Beyond the Test World
Brazil ease past Mexico
Brazil warmed up for the World Cricket League Americas Division Three tournament starting in Santiago on Friday with a 3-0 one-day series win over Mexico in São Paulo last weekend.
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
Tony Munro
Brazil warmed up for the World Cricket League Americas Division Three tournament starting in Santiago on Friday with a 3-0 one-day series win over Mexico in São Paulo last weekend. Brazil won the first two matches fairly easily, but the dead rubber was more even, Mexico falling just 16 runs short.
In the first match, Brazil captain Matt Featherstone showed good form ahead of the Americas Division Three tournament in Santiago, Chile, hitting an unbeaten 100. The former Kent Cricket Board player received solid support from Greigor Caisley (56) and Rubab Ulisam (52 not out). Spinners Travis McNaught (4-3 in the second game) and Viren Nirula (six wickets in the third match) also bowled well in the series for Brazil.
There are six Brazilian nationals in the squad to play in Santiago, among them Henrique Dolabella, an allrounder who became interested in cricket while living in England for several years and played a few seasons of club cricket.
Full postMalawi continue unbeaten run
Malawi remained unbeaten to ensure their promotion to Africa Division Two following their four wicket win against Sierra Leone in Blantyre, Malawi on Tuesday
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
Tony Munro
Malawi remained unbeaten to ensure their promotion to Africa Division Two following their four-wicket win against Sierra Leone in Blantyre, Malawi on Tuesday. Sierra Leone must beat Rwanda on Wednesday to ensure they join Malawi in Benoni next March.
Sierra Leone won the toss and batted. However, the top order failed to fire and the innings was precariously poised at 142 for 5 in the 29th over. Allrounder Lasana Lamin smashed 78 off 86 balls, helping his side set a target of 176 for victory.
In response, the Malawi top-order managed meaningful partnerships in the run chase and reached 79-3 after 24 overs at one stage. Shailandra Jeena smashed an unbeaten 35 to help his team to achieve the target in 42 overs with four wickets to spare
Full postVisa issues end Moroccan participation
Tony Munro
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
Tony Munro
It has been confirmed that the Moroccan team en route to Malawi was prevented from boarding their transit flight to Blantyre to play in the World Cricket League Africa Division 3 as they were carrying only a fax, rather than visas.
"The Qatari authorities did not let them board since they did not have a formal visa but only a fax stating that visas will be awarded on arrival," a source within Moroccan cricket told Cricinfo.
As a result, Morocco were forced to withdraw from the tournament and teams due to play them received a bye. Morocco's next tournament is likely to be the North West Championships, which has been cancelled for this year and now will be played in April 2010.
Full postJeena ton helps Malawi crush Gambia
An unbeaten 153 off just 116 balls from Malawian batsman Sheilendra Jeena was the highlight on day three of the World Cricket League Division 3 tournament
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
An unbeaten 153 off just 116 balls from Malawian batsman Sheilendra Jeena was the highlight on day three of the World Cricket League Division 3 tournament. Jeena hit 19 fours and two sixes and propelled Malawi to 237 for 9 from 50 overs, before they bowled out Gambia for 121. Prince Johnson was Gambia's best bowler, taking 5 for 43 from his 10 overs, while Moses Bahoum (57) top-scored for Gambia. Zaffar Sukhera led the attack for the hosts, taking 3 for 19.
Sierra Leone had an easy day in their match against a youthful Lesotho, winning by six wickets with 35.3 overs to spare. Having been put in, Lesotho slipped from 21 for 1 to 51 for 6, and were eventually shot out for 82 in 32.2 overs. The main resistance came from Masui Tolofi (19). Allrounder Lansana Lamin ensured the Lesotho innings never got going with 3 for 12 from 9.2 overs. Sierra Leone finished the game in a hurry, ending on 85 for 4 from 14.4 overs. Lamin was named the Man of the Match, after hitting two sixes and a four in his brief unbeaten cameo of 19.
Scores:
Malawi 237 for 9 (Jeena 153*, Ishtiyak Khan 27, Johnson 5-43) beat Gambia 121 (Bahoum 57, Sukhera 3-19)
Sierra Leone 85 for 4 (Lamin 19*, Coker 16*, Khubetsoana 2-20) beat Lesotho 82 (Tolofi 19, Lamin 3-12, Kabia 2-26, Marah 2-32)
Full postUganda set to visit UAE
Uganda will travel to Dubai in February to play the United Arab Emirates and later host Namibia in August in their ICC Intercontinental Shield campaign
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Uganda will travel to Dubai in February to play the United Arab Emirates and later host Namibia in August in their ICC Intercontinental Shield campaign. Uganda started well with a win in Bermuda, and are early favourites to reach the final.
And Uganda have hired a South African coach, Fayyaaz Mohiudeen, as a temporary replacement for Ebrahim Mohammed who is back home attending a course.
Full postSierra Leone make a strong start
Sierra Leone sent a warning to the other teams with an impressive first-up performance, while hosts, Malawi, scored their second successive win on day two of the World Cricket League Africa Division 3 tournament in Blantyre.
Nishi Narayanan
25-Feb-2013
Sierra Leone sent a warning to the other teams with an impressive first-up performance, while hosts, Malawi, scored their second successive win on day two of the World Cricket League Africa Division 3 tournament in Blantyre.
The home-grown Sierra Leone vindicated their decision to bat first by scoring 255 for 7 in its 50 overs. It then bowled out Gambia for 74 from 27.2 overs to win by 181 runs. Meanwhile the young Rwandan team bowled out the experienced Malawians for 172 in 44.2 overs, but could not recover from a slow early start to reach just 126 in 42.1 overs. Malawi won by 46 runs.
Full postA question of responsibility
The ICC has been coming in for a fair amount of sniping of late as a result of teams being unable to take part in its events because of issues with visas
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The ICC has been coming in for a fair amount of sniping of late as a result of teams being unable to take part in its events because of issues with visas. This is not about the game’s big boys, but Associates and Affiliates competing in lower-level tournaments.
Last month Sierra Leone were unable to take part in the ICC Under-19 World Cup Qualifiers because they could not obtain visas from the Canadian consulate in time; last week Morocco failed to make it to Malawi for a World Cricket League commitment after falling foul of officialdom in Qatar.
There have been those who have heaped the blame on the ICC. It should, so their argument goes, ensure this does not happen and put pressure on the various countries hosting events to, in some way, bypass the usual rules and regulations. It’s almost as if cricket is a special case.
The same people who were lambasting the ICC for not ensuring Sierra Leone were able to play in Canada have been quiet over the fact that almost a dozen players from Afghanistan and Uganda took the opportunity of playing in Toronto to abscond and seek political asylum. All those individuals have done is ensure it will be even harder for players for some countries to take part in future events.
Full postMalawi and Rwanda register wins
The World Cricket League (WCL) Africa Division Three tournament in Malawi has been reduced to five teams following the late withdrawal of Morocco.
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
The World Cricket League (WCL) Africa Division Three tournament in Malawi has been reduced to five teams following the late withdrawal of Morocco.
According to the ICC website, the Moroccan team was enroute to Blantyre, Malawi, when Qatari officials ordered them from the plane.
The tournament organising committee decided to allocate teams drawn to play Morocco with a bye. Two matches went ahead as scheduled with the hosts, Malawi, defeating Lesotho by 64 runs, and Rwanda beating Gambia by seven wickets with 23 overs to spare.
Full postWCL Division Three begins in Malawi
Tony Munro
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
Tony Munro
Apartheid decreed Hoosain Ayob, the first ICC Africa development officer, cape coloured and reputedly a bowler of some talent in his day, would never play for his native South Africa at international level because of the colour of his skin.
In a tournament in Blantyre, Malawi, starting on Saturday, four of the five teams playing will be fielding mainly African XIs, thanks chiefly to the work of Ayob, who retired from his role about three years ago.
Lesotho and Sierra Leone (both fully indigenous), Gambia (12 locals), Rwanda (8 born there) will be joined by hosts Malawi (mainly Asian) in the World Cricket League Division Three tournament.
Full postRwanda gunning for top spot in WCL Division 3
Rwanda captain Denis Mukama reckons a second-placed finish in the World Cricket League Division 3 tournament, starting tomorrow in Malawi, just won't do if the team is to realise its potential
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
Tony Munro
Rwanda captain Denis Mukama reckons a second-placed finish in the World Cricket League Division 3 tournament, starting tomorrow in Malawi, just won't do if the team is to realise its potential. "The truth of matter is coming second isn't an option for us," said the Ugandan-born 30-year-old. "Yes we would like to win this event because it is our gateway to the next level, and with the hardwork the boys have put in and the morale in the camp, the trophy is destined for Rwanda."
Eight members of the Rwandan squad for the tournament were born in the country, a fact which Mukama sees as an indication of what lies in store for a country, where the game is so new. "With the youngsters coming up through the development program, Rwanda will be a force to reckon with in future," Mukama said.
There are six teenagers in the squad, with three - Audifax Byiringiro, Bob Bashir Songa and Derrick Bayingana - just 13 years old. And there's likely to be more coming through if the popularity of the sport at the youth level in Rwanda is any indication.
Full post