Beyond the Test World
Rankin's ECB call-up concerns Ireland
The inclusion of fast bowler Boyd Rankin in the ECB's enhanced England Performance Programme has left Warren Deutrom, Ireland's chief executive, worried about a further depletion or resources
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The inclusion of fast bowler Boyd Rankin in the ECB's enhanced England Performance Programme has left Warren Deutrom, Ireland's chief executive, worried about a further depletion or resources. Ireland have lost batsmen Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan to England in recent years, and Deutrom has warned that Rankin's following course would be a major loss to their cricket.
Rankin, who switched from Derbyshire to Warwickshire, was named in a pool of 41 players who will train in Florida, Loughborough and Chennai over the next few months. "In terms of Boyd's personal development, it is obviously terrific for him to have access to the sort of programmes that the ECB can provide," Deutrom told the Daily Express. "But for us it is a worrying development that he has obviously figured on the England radar. It is, of course, a source of pride that we continue to produce cricketers that England are interested in but, if we were to lose another player to follow Ed and Eoin, it would be a severe blow to Irish cricket."
Ireland stand to lose Rankin for their Intercontinental Cup match and one-dayers against Afghanistan in early 2010, because he is slated to fly to the MRF Pace Academy in Chennai in January to train under Dennis Lillee for ten days at the same time. "I am still keen to play for Ireland as much as I can but I can't play Test cricket for Ireland and I have to do what I can to get that opening," Rankin told the Belfast Telegraph. "The idea of this camp, I understand, is to build up strength, to be fitter and stronger. I have done a lot of fitness work in the last 12 months and apart from a minor groin strain played the whole season."
David Parsons, the ECB's performance director, said the management was on the look-out for a tall fast bowler capable of hitting the deck hard, such as Rankin, who impressed during the 2007 World Cup for Ireland. "We know from the research and from looking at cricket at the prevalence of injuries that there is quite a steady turnover of fast bowlers in the modern game," he said. "We need to make sure that England has a deep pool of fast bowlers ready to go out and perform at high levels.
Full postBrazil and Belize finish off on a high
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
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Tony Munro
Brazil and Belize won their matches on the final day of the World Cricket League Americas Division 3 tournament in Santiago on Monday, to seal the first and second places respectively. Brazil beat Peru by 18 runs in what was possibly the latter's best performance of the tournament, while the Belize beat hosts Chile by two wickets.
Captain Matthew Featherstone led the charge for Brazil, top scoring with 77 in his team's total of 251 for 6 in 50 overs, while Greigor Caisley (48) and Rubabul Islam (39) provided good back-up. Tony Sanford was the main wicket-taker for Peru, taking 2 for 51 from his 10 overs.
Full postBrazil move to Americas Division 2
Brazil overpowered hosts Chile by 85 runs to win the ICC Americas Division 3 Championship in Santiago, Chile on Sunday and earn promotion to next year's Americas Division 2 tournament.
Nishi Narayanan
25-Feb-2013
Brazil overpowered hosts Chile by 85 runs to win the ICC Americas Division 3 Championship in Santiago, Chile on Sunday and earn promotion to next year's Americas Division 2 tournament.
The victory was set up by a second-wicket partnership of 117 between Man of the Match Greigor Caisley and captain Matt Featherstone, with assistance from nine dropped catches from Chilean fielders.
Aftter electing to bat in a match reduced to 40 overs a side due to a delayed start, Brazil posted an impressive 213 for 6, with Featherstone firing an aggressive 95 in 86 balls, including four fours and six sixes. Meanwhile, Caisley made a polished 81 off 96 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes.
The pair were separated with the score at 164 in the 35th over, having set a fine platform for a challenging target for Chile to chase. John Fecci took 3 for 37. The pick of the Chilean bowlers, though was probably left-arm seamer, Tristan Bradbrook who took 1 for 18 from his eight overs.
Full postIsrael qualify for Europe Division 2
Tony Munro
Nishi Narayanan
25-Feb-2013
Tony Munro
Israel easily won their Europe Division 2 play-off game against Croatia by six wickets in Zagreb on Sunday. The win means Israel will play in the Division 2 tournament in 2011, after winning this year's Division 3 tournament in Spain.
The visitors won the toss and a two-hour rain delay saw the match reduced to 36 overs per side. Israel elected to field and their opening bowlers, Eliezer Samson and David Massil restricted Croatia to 19 for 1 after 15 overs. Offspinner Steven Shein capitalised on Croatian attempts to accelerate, routing the middle order by taking 5 for 27 in eight overs. Eventually Croatia stuttered to 96 for 7 in their allotted 36 overs.
Israel started their run-chase positively, taking nine off the first over, but lost two wickets for 30. Herschel Gutman came in and scored 47 not out off 35 balls as Israel sealed the win by six wickets with 16 overs remaining.
Full postRain brings reserve day into play
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
Matches on day two of the ICC Americas Division 3 tournament in Santiago were abandoned around 3.00 pm due to persistent showers. Both games started as scheduled but there were insufficient breaks in the rain for them to be completed.
The match between first-round winners, Chile, and Brazil had enough play for Chile to make 31 for 0 from 9.2 overs. The other game involving Peru and Belize had only five overs and Belize made 13 for 1. Both matches will now start afresh on Monday, previously the scheduled reserve day.
Full postWins for Chile and Brazil
An unbeaten 195 from captain Simon Shalders launched Chile to a 163-run win over Peru in Santiago in their first game of the World Cricket League Americas Division Three campaign on Friday.
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
Tony Munro
An unbeaten 195 from captain Simon Shalders launched Chile to a 163-run win over Peru in Santiago in their first game of the World Cricket League Americas Division Three campaign on Friday.
Shalders smashed seven sixes and 24 fours to boost Chile to 323-5 from their 50 overs; Peru only managed 160 in reply. Such was Shalders' dominance that the next best scorer for Chile was Guy Hooper (32), while Tristan Bradbrook (21) also chipped in. Nadeem Ahmed Ansad was the only Peru bowler to hold out against the rampage, taking 1 for 29 from his ten overs.
Peru captain Miles Buesst (32) and Chris Abbott (20) were the main contributors against the Chilean attack led by Kamran Zeb (4-24) and John Fecci (3-23).
Full postTo Russia with love
It may be a triumph of publicity over substance, but stories have been doing the rounds over the last week about the setting up of a major cricket league in Russia, with some perhaps over-enthusiastic media outlets suggesting the country was
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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It may be a triumph of publicity over substance, but stories have been doing the rounds over the last week about the setting up of a major cricket league in Russia, with some perhaps over-enthusiastic media outlets suggesting the country was poised to become a cricketing superpower.
While the Russia's United Cricket League (RUCL) should be encouraged, scratch below the surface and it’s soon clear the vision belongs pretty much to one passionate man - Ashvani Chopra.
“I love cricket and I want to make it popular and widely available here,” Chopra told AFP. “We started playing here in 1995 just for fun. In 2001 we conducted a small tournament, in which three teams - Australia, India and the selection of the rest of the world - were playing. The tournament was a success and it became the reference point of our league.”
The league has seven clubs, made up from largely from expats, but Chopra recognises the need for that to change. “We decided that every club should have at least one local player in their line-up,” he said. “From now on it's an indispensable condition for every one of the league's clubs.”
Full postA giant stride for Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone earned promotion to World Cricket League (WCL) Africa Division 2 following their narrow two-wicket win over Rwanda on Wednesday.
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
Sierra Leone earned promotion to World Cricket League (WCL) Africa Division 2 following their narrow two-wicket win over Rwanda on Wednesday.
It will be a case of the new and the old as the young Sierra Leoneans join the mature and primarily expatriate Malawians for the tournament to be held in Benoni in April.
Sierra Leone won promotion as runners-up in the WCL Division 3 tournament, following their victory over Rwanda. Gambia won the battle to avoid the wooden spoon, beating a young Lesotho team by two wickets.
Full postChile favourites in Americas Division Three
Chile are led by last year’s Player-of-the-Tournament, Simon Chalders, in a squad which contains five all-rounders - Ian Walker, Jim Scarbrough and Michael Meade, Thomas Dawes and Christian Eyzaguirre
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
Tony Munro
The latest regional qualifying tournament for the World Cricket League kicks off on Friday when Americas Division Three involving hosts, Chile, Belize, Brazil and Peru commences in Santiago.
There'll be a touch of deja vu for three of the four teams - Chile, Brazil and Peru. This will be the third tournament where they have met in 12 months. Last October, all four teams met when Americas Division Three was staged, while the South American Championships brought three of the teams together earlier this year.
Chile go into the tournament arguably as favourites due to a combination of home advantage and recent results against the same opposition - they finished above these three teams in the corresponding tournament last year, and ahead of Brazil and Peru at the South American Championships.
Full postAssociates learn their World Cup fate
The ICC has confirmed the groups for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The ICC has confirmed the groups for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Canada and Kenya will play in Group A where they will face Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, while Ireland and Netherlands are drawn alongside India, South Africa, England, West Indies and Bangladesh in what on current rankings has to be the easier group.
Full post