Beyond the Test World
WCL Division 2 to kick off April 8
The ICC World Cricket League Division 2 (WCL Div 2) will feature six teams that will play each other once each, with the top two teams qualifying for the final
Tariq Engineer
25-Feb-2013
The ICC World Cricket League Division 2 (WCL Div 2) will feature six teams that will play each other once each, with the top two teams qualifying for the final. The tournament will be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, next month.
The six teams represent Uganda, Namibia, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bermuda, and will contest the league from April 8 to April 15. The top four sides will be eligible to receive dedicated ICC High Performance Grants, and two of the top four, as determined by the ICC Development Committee, will join the eight-team ICC Intercontinental Cup that will commence later in 2011.
The sides that finish fifth and sixth will be relegated to Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 3.
The games for the tournament will be spread across three grounds– Dubai Sports City Stadium (DSC) and the two ICC Global Cricket Academy Ovals (GCA 1 and 2) in Dubai Sports City.
Full postBorren and Barresi given full contracts
Netherlands captain Peter Borren and allrounder Wesley Barresi have been given full-time contracts by the Dutch board for 2011
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Netherlands captain Peter Borren and allrounder Wesley Barresi have been given full-time contracts by the Dutch board for 2011. Another 16 players are on incremental deals as Netherlands prepare for a busy year which has started with the current World Cup and includes qualifying for the next global T20 event.
Borren, 27, is set to lead Netherlands against England in their opening World Cup match on Tuesday while Barresi is a highly-rated top-order batsman. Netherlands' professional players - Ryan ten Doeschate, Tom Cooper and Alexi Kervezee - have been offered joint-professional contracts alongside their county and state deals.
Tim Gruijters, the 19-year-old allrounder, will be added to the incremental list once he completes his recovery from a back injury while seam bowler Ruud Nijman, another injured player, has decided to take time away from international cricket to recover.
"On the eve of such a big series of matches in the World Cup and the forthcoming summer season we are delighted that all of the players are secured for the 2011programme of World Cup, CB40 matches and other international cricket," Richard Cox, the Dutch CEO, said. "There is a lot of ongoing speculation at present as to the future format of cricket for the Associate members and the number of incremental contracts represents our commitment to the programme in this interim period."
Full postHong Kong take Division Three title
Mark Chapman's half-century powered Hong Kong to a four-wicket win over Papua New Guinea in the final of the ICC World Cricket League Division Three, at the Kowloon Cricket Club
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
Mark Chapman's half-century powered Hong Kong to a four-wicket win over Papua New Guinea in the final of the ICC World Cricket League Division Three, at the Kowloon Cricket Club. The 16-year-old Chapman's unbeaten 70 anchored Hong Kong's chase after their bowlers, led by Najeeb Amar, restricted PNG to 202 for 9.
PNG chose to bat and got off to a steady start with their openers Tony Ura and Jack Vare putting on 77 runs in just under 21 overs. Amar picked up the first of his three wickets when he dismissed Ura for 51. Asad Vala was run out in the next over but Vare and Chris Amini batted solidly for a half-century stand to take PNG to 133 for 2. Aizaz Khan picked up Vare for 48 and the dismissal, in the 37th over, triggered a collapse. Nizakat Khan dismissed Kila Pala and Christopher Kent in the 38th over, and the slide continued as PNG lost seven wickets for 69 runs. Amini fell on the penultimate ball of the innings as PNG just managed to nudge past 200.
PNG needed a strong reply from their bowlers if they were to have any chances of defending their total. Hitolo Areni provided the first breakthrough when he had Courtney Kruger lbw in the sixth over. Roy Lamsam and Hussain Butt, who made a half-century when Hong King beat PNG in their final league game, batted solidly but Rarva Dikana struck to dismiss both of them in quick succession as Hong King looked in trouble at 60 for 3. However, Chapman played a determined knock, stringing together useful partnerships with Irfan Ahmed, Nizakat and Waqas Barkat, to wrest the advantage in Hong King's favour. Najeeb hit some big shots as his unbeaten 37-run partnership with Chapman carried Hong Kong home. Chapman was declared the Man of the Match.
Full postUSACA continues to stay silent
It is now more than two months since Don Lockerbie was dismissed as chief executive of the USA Cricket Association and still no details have been revealed about the reasons for the decision nor what steps are being taken to find a replacement.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
It is now more than two months since Don Lockerbie was dismissed as chief executive of the USA Cricket Association and still no details have been revealed about the reasons for the decision nor what steps are being taken to find a replacement.
As those who have followed US cricket have come to expect, Gladstone Dainty, the board's president, has resumed his favourite approach to communications, namely a complete wall of silence. Minutes for its board meetings, which for a time were posted on the site, have stopped being published, and no officials are willing to answer questions. USACA has scuttled back into its shell.
Insiders hint one of the reasons is that discussions between Lockerbie and USACA regarding the termination of his contract are ongoing and until those are resolved there can be no announcement.
But for the time being it’s Groundhog Day as US cricket is taken back to the dark period three or four years ago.
Full postHong Kong through to World Cricket League finals
Hong Kong beat table-toppers Papua New Guinea by 93 runs at the Hong King Cricket Club to qualify for Friday's final in the ICC World Cricket League Division Three, where they will play PNG again
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Hong Kong beat table-toppers Papua New Guinea by 93 runs at the Hong King Cricket Club to qualify for Friday's final in the ICC World Cricket League Division Three, where they will play PNG again. Hong Kong's win also mean they are guaranteed promotion to WCL Div. 2.
PNG, who chose to field, had Hong Kong in trouble early on as Rarva Dikana and Hitolo Areni picked up three wickets to reduce Hong Kong to 39 for 3 in the 11th over. However, Hussain Butt, who top-scored with 68 was involved in two crucial 40-plus stands with Irfan Ahmed (25) and Nizakat Khan (36) to take Hong Kong past 100. Areni struck to dismiss Nizakat and Waqas Barkat in quick succession but Butt and captain Najeeb Amar put on 53 runs in just under 10 overs to get the Hong Kong innings back on track. Butt was dismissed with the score on 196 but Nadeem Ahmed hit some big shots to take Hong King to 221 before they were bowled out.
Hong Kong's bowlers then defended the total, bowling PNG out cheaply. Tony Ura and Kila Pala were the only two batsmen who managed to get past 20, as PNG failed to string together any substantial partnerships and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Nadeem picked up three wickets as PNG were bowled out for 128 in just under 48 overs.
Two aggressive half-centuries from Hemin Desai and Vaibhav Wategaonkar carried Oman to a commanding four-wicket win over Denmark at the Kowloon Cricket Club, but it was not enough to allow Oman to qualify for the final.
Full postPapua New Guinea destroy USA
Papua New Guinea rolled United States of America over by seven wickets, with 44 overs to spare, in one of the most one-sided games in the tournament at the Hong Kong Cricket Club
Sahil Dutta
25-Feb-2013
Papua New Guinea rolled United States of America over by seven wickets, with 44 overs to spare, in one of the most one-sided games in the tournament at the Hong Kong Cricket Club. PNG won the toss and had USA on the mat immediately, with Hitolo Areni sending Lennox Cush back for a duck. Steve Massiah seemed to be at ease with the conditions, stroking four boundaries in his 18, but things were about to fall apart spectacularly. Carl Wright succumbed against opening bowler Loa Nou, before Areni sent messiah back to reduce USA to 25 for 3. Six of the remaining eight batsmen failed to open their accounts as USA crumbled from a precarious 37 for 4 in bizarre fashion, to be bowled out for 44 in the 21st over. Seamer Rarva Dikana was the main tormentor, finishing with dream figures of 4 for 1 from 4.2 overs. PNG were in a rush to end the game, lashing boundaries and losing wickets, before Christopher Kent hit two sixes to seal PNG's third win in three games.
"We didn't expect to bowl the USA out so cheaply this morning and all credit has to go to our bowlers and the way they performed today," captain Dikana said after the game. "I don't think the USA batsmen played badly, I just think they didn't know how to read our bowlers and our fielding was particularly strong.
"A win is a win for us, but I would have liked it if we hadn't lost those three wickets to make it to the target. However, by losing those three wickets it means those batsmen have something to focus on in our next game - by improving their performances for us. We can't rest on our laurels though, we've another match tomorrow and we've got to focus on our own game and be ready for the next challenge."
Full postMassiah, Areni light up first day
United States of America got their Division Three campaign off to a winning start, a dominant batting performance sealing a seven-wicket win over hosts Hong Kong at Kowloon Cricket Club .
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
United States of America got their Division Three campaign off to a winning start, a dominant batting performance sealing a seven-wicket win over hosts Hong Kong at Kowloon Cricket Club.
USA captain Steve Massiah was the chief architect of their win, contributing to his team's efforts at crucial times. His first success was to call correctly at the toss on a cold, grey morning. Seamer Kevin Darlington struck twice in his opening spell, removing Courtney Kruger and Hussain Butt inside the first 10 overs.
After a brief rally, 16-year-old Mark Chapman and Irfan Ahmed departed to leave Hong Kong tottering at 59 for 4 before opener Roy Lamsam and Nizakat Khan repaired the damage with a 99-run stand. Enter Massiah, swooping to run Lamsam out for 83. Despite a flurry of wickets, Hong Kong captain Najeeb Amar defied the Americans with a no-holds-barred 63 that included six sixes and carried his side to a competitive 256 for 9.
Full postSubash Modi to be umpiring consultant
Subash Modi, who recently retired from international umpiring, has been engaged by the ICC Africa regional office as an umpiring consultant until at least December 2012
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
Subash Modi, who recently retired from international umpiring, has been engaged by the ICC Africa regional office as an umpiring consultant until at least December 2012. Modi joined the Associate and Affiliate panel of umpires in 2006 and remains extensively involved in Kenya’s umpiring structures.
"It would be foolhardy for the ICC Africa region not to utilise the experience and knowledge of this wonderful umpire,” said Africa regional development manager Cassim Suliman. “We are hoping that Modi will be able to play a dual role in the Africa region, firstly as a match referee who will be able to pass on his immense amount of umpiring knowledge to the tournament umpires as well as ensuring the smooth running of the regional pathway tournaments.
“The second roll would be one as an umpire mentor. We hope that he'd be able to facilitate umpire development within the African continent. This should be through conducting regular umpire training courses in the Africa region as well as a continual monitoring of the ICC Africa A, B and emerging panels."
"I have enjoyed being in the panel from 2006 until now and am most grateful to ICC, ICC Africa, Africa Cricket Association and Cricket Kenya for all the valuable support and encouragement,” wrote Modi in his resignation letter. “I have enjoyed my involvement and experience of umpiring at the top level of the noble game. I have been sharing and will continue sharing my umpiring knowledge with the Kenya and regional umpires."
Full postCricket continues to develop in Rwanda
The Rwanda Cricket Association (RCA) marked the 10-year anniversary of its inception with a gala dinner to raise funds for a new cricket ground
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
The Rwanda Cricket Association (RCA) marked the 10-year anniversary of its inception with a gala dinner to raise funds for a new cricket ground. At the event, the Minister of Sport pledged that the government would support the endeavour to create a ground that could attract international matches to the country.
“We are all very proud of this accomplishment and we are grateful to our supporters who helped us get here,” said RCA president Charles Haba. “A decade after its founding, the Rwanda Cricket Association now boasts of over 1000 registered cricket players and 11 competitive clubs.”
He added that the progress of the development program has been very encouraging and pointed out that there are more than 15 secondary schools playing cricket, more tournaments being arranged and a tremendous improvement in the quality of cricket being played.
Rwanda’s main cricket ground at Kicukiro is undergoing a major facelift and Haba also strongly hinted that RCA was looking to expand its programmes.
Full postUSA, Hong Kong confident ahead off WCL Division 3
USA captain Steve Massiah believes his side's early arrival in Hong Kong for the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 tournament will help them gain promotion to Division 2
Dustin Silgardo
25-Feb-2013
USA captain Steve Massiah believes his side's early arrival in Hong Kong for the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 tournament will help them gain promotion to Division 2. USA, who were in Division 5 at the beginning of 2010, will arrive in Hong Kong on January 15, and will play two practice games before the tournament starts on January 22.
"It's tough for us to get together ahead of the tournament with people spread out across the country, but we've all got training schedules to stick to and we will all definitely have the fitness levels needed ahead of the tournament," Massiah told the ICC.
The hosts Hong Kong's biggest advantage is that they have played plenty of cricket leading up to the tournament, their coach Charlie Burke said.
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