High performance camp for Asian Associates in Chennai

Cricketers from seven ICC Associate countries have arrived in Chennai to be part of the MRF-Asian Cricket Council (ACC) High Performance programme at the MRF Pace Foundation from June 25 to July 4.

The purpose of the programme, which coincides with Dennis Lillee's annual visit as a coach to the pace academy, is to improve the fitness of players from UAE, Oman, Malaysia, Singapore, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Hong Kong.

"Teams from the Asian countries need to work on fitness," said Roger Binny, the former Indian allrounder and currently a development officer with the ACC. "We are working on them so that they can effectively compete to make it to the World Cup in a few years." The focus at the camp, Binny said, would be on batting, bowling, and fitness.

Meanwhile, the ACC has decided to give a total of $1.5 million to all non-Test playing Asian countries so that they can carry on with their specific development programmes. The funds were not allocated last year, as planned, because of the postponement of the 2006 Asia Cup due to the packed international schedule of the participating teams.

Each Associate member will be given a base amount of $42,000, with Hong Kong, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, UAE receiving an extra $30,000. According to the ACC website, subsequent amounts will be awarded on the basis of ACC tournament performance and the meeting of governance criteria.