Hong Kong get a new home

The location is at Kai Tak, site of the former airport in Kowloon, and the ground is being leased from the government. The Asian Cricket Council will provide most of the funding, estimated at US$210,000, and it is expected to be finished around September 2010.

The three-acre site will have a main artificial pitch plus two more at the side. The aim is to have all pitches in use at weekends for men’s, women’s and juniors’ cricket among Hong Kong’s 27 clubs.

The new venue will not be suitable for international matches – they will be staged at another new ground at Mission Road in Kowloon.

“We are delighted by the site and will use it to expand cricket’s appeal in Hong Kong,” said HCKA general manager Danny Lai. “It’s tremendously supportive of cricket here that the local authority has provided the ground, we’ll be looking at selling the naming rights to secure funds for ongoing maintenance. It’s a great asset to cricket in this part of the world and I expect we’ll see some exciting developments in the years ahead.”