Cricketing youngsters to receive All-Stars tips

Hong Kong's budding young cricketers will be getting expert advice this week from some of the game's greatest players.

Members of the All-Stars team taking part in this weekend's Hong Kong Cricket Sixes are due to conduct a series of coaching sessions around the territory.

Australian great Justin Langer, England bowler Matthew Hoggard, former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming and South African allrounder Tyron Henderson will meet young players of all abilities to pass on their knowledge.

The All-Stars' first appointment is on Wednesday (5 November) when they will visit St Margaret's Co-Ed English Secondary and Primary School in Sham Shui Po. The quartet will supervise coaching sessions for pupils and sign autographs.

Later in the day they will conduct an All-Stars Masterclass for the Hong Kong national women's team at Mission Road Cricket Ground in Mong Kok.

On Thursday (6 November) some of Hong Kong's best young players will benefit from the All-Stars' advice in a Junior Clinic at the Hong Kong Cricket Club.

"The All-Stars are very keen to make the most of their visit and to promote cricket in Hong Kong," said Sixes tournament director Mark Burns.

"These sessions are a fantastic opportunity for players of all abilities - whether they play just for fun or show serious potential - to meet world class cricketers and learn something from them.

"We are particularly delighted that the All-Stars are visiting St Margaret's - a school where cricket is part of the sports curriculum.

"The Hong Kong Cricket Association is especially focused on spreading the game amongst the local population and more than 60 per cent of participants in all junior cricket activities are Hong Kong Chinese."

The Sixes will take place at the Kowloon Cricket Club on Saturday and Sunday (8-9 November).

The All-Stars have been drawn in the Sobers group alongside defending champions Sri Lanka, Australia and hosts Hong Kong.

The Bradman Group will be contested by India, Pakistan, England and 2006 Sixes champions South Africa.

India have become the final team to name their squad for the tournament. The India Sixers will be captained by Nikhil Chopra, a veteran of 39 one day internationals.

Tickets for the 2008 Sixes - priced at $780 for adults and $450 for children - are on sale at the following locations:

The Hong Kong Cricket Sixes is fully sanctioned by the ICC and is the sport's longest-running, best-established and most high-profile sixes tournament.

Players who have taken part over the past 16 years include Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Steve and Mark Waugh, Viv Richards, Andrew Flintoff, Adam Gilchrist and Wasim Akram.

The tournament is organised and promoted by the Hong Kong Cricket Association's commercial arm, China Cricket International Limited.

The HKCA's proceeds from the Sixes will be ploughed directly back into cricket development in Hong Kong.

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ENDS

Released on behalf of the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes by Two Up Front.

For further information, please contact:

Niall Donnelly
Two Up Front
Tel: +852 2854 2136
Mob: +852 6052 3330
Fax: +852 3579 5955
Email: niall@tuf.com.hk