Cricket Week takes to the playing field in Zimbabwe
One of the ICC's most ambitious initiatives in recent years has been the implementation of Cricket Week, a seven day period where a focus is placed on the game worldwide
Rick Eyre
05-Apr-2000
One of the ICC's most ambitious initiatives in recent years has been the
implementation of Cricket Week, a seven day period where a focus is placed
on the game worldwide.
The first Cricket Week began on Sunday with a grand rally in Dhaka, with
Bangladesh almost certain to be adopted as the tenth Test nation when the
ICC meets in June. A range of television specials about the game began
screening on Sunday, though not for the most part on mainstream networks.
Twenty-four eminent ex-players and umpires, named as ICC "Cricket Week
Ambassadors", have been visiting various outposts of the cricketing world
this week in the name of promoting the globalisation of the sport.
Among events on the playing field this week are the Asia v the World
exhibition day-nighter in Bangabandhu Stadium, Dhaka, on Saturday, and the
Chiang Mai Sixes in Bangkok - now the longest-running sixes tournament in
the world.
However, probably the most important on-field contest for the immediate
future of the global game begins today in Zimbabwe. The ICC Emerging Nations
Tournament is a six-nation contest involving Zimbabwe 'A', Kenya, Scotland,
Ireland, the Netherlands and Denmark.
The six teams will play in a round-robin series between now and April 13.
There will be no final. Kenya already have a place booked in the next World
Cup, while the four visiting European sides will be among teams who will be
competing in next year's ICC Trophy in Canada, where the top three
placegetters will qualify for places in the 14-team World Cup in 2003.
Today, Zimbabwe 'A', captained by Gavin Rennie, will meet Denmark at
Alexandra. The other teams play their first matches tomorrow, with old
rivals Scotland and Ireland among the combatants.