Beyond the Test World
Cricket unites children in the Middle East
The Israel Cricket Association (ICA) plans to conduct a unique cricket clinic with children from the Palestine Authority as part of a peace initiative for the region over this weekend.
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
The Israel Cricket Association (ICA) plans to conduct a unique cricket clinic with children from the Palestine Authority as part of a peace initiative for the region over this weekend.
ICA president Stanley Perlman’s dream of seeing Palestine kids playing with Israeli counterparts will come true this Sunday. The clinic will take place in Beersheba, which is located south-east of the Israeli capital city of Tel Aviv.
This is the first attempt to bring children from both sides together and it will all happen in conjunction with the Peres Peace Centre, run under the name of Israel president Shimon Peres.
Peres Peace Centre conducts similar clinics with football and basketball. This is a first with cricket.
“The plan is to link the Palestinians and Israelis through cricket. An anonymous donor from London who is a Jewish businessman is putting in a fair sum of money as part of the first year’s activities. The Peres Peace Centre will play a part for this. They can also get the necessary security clearances to get the Palestine kids over," Perlman said.
Full postChris Douglas quits Bermuda side
Bermuda have been hit by the shock retirement of batsman Chris Douglas after an apparent falling out with the national coach David Moore according to the Royal Gazette newspaper.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Bermuda have been hit by the shock retirement of batsman Chris Douglas after an apparent falling out with the national coach David Moore according to the Royal Gazette newspaper.
Douglas, a 21-year-old left hander, reportedly told Moore on Friday that he was leaving the international game and the newspaper suggests there had been signs of a clash between him and the coach for some time.
Moore, an Australian who was a former coach of West Indies, had a strong fitness ethic which Douglas doesn't appear to have accepted as part of the game. Douglas's departure is a blow for Bermuda who are set to tour Dubai at the end of the year followed by World Cricket League Division 2 in April. The WCL event has grown in importance because the top two teams will take part in the expanded eight-team ICC Intercontinental Cup next year.
However, it isn't the first time Douglas has struggled to adapt to the demands of professional sport. Earlier this year he was left out of Bermuda's squad to play in the ICC America's tournament only to appear in club cricket three days later.
Full postICC Intercontinental plans bode well for the future
Despite unfounded scaremongering among some sections of the media, the ICC has announced details of the sixth staging of the Intercontinental Cup , running from May 2011 through to December 2012.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Despite unfounded scaremongering among some sections of the media, the ICC has announced details of the sixth staging of the Intercontinental Cup, running from May 2011 through to December 2012.
As expected, Zimbabwe will not field a side – its participation in the just-completed tournament was of mixed benefit, finishing in farce when they forfeited their final match against Scotland.
The promotion from the World Cricket League into the Intercontinental Cup is a welcome move, allowing a chance for any team to rise through the ranks as Afghanistan have done with such great success.
The one casualty is the Intercontinental Shield, but few outside holders Namibia will mourn its demise. Such was the event’s profile, it is unlikely if most people even knew of its existence.
Full postWilliams takes Namibia to title
Namibia captain Craig Williams hit his second century of the match to claim the Intercontinental Shield with a six-wicket victory against UAE
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Namibia captain Craig Williams hit his second century of the match to claim the Intercontinental Shield with a six-wicket victory against UAE. Williams ended unbeaten on 113 as Namibia knocked off the 187 needed despite a few early alarms and a determined hundred from Saqib Ali who ended undefeated on 160.
Ali began the day on 109 and the last two wicket added a further 24 runs before Louis Klazinga ended the innings to finish with 3 for 98. It left Namibia plenty of time to hunt down the runs, but they didn't make an easy start as Amjad Javed gave them some scares with the new ball.
He bowled both Raymond van Schoor and Sarel Burger to leave Namibia 27 for 2. However, a brisk stand of 52 between Williams and Ewald Steenkamp (35) settled their nerves before Javed struck again to have Steenkamp lbw. That, though, was the last time UAE were in the contest as Williams took charge with a commanding display as he scored at more than a run-a-ball and collected 15 fours alongside two sixes.
Full postAfghanistan claim Intercontinental Cup title
Afghanistan's rise through the cricket world continued they secured the Intercontinental Cup in their first year of participation with a commanding seven-wicket victory against Scotland in Dubai
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Afghanistan's rise through the cricket world continued they secured the Intercontinental Cup in their first year of participation with a commanding seven-wicket victory against Scotland in Dubai. Mohammad Shahzad guided the pursuit of 124 with an unbeaten 56 after Scotland had been skittled for 82.
Scotland were facing an uphill battle at the start of the third day when they resumed on 64 for 6 and the lower order couldn't turn around their fortunes. The innings last just a further eight overs with Mirwais Ashraf claiming three quick wickets and Hamid Hassan completed a match-haul of eight when he removed Richie Berrington.
Karim Sadiq fell early in the chase, but Scotland needed more than one breakthrough to give Afghanistan a scare. Shahzad and Shabir Noori (35) added a brisk 55 to ease any tension in the dressing room. When Noori was caught behind, Narwoz Mangal hit four boundaries to take Afghanistan to the brink of victory.
Full postBig ideas, little results
The USA Cricket Association's recently ousted chief executive Don Lockerbie set his sights too high and lost sight of the most important objectives.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The USA Cricket Association's recently ousted chief executive Don Lockerbie set his sights too high and lost sight of the most important objectives.
If you're going to talk the talk, you'd better walk the walk too, and there was nothing that Lockerbie loved more than talking about bringing big sponsors and big money to US cricket. He would name-drop from his Rolodex of contacts at will, as if all he had to do was snap his fingers to get his choice of sponsors lining up outside his office door. Lockerbie was like Jimmy Stewart from It's A Wonderful Life, gazing into the eyes of USA cricket players, fans and administrators, wooing them by telling them that if they wanted the moon, "just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down".
Lockerbie certainly was reaching for the moon when he declared that a US$10 million annual budget was the minimum amount he needed to make the United States competitive in world cricket. That's a big step up for an organisation whose annual budget has typically ranged from $200,000-$400,000 in ICC grants, not to mention the fact that USACA never demonstrated sound fiscal management with those meagre resources in the past. Imagine Manny Pacquiao trying to go from featherweight to heavyweight in the span of two fights and picture what the result would be.
Instead of trying to build by attracting stepping stone, incremental sponsorships like Japan, Canada, or Ireland had successfully done, it appeared that Lockerbie's strategy was all or nothing. It wasn't worth his time to negotiate a three-year $650,000 deal like Cricket Canada had done with Scotiabank in 2008, or the three-year deal they signed in November with Reebok. RSA Insurance's sponsorship of Ireland, including a €100,000 boost before the World Twenty20 in April, was chump change. Such hubris contributed to Lockerbie's downfall. He didn't just want millions. He wanted tens of millions, and wound up getting nothing.
Full postIreland-England tickets available
Tickets are now available for Ireland's one-day international against England in Dublin on August 25
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Tickets are now available for Ireland's one-day international against England in Dublin on August 25. Adult prices are 40 Euros and under-16s can watch the action for 14 Euros and can be purchased from December 4.
t will be the first time the sides face each other in Dublin, although the teams have played twice in Belfast, and also in both the 50- and 20-over World Cups in West Indies. They are also due to meet each other in March during the 2011 World Cup In India.
Warren Deutrom, the Cricket Ireland CEO, said: "Following the huge success of the RSA Challenge between Ireland and Australia back in June, we hope that Ireland playing England in Dublin will continue to raise the growing profile of cricket in this country, and that the Irish public will get behind our boys as they challenge one of the world’s great cricket teams, in what is certain to be a fantastic cricketing occasion.”
For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.ticketmaster.ie.
Full postWe need exposure against the top teams
While the excitement of our Asian Games campaign won’t be forgotten in a hurry, we are all looking forward to our latest challenge, which is to win the ICC Intercontinental Cup against Scotland this week in Dubai
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
Hamid Hassan
What a year it has been for Afghanistan cricket! Winning the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in Dubai in February was a moment I will never forget; having the chance to play India and South Africa at the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean was amazing and beating Pakistan at the Asian Games and securing a silver medal was one of the greatest moments of my career.
Obviously it would have been nice to have won gold but the fact that we pushed Bangladesh so close, particularly a strong team led by somebody as accomplished as Mohammad Ashraful, showed that we deserve a chance to play against the big teams on a more regular basis. We need exposure against some of the top ODI nations if we are to improve, and that is my main wish for 2011.
While the excitement of our Asian Games campaign won’t be forgotten in a hurry, we are all looking forward to our latest challenge, which is to win the ICC Intercontinental Cup against Scotland this week in Dubai. We beat Scotland in the group stages and have enjoyed a good record against them, but we know that we have to play well to beat them.
Full postRankin on track for World Cup
Boyd Rankin, the Ireland fast bowler, is confident he is on track to take his place at the World Cup as he recovers from a stress fracture of his foot.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Boyd Rankin, the Ireland fast bowler, is confident he is on track to take his place at the World Cup as he recovers from a stress fracture of his foot.
Rankin missed Ireland's recent trip to India, but is aiming to resume bowling in early December and work his way back to top gear early in the New Year. He is key to Ireland's hopes of making an impact at the 2011 World Cup to match their exploits in the Caribbean where they reached the Super Eight stage with victory over Pakistan and later beat Bangladesh.
"I started running in the last couple of days and should be bowling again next week when I go to Loughborough and it will be two weeks there, a week at Warwickshire and another week at Loughborough before Christmas to make sure I am as best prepared as I can be," Rankin told the Belfast Telegraph. "But this time we are taking it more slowly to make sure there are no more problems."
Rankin was Ireland's leading wicket-taker at the previous World Cup and adds a cutting edge to their attack that most Associate nations struggle to replicate. He also plays for Warwickshire in English domestic cricket and took 22 wickets at 27 last season before being hit by injury.
Full postScotland chase windfall
Cricket Scotland, still searching for a major sponsor to replace Lloyds Bank, will land a $60,000 windfall if its team can beat Afghanistan in the Intercontinental Cup final in Dubai.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Cricket Scotland, still searching for a major sponsor to replace Lloyds Bank, will land a $60,000 windfall if its team can beat Afghanistan in the Intercontinental Cup final in Dubai.
Pete Steindl's side is attempting to win the tournament for non-Test countries for the first time since 2004. They earned $40,000 for reaching the final, but victory will see them scoop a much bigger sum.
"We have already spent most of the $40,000 taking the squad out a week early to prepare for the game," Cricket Scotland chief executive Roddy Smith said. "The main objective of the players is to get their hands on the trophy but it would be a nice bonus to receive the money."
The five-day final at the Dubai International Stadium will be streamed live thanks to a partnership between Cricket Scotland and the ICC, with highlights also available on ESPNcricinfo.
Full post