their up-and-coming neighbours.
The gulf between the NPCA league, Kenya's premier competition, and the national side has been a worry for a long time. In 2009 an attempt was made to establish a four-team elite event in both three-day and limited-over formats, but it foundered because of a lack of finance and poor support from players.
The latest initiative will feature four Kenyan sides - two from Nairobi, one each from Coast and Rift Valley - as well as two Ugandan teams. Each side will play ten games over weekends, with a Twenty20 match on a Saturday followed a day later by a 50-over contest. The leading four teams in each event would then progress to play-offs and a final.
Nationally contracted players will be split between sides to ensure a fair balance between the competitors, and Tom Sears, Cricket Kenya's chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo there were also plans to bring in overseas players from the subcontinent. "I believe by bringing in players from abroad we have the best chance of our players improving their game," he said.
Full postWCL Division Seven kicks off in Lobatse
By Andre Leslie
Dustin Silgardo
25-Feb-2013
By Andre Leslie
On Sunday, we had the honour of being part of the first match played on the new pitch at Lobatse, south of Gaborone. It was a really fun day, with plenty of locals coming down and volunteers everywhere making sure things ran smoothly.
Against Japan, our bowlers started really well, but we met a fair bit of resistance from their lower order. It was always to be expected; there's a lot riding on this tournament for the competing nations and every team is sure to have plenty of fight. But thankfully our batters did the job and got us to the target for the loss of just one wicket. It was nice to play a role in that personally.
We also showed a lot of determination in the field against Nigeria today. But, in hindsight, we just simply didn't make enough runs. One hundred and sixty six on the Lobatse pitch wasn't what we had hoped for. In the end, a solid innings from one of their players got them over the line. We had eight of their batsmen out when they passed our score.
Full postGearing up for WCL Division Seven
By Andre Leslie
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
By Andre Leslie
After a 14 hour flight via South Africa, our guys have now well and truly set up camp here in Gaborone, at the Gaborone Sun hotel.
Our cricket season in Germany has only just begun, so we've been thankful for the opportunity to train here for the last two days. Training facilities at the Botswana Cricket Association are great and they are just around the corner. That's a nice change from Berlin, where we have to travel to the outskirts of town to train at the city's only pitch. If and when it's open.
In our final team meeting yesterday we talked through some plans of attack. We all agreed that it's important to get off to a good start in this tournament. We won the first matches of both of our last two campaigns, in Guernsey and Kuwait, and it gave us a real kick start. Just like on those two occasions our aim here in Botswana is to finish first. That's the same for every team here, I'm sure.
Full postHong Kong chief rubbishes corruption reports
Dinesh Tandon, chairman of the Hong Kong Cricket Association, has dismissed suggestions anything untoward occurred during the 2010 Hong Kong Sixes tournament.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Dinesh Tandon, chairman of the Hong Kong Cricket Association, has dismissed suggestions anything untoward occurred during the 2010 Hong Kong Sixes tournament.
Heath Mills, the New Zealand Players' Association CEO, had confirmed reports which claimed New Zealand players reported a suspicious approach at the tournament, but Tandon was confident nothing untoward had happened.
Full postSquads named for Division Seven tournament
The 14-man squads for all six teams competing in the World Cricket League Division Seven tournament have been named
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
The 14-man squads for all six teams competing in the World Cricket League Division Seven tournament have been named. Nigeria, Japan, Norway, Germany, Kuwait and Botswana will take part in the competition, which is being hosted in Botswana in May.
The competition, which runs from May 1 to 8, will be played on three grounds in Gaborone - the two Botswana Cricket Association Ovals and Lobatse Cricket Ground. Three matches will be held per day, one at each ground, with rest days on May 3 and 6. The top two sides from the Division Seven tournament will be promoted to Division Six.
Botswana: Akrum Chand (capt), Karabo Modise, Omar Ali, Tshepo Mhozya, Mosa Gaolekwe, Segolame Ramatu, Karabo Motlhanka, Waseem Tajbhay, Aslam Chand, Denzil Sequeira, James Moses, Faisal Rana Rasheed, Abdul Patel, Noor Ahmad
Germany: Asif Khan (capt), Rana Javed Iqbal, Rajeev Vohra, Ehsaan Latif, Farooq Ahmed, Srinivas Satyanarayana, Milan Fernando, Kashif Halder, Rishi Pillal, Shakeel Hassan, Tarun Rawat, Andre Leslie, Ashwin Prakash, Khalid Butt
Full postUAE secure Division Two title
Half-centuries from Saqib Ali and captain Khurram Khan helped United Arab Emirates to a five-wicket win over Namibia in the final of the ICC World Cricket League Division Two tournament at the Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
Half-centuries from Saqib Ali and captain Khurram Khan helped United Arab Emirates to a five-wicket win over Namibia in the final of the ICC World Cricket League Division Two tournament at the Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Having been set a target by Namibia of 201, the hosts claimed victory after a stand-out performance from Ali who set the side up for victory before captain Khan and Amjad Javed finished proceedings. By virtue of reaching the final UAE and Namibia have now claimed 17th and 18th position in the world rankings.
UAE had been undefeated in the group stages of the event and made a strong start in the final after Namibia had won the toss and opted to bat. Both Namibian openers were removed within the first eight overs, but captain Craig Williams' 58 and contributions from Sarel Burger (42) and Raymond van Schoor helped Namibia reach 200.
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