Beyond the Test World
Netherlands' two-day competition dead in the water
Cricket Europe has reported that the Netherlands’ attempts to introduce a two-day competition appear to be all but dead in the water as a result of a marked lack of enthusiasm and a problem finding suitable dates.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Cricket Europe has reported that the Netherlands’ attempts to introduce a two-day competition appear to be all but dead in the water as a result of a marked lack of enthusiasm and a problem finding suitable dates.
The announcement of matches at home to Canada in July may well be the final nail in the coffin as far as this season is concerned, and there is a growing feeling that it might not be resurrected in 2010.
“So inadequate has been the KNCB’s promotion of the proposed new competition that there were already rumours that many players were going to decline to take part anyway,” wrote Rod Lyall. “But the truth is that this experiment has not been given a fair chance, and it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the will to make it work simply did not exist.”
The Dutch board hardly helped their own project, and one of the most controversial ideas was to have compulsory declarations after 65 overs in the first innings, something critics claimed made the two-day games effectively two one-day matches.
Full postCricket at the State Russian Museum
William Elliott, the Consul General at the British Embassy in St Petersburg, has written to let us know about a match taking place in the city.
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
William Elliott, the Consul General at the British Embassy in St Petersburg, has written to let us know about a match taking place in the city.
“We are holding the 'White Nights Ashes', a match between the Crusaders, an intrepid touring team from Melbourne, and 'England', a team made up from various local ex-pats and Consulate staff,” he says. “The second major match in St Petersburg for about 90 years; last year we revived cricket here by playing against Sir Tim Rice's Heartaches (including one A.J. Lamb).
“The main interest is the venue: a spectacular garden in front of the State Russian Museum, which makes for good photos.” William assures us it will be a “proper” match, in spite of the rough pitch.
Full postLara opens new ground in Uganda
A new cricket ground has been built in Mbarara, the south west of Uganda, which was opened by Brian Lara
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
A new cricket ground has been built in Mbarara, the south west of Uganda, which was opened by Brian Lara. The former West Indies batsman later gave training tips to cricketers from Ntare School, Uganda Martyrs Primary School and the Asian Community in Mbarara.
“Talent accounts for only ten percent, the rest you have to have love for the game and practice [sic]," Lara told the Daily Monitor. "I begun at an early age and by eighteen years I was already [a] star."
Ntare school’s deputy headmaster, Eliab Tumushabe, took the opportunity to remind the world that cricket remains quite out of reach for many in Uganda.
"The cricket equipment is very expensive and the game has many technicalities," he told the newspaper. "The old boys who played the game in the good days should come back and revive that glory."
Full postCricket and cucumber sandwiches in North Korea
An interesting story about cricket in an altogether different part of the world
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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It started as a bet. Jon Newton, president of Shanghai Cricket Club wagered two of his friends that they would not be able to organise a cricket tour to the totalitarian state of North Korea. "One night in the pub, North Korea had come up as a suggestion for a place to tour and I said there was no way they would be able to pull it off," he recalls.
What followed was a tale of months of red tape before the necessary documentation was secured. Read all about it the Daily Telegraph.
Full postKathmandu reach domestic final
Kathmandu have reached the final of the Springwood National T20 tournament with their fourth win in as many matches, beating Biratnagar by eight wickets
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Kathmandu have reached the final of the Springwood National T20 tournament with their fourth win in as many matches, beating Biratnagar by eight wickets. Nepalcricket.com has more.
Full postIreland strike another blow for Associates
Three days after Netherlands embarrassed England, Ireland have taken another scalp for Associate cricket with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh at Trent Bridge.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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Rwanda miss Kenya tournament
Rwanda's failure to show up - for whatever reason - and some poor weather put a dampener on the first two days of the Africa Cricket Association (ACA) East Africa Under-13 boys' competition in Nakuru, Kenya.
Will Luke
25-Feb-2013
Rwanda's failure to show up - for whatever reason - and some poor weather put a dampener on the first two days of the Africa Cricket Association (ACA) East Africa Under-13 boys' competition in Nakuru, Kenya.
Rwanda were flagged as one of the successes of the African development programme / Cricket Without Borders enterprise, so their absence, if only to gauge the team's progress, was a disappointment.
Matches were being played at Rift Valley Sports Club and Greensteds School, south of Nakuru.
Results
Day One - Kenya 108 for 3 beat Tanzania 96 for 7; Kenya 93 lost to Uganda 94 for 7
Day Two - Tanzania 92 lost to Uganda 93 for 6; Tanzania v Kenya (rained off)
Full postDay One - Kenya 108 for 3 beat Tanzania 96 for 7; Kenya 93 lost to Uganda 94 for 7
Day Two - Tanzania 92 lost to Uganda 93 for 6; Tanzania v Kenya (rained off)
Papua New Guinea win EAP U-19 title
Papua New Guinea are the East Asia-Pacific Under-19 champions after they beat Vanuatu by 172 runs in the final at Amini Park, Port Moresby.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Papua New Guinea are the East Asia-Pacific Under-19 champions after they beat Vanuatu by 172 runs in the final at Amini Park, Port Moresby.
PNG won the toss and elected to bat in overcast conditions and scored freely early on, reaching 24 without loss before Lega Tau was well caught by Karl Laau from the bowling of Niko Unavalu. Heni Siaka was hitting everything in the middle, and started to free his arms, ably supported by middle-order batsmen Tony Ura (27) and Jason Kila (48).
The talented Siaka scored his maiden century for PNG, by far the best innings of the tournament. He was eventually dismissed for 101, but by then the damage had been done and PNG raced towards a huge total, batting their full 50 overs reaching 276 for 8.
It was to take a monumental effort by Vanuatu to chase down these runs, and early on the fielding talents of PNG rose to the fore, with two magnificent run-outs reducing Vanuatu to 31 for 2. They fought on valiantly before they were eventually dismissed for 103 after 34 overs. Jason Kila was the chief destroyer with 4 for 20.
Full postNetherlands stun England
Every Associate is entitled to their day in the sun, and for Netherlands it came in the opening match of the ICC World Twenty20, albeit it in the Stygian gloom of a chilly Lord’s
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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Odumbe takes swipe at Kenya's management
The increasingly-bitter Maurice Odumbe, who is in the final year of his ban for associating with a bookmaker, has launched a rather predictable swipe at the Kenyan board, blaming it for the country’s absence from the ICC World Twenty20
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The increasingly-bitter Maurice Odumbe, who is in the final year of his ban for associating with a bookmaker, has launched a rather predictable swipe at the Kenyan board, blaming it for the country’s absence from the ICC World Twenty20. Kenya failed to make it after a poor qualifying tournament in Ireland last year.
“It’s because of the way cricket is being managed there,” the disgraced former captain said . “After our dream run in 2003, we should’ve become an even better outfit. Clearly something went wrong along the way. These days we’ve all sorts of people running the show, except for those who know the sport. Imagine our manager during the 2007 World Cup was a former hockey player. What could he possibly tell a Ravindu Shah about the sweep shot?
“Earlier we had tours to India, Test teams came and played in Kenya. We also hosted high-profile tournaments like ICC Championship. We used to have a system of proper coaching at U-19, U-13 levels but it seems after 2004, ever since Cricket Kenya took over, we have been struggling.
“It’s not that we don’t have players, we have players they may not be as good as seniors but with a few training and coaching they could have done better and I blame ICC for all this and also the current officials in our board. I don’t think they are doing justice to the game."
Full post