Beyond the Test World
Ugandans go missing after U-19 Qualifiers
Uganda’s sporting authorities have confirmed rumours that six of the Under-19 side which participated in the World Cup Qualifier in Toronto are unaccounted for
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Uganda’s sporting authorities have confirmed rumours that six of the Under-19 side which participated in the World Cup Qualifier in Toronto are unaccounted for. The players were due to return home with the rest of the squad on Tuesday but it has emerged they have been missing for more than 72 hours.
Latimer Mukasa, speaking on behalf of the Ugandan board, said the six - Ahmed Yakub, the captain, Emmanuel Nakaana, Geoffrey Nyero, Moses Okwera, Andrew Ochan and Ahmad Sangau - were reported missing by the team’s manager on Saturday.
“We were informed that these players had run away,” Mukasa told Uganda’s New Vision newspaper. “[The manager] said the last he had seen them was on Friday night, around 11.30pm. When he woke up the following morning, the players were gone. At this moment, we don’t want to speculate about why they left. It could be all sorts of things - it is possible they (players) were up to some mischief and they’ll be found.”
However, despite Mukasa stating they “could turn up at any minute”, the revelation will draw parallels with the situation two years ago when two members of the Uganda side which had been competing in the World Cricket League in Australia absconded and subsequently claimed asylum. The pair have never returned home.
Full postHong Kong take final U-19 World Cup slot
There were smiles all around the Hong Kong camp at the Maple Leaf North-West Ground despite ending up on the losing side
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
There were smiles all around the Hong Kong camp at the Maple Leaf North-West Ground despite ending up on the losing side. Hong Kong managed to qualify for the ICC Under-19 World Cup on the basis of a superior net run-rate and in the process managed to edge out Netherlands and Uganda - who were all tied on points before this game - with one qualifying spot at stake. They lost narrowly by one wicket on Friday against USA - a thrilling last-ball finish - but that was enough to see them through to the World Cup finals.
Full postAfrica at the crossroads
Africa needs to look hard at itself and ask this question: why are there only two teams from the continent going to New Zealand for the Under-19s World Cup in January
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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Africa needs to look hard at itself and ask this question: why are there only two teams from the continent going to New Zealand for the Under-19s World Cup in January? And of the two, no-one can ever be too sure about Zimbabwe.
No non-Test nation (apart, now, from Zimbabwe) has made it through from Africa; whereas Asia will have six representatives (two non-Test sides), the Americas and Caribbean three (two non-Test nations), the Antipodes three (Australia, New Zealand and non-Test Papua New Guinea), and Europe two (one non-Test).
Uganda nearly made it through, but in the end they came out also-rans and, like Vanuatu, hom they beat, were not really up to scratch. Sierra Leone did not appear for the Toronto qualifiers - might they have been a surprise package or, more likely, mere fodder for the better teams? And Kenya were a no-shower for other reasons, compounded in part by their own foolishness amid premature assumptions that they would host the tournament.
Full postCyprus edge Euro Division 4
Cyprus have won the European Division 4 Championship on net run rate from Switzerland and Austria in Happy Valley
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Cyprus have won the European Division 4 Championship on net run rate from Switzerland and Austria in Happy Valley. All three teams won four of their five matches, but Cyprus thrashed Switzerland in the opeing round of matches only to lose to Austria who, in turn, were themselves defeated by the Swiss. Cyprus’ drubbing of Slovenia, who they bowled out for 128 after amassing 360 for 4, tipped the net run-rate in their favour. Cyprus gain promotion to Division 3 while Slovenia are relegated to Division 5.
Full postGreece romp to Euro Division 5 title
Greece had few difficulties in winning the European Division 5 Championship on home soil, beating all five opponents and emerging as odds-on favourites from the moment they squeezed past Sweden with a two-wicket victory in the opening round
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Greece had few difficulties in winning the European Division 5 Championship on home soil, beating all five opponents and emerging as odds-on favourites from the moment they squeezed past Sweden with a two-wicket victory in the opening round. Perhaps the most pleasing moment, certainly for the local spectators, came when they thrashed Turkey by 209 runs. Greece gained promotion to Division 4, while Sweden finished second with four wins. Turkey, with only one win, finished bottom.
Full postSouth Korea aim to be competitive by 2011
South Korea want to ensure their national team is competitive before playing in regional East Asia-Pacific tournaments, a Korea Cricket Association official told Cricinfo this week.
Nishi Narayanan
25-Feb-2013
South Korea want to ensure their national team is competitive before playing in regional East Asia-Pacific tournaments, a Korea Cricket Association official told Cricinfo this week.
As eight national teams prepare to descend on Apia, Samoa for the East Asia-Pacific Trophy starting this Thursday, Korea Cricket Association secretary Daami Cagney said the next tournament in 2011 is a more feasible target. "Ideally we would like to play a team in the EA-P tournaments, but realistically, there are probably only five or six ethnically Korean players who would be up to the standard, which is why we have re-focused more on developing domestic cricket," Cagney said.
He predicted South Korea's introduction to regional events was not far away, as a follow-on from tours to Japan, and possibly India against local clubs or universities. "This way, we can start to build experience and confidence in the players. Also, we are trying to expand the domestic player base, which can create more competition for places in the squad. This, of course, takes time. Going by the past two years, I would estimate that in another two years, there should be a national team that is capable and ready to be competitive."
Of South Korea's 150 registered players, Cagney estimates about a fifth of those are ethnic Koreans. "We have 15-20 in one team [Sung Kyun Kwan University which has the world's only credited tertiary cricket course] and another 15-20 throughout other teams."
Full postTikolo takes coaching job in Zimbabwe?
Sources inside Zimbabwe are reporting that former Kenya captain Steve Tikolo has been signed by Masvingo-based Southern Rocks to act as their new player-coach.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Sources inside Zimbabwe are reporting that former Kenya captain Steve Tikolo has been signed by Masvingo-based Southern Rocks to act as their new player-coach.
Tikolo, who has been a bedrock of the Kenya side for more than a decade and was at one time widely regarded as the best batsman outside the Test arena, recently stood down as captain and admitted that he was nearing the end of his playing career.
With Zimbabwe’s new domestic structure, which starts this week, now on a professional footing, the money is available to the five newly-created franchises to attract good foreign talent
Full postICC U-19 World Cup Qualifier goes down to the wire
A dramatic day at the ICC Under-19 World Cup Qualifier in Toronto on Friday set up a fascinating finish with three teams competing for the final qualification spot separated only by net run-rate.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
A dramatic day at the ICC Under-19 World Cup Qualifier in Toronto on Friday set up a fascinating finish with three teams competing for the final qualification spot separated only by net run-rate.
Netherlands, Uganda and Hong Kong are all tied on six points. Netherlands will face Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong will take on the USA on the final day on Sunday - Saturday is a rest day - while Uganda will anxiously wait for the results of these two matches to know about their fate after having already played their nine matches.
Full postPoor organisation blights Kenya's top league
Swamibapa A and defending champions Kanbis were tied at the top of the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association Super League as it took a one week mid-season break.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Swamibapa A and defending champions Kanbis were tied at the top of the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association Super League as it took a one week mid-season break.
In recent years Kanbis have held a marked advantage as they supply few players to any teams in the Kenya set-up, with a result they are almost always at full strength when rivals are weakened by absentees on national duty. This simmering issue was highlighted a fortnight ago when then leaders Swamibapa, missing five players who were in Canada with the Kenya side, lost to third-placed Telca.
While that loss has been taken on the chin, it against raises concerns that the club might consider a repeat of their stance in 2007 when they withdrew from the league after being penalised for refusing to field a side when they had nine players on national duty. Next month NPCA games are scheduled at the same time Kenya are playing in the ICC Intercontinental Cup, which will again hit Swamibapa, among others, hard.
This made the weekend break being scheduled at a time there was no international cricket all the more bizarre.
Full postSierra Leone's World Cup dream shattered
Sierra Leone’s flickering hopes of taking part in the Under-19 World Cup were finally ended when they failed to arrive in Canada before the expiry of the ICC’s September 5 deadline
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Sierra Leone’s flickering hopes of taking part in the Under-19 World Cup were finally ended when they failed to arrive in Canada before the expiry of the ICC’s September 5 deadline. As a result they were kicked out of a tournament they had done so well to qualify for.
While officially it is said that visa applications for the squad were submitted too late, it is being reported in local newspapers that their non arrival was caused by the refusal by the Canadian consulate in Ghana to issue visas on the grounds there was concern that some of the players would not be willing to return home at the end of the competition. Two Ugandan players sought political asylum after being granted visas to play in an ICC tournament in Australia in 2007, and since then it has proved much harder for some teams to get the documentation necessary for them to play in events.
Afghanistan also had issues with entry visas and arrived in Canada the day after the tournament started, but they have been able to honour all their fixtures.
With Kenya, Africa’s leading Associate side, already in effect barred from the competition after the ICC controversially withdrew their rights to host the 2010 U-19 World Cup, that leaves Uganda, who have struggled to make their mark, as the continent’s only country in the qualifying competition.
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