Beyond the Test World
Dominant Costa Rica lift Volcano Cup
Costa Rica, boasting a cricket heritage dating back to the 1800s, were too good for El Salvador in two Twenty20 matches in San Salvador recently.
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
Costa Rica, boasting a cricket heritage dating back to the 1800s, were too good for El Salvador in two Twenty20 matches in San Salvador recently.
Taking advantage of the absence of ICC eligibility rules, a full strength Costa Rica used their edge in experience over a mainly indigenous El Salvador, winning the first match on December 19 by five wickets. The next day, a late home team collapse gave Costa Rica the win by 15 runs.
In the first match, El Salvador batted first. When several early wickets fell, panic set in until Alexander and Davis steadied the ship to post a semi-respectable score of 130. Costa Rica, in reply, seemed to be in control, hardly flying along but rather a nice steady pace with plenty of batters in the pavilion. A flurry of late wickets made it look as if their leisurely scoring rate might backfire until the captain Prasad came in and struck some boundaries to take them home safely enough.
In Sunday's match, the Costa Rican batsman took advantage of an opening attack where both bowlers were making their El Salvadorean debut and scored quickly. Once Mickey Peart retired on reaching 50 the Costa Rican scoring rate slowed down. The final total of 128 looked decent but not insurmountable. El Salvador seemed in control at the halfway stage of their reply with the top order batting well, especially Villalta. However a team including five debutants always suggested a collapse was possible and it eventuated. A couple of late boundaries made it look as if there might be a sting in the tail, but it wasn’t to be. Costa Rica maintained their 100% record against El Salvador to win the Volcano Cup.
Full postTom Tikolo quits Cricket Kenya over missing cash
Cricket Kenya's chief executive Tom Tikolo has resigned after it was discovered US$10,000 he claimed while in the West Indies for a tournament last year was unaccounted for
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Cricket Kenya's chief executive Tom Tikolo has resigned after it was discovered US$10,000 he claimed while in the West Indies for a tournament last year was unaccounted for. The news comes after a week-long investigation by CK officials.
Rumours that Tikolo was being questioned started circulating last week and he quit after a meeting with the board on Sunday. It is thought he has offered to pay the money back to CK.
In a rather vague statement, Tikolo said he had stepped down for the good of the game adding, "I want to deny any wrong doing in all the dealings mentioned in those allegations".
Full postSuva Capitals win EPL
Suva Capitals have clinched Fiji's Elite Player League (EPL) title, thanks to Jikoi Kida’s star turn in the deciding match against Sigatoka Dunes in Nadi on Saturday
Nitin Sundar
25-Feb-2013
Suva Capitals have clinched Fiji's Elite Player League (EPL) title, thanks to Jikoi Kida’s star turn in the deciding match against Sigatoka Dunes in Nadi on Saturday. The title was on the line with all three league sides in with a chance depending on the result of the game. The Capitals emerged winners after sneaking home in the low-scoring game that put them ahead of Western Bulldogs on run-rate.
The Dunes got off to a good start and, at 49 for 1 after ten overs, looked good to post a formidable score. Kida, however, changed the complexion of proceedings when he removed Sekove Ravoka for a patient 27, in the process triggering a collapse. He proceeded to wreck the Dunes’ innings, claiming 7 for 26 in his ten overs. Joe Rika, looking for much-important match practice prior to his stint with the East Asia Pacific representative team in Australia, gave the innings stability with a number of impressive drives on his way to 44. When Kida found his way through Rika’s defences, the innings folded up for 132.
The Capitals’ response looked set to follow the same pattern with Omid Saberi and Sekove Vouvou putting on a 38-run opening stand before Saberi followed up a couple of slashed drives with an ambitious loft to be caught off the bowling of Viliame Yabaki. The Dunes stayed in the hunt thanks to a spell of tight spin from Yabaki and Malcolm Bossley where five wickets fell at regular intervals. The game was in the balance when Bossley sent back Kida at 79 for 5. The Dunes had to restrict the Capitals to less than 105 to win the tournament on run-rate. However, their hopes were shattered by the lower-order efforts of Greg Browne, Tanveer Shah and Peni Rika who ensured that their side sealed a three-wicket victory in 40 overs.
Cricket Fiji will shortly announce a National Training Squad for the World Cricket League Division 5 tournament to be hosted in Nepal, with players selected based on their EPL performances.
Full postICC unveils Twenty20 Qualifier details
The ICC has announced the schedule for the eight-team ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2010, which will take place in the United Arab Emirates between February 9 and 13.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The ICC has announced the schedule for the eight-team ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2010, which will take place in the United Arab Emirates between February 9 and 13.
Full postUganda double stuns weak Kenya
Kenya's miserable 2009 continued with humiliating defeats in both Twenty20 internationals against Uganda in Nairobi
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Kenya's miserable 2009 continued with humiliating defeats in both Twenty20 internationals against Uganda in Nairobi. The matches, which were intended to help prepare the Kenyans for the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers early next year, have instead raised even more questions about the quality of the national side.
Even though Uganda are widely touted as one of the up-and-coming Associates, they should not have troubled their better equipped and professional neighbours. But in both games Kenya, who batted first, failed to score nearly enough runs. In the first match they were bowled out for 88 and were beaten by four wickets; in the second, they did little better, making 104 for 7 before going down by two wickets with two balls in hand.
The top-order batting looked weak and folded under the first sign of pressure. That gave their bowlers almost nothing to play with and, in the circumstances, they did well to keep their side in the contest for as long as they did.
The beleagured Kenyan selectors will point to missing names, but that will cut little ice with an increasingly frustrated cricket fraternity. However, Uganda will be rightly buoyed by the results.
Full postUAE complete Namibia whitewash
While Kenya’s preparations for a busy 2010 wobble along, UAE return from Namibia with three wins in tour matches under their belt, following victory in the ICC Intercontinental Cup with back-to-back one-day successes.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
While Kenya’s preparations for a busy 2010 wobble along, UAE return from Namibia with three wins in tour matches under their belt, following victory in the ICC Intercontinental Cup with back-to-back one-day successes.
Both games were close. In the first, a 125-run stand between Nicolaas Scholtz (58) and Raymond van Schoor (90) helped Namibia reach 269, but a good all-round batting performance enabled UAE to chase down the target with two wickets and 27 balls in hand.
In the second match, UAE posted an almost identical total, making 271 thanks largely to a fourth-wicket stand of 122 between Arshad Ali (75) and Abdul Rehman (71). The score should have been higher but UAE lost their way, losing their last seven wickets for 55. Namibia started confidently, van Schoor again top-scoring with 65, but in the end they lacked the depth and fell 20 runs short.
Full postICC Intercontinental Cup 2009-10 fixtures confirmed
The ICC has confirmed the remaining fixtures in the 2009-10 Intercontinental Cup, with everything leading towards next November's final, which will take place in the United Arab Emirates.
Sahil Dutta
25-Feb-2013
The ICC has confirmed the remaining fixtures in the 2009-10 Intercontinental Cup, with everything leading towards next November's final, which will take place in the United Arab Emirates.
The next match will start on January 23 and sees defending champions Ireland facing improving newcomers Afghanistan in Sri Lanka. Two days later, second-placed Kenya will take on 2004 champions and current leaders Scotland in a top-of-the-table clash.
There is a total of US$250,000 in prize money for the Associate and Affiliate teams taking part in the ICC Intercontinental Cup with US$100,000 for the winners and US$40,000 for the runners-up.
Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event then evolved in 2006 to an eight-team round-robin and truly global tournament of four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the invaluable experience of the longer form of the game.
Full postChina's captain on starting from scratch
An interview with Wang Lei, China’s captain, in the National newspaper highlights how far the game has to go to get a foothold in the country, despite the gushing enthusiasm of the ICC and ACC.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
An interview with Wang Lei, China’s captain, in the National newspaper highlights how far the game has to go to get a foothold in the country, despite the gushing enthusiasm of the ICC and ACC.
Speaking at the recent ACC Twenty20 tournament, where China were thrashed by all comers, Lei said he had been playing the game for two years.
When I was asked if I was interested in playing cricket, I had no clue of the sport. I had never seen or even heard of cricket, so I was curious at first to know more about what this game was all about. Nothing seemed to sink in when they tried to explain how cricket was played, even after watching some video footage and demonstrations.
The introduction to the game was from the very basic, using soft balls. The first few months were all about fielding and then I was taught how to bowl. I never got anything straight but a few days later I did pretty well to hit the stump a few times. I know how to bowl a leg break and an off break, but I decided to take the easier option to bowl medium fast.
Full postScotland plan three-day domestic matches
Last week, Cricket Scotland officials announced their plans to organize a new regional tournament, featuring the country's elite players, with three teams from the three main geographical centres playing regular three-day matches.
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
Scotland are planning a 'first-class structure' to their domestic competitions in a bid to improve their cricketing infrastructure and boost their chances of gaining Test status. Last week, Cricket Scotland officials announced their plans to organize a new regional tournament, featuring the country's elite players, with three teams from the three main geographical centres playing regular three-day matches.
"In effect what we are planning is a first class tier of competition although it would not have that status," Andy Tennant, Cricket Scotland's head of performance, was quoted as saying in the Herald Scotland. "The ICC are keen to ensure that their associate members have a solid infrastructure in place on and off the park and we are always trying to improve."
Tennant admitted Scotland were competing with Ireland, regarded as the leading associate nation at this point. Ireland have already voiced their interest in gaining Test status amid calls to incorporate more teams into the circuit, or reform the format by creating a tier system. "We are constantly jockeying for position with the other associate countries and Ireland probably are in pole position having been successful for the last year or two," Tennant said. "However, there are other ways you can set yourself up for sustained success and we believe a three-day competition will greatly enhance our infrastructure."
Scotland failed to qualify for the 2011 World Cup, though they still retain their ODI status. Tennant also believed the establishment of an equivalent for first-class cricket at the associate level could help secure the futures of many of the country's cricketers by filling a "black hole" at the senior level.
Full postWestern Bulldogs Take Top Sport in Fiji's Elite Player League
The Western Bulldogs have placed themselves in the box seat to claim the Elite Player League (EPL) title after a thrilling two-wicket win over Sigatoka Dunes at the Namaka Public School ground on Saturday.
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
The Western Bulldogs have placed themselves in the box seat to claim the Elite Player League (EPL) title after a thrilling two-wicket win over Sigatoka Dunes at the Namaka Public School ground on Saturday.
Three players made their debut in what was the best game of the EPL so far. Joe Rika came in after returning from club cricket in Australia, while two members of Nadi’s Under-19 team, Anare Tuidraki and Vakaru Tauyesa, were drafted in after impressive performances during the Under-19 tournament.
Sigatoka batted first and posted a good score of 218 for 8 from their fifty overs.
Sekove Ravoka was the Dunes’ leading light with the bat as he scored a composed 72. Heeding the words of Steve Jenkin, the National Coach who told the players that he wanted more application and fight with the bat, Ravoka played the sort of innings that the pundits had been tipping him to produce at some stage of the EPL.
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