Indonesia aims to broaden cricket's appeal

The Indonesian cricket board has announced an ambitious US$200,000 three-year development programme aimed at spreading the game outside its traditional base of expats.

A report in The Jakarta Post quoted Cricket Indonesia chairman Sachin Gopalan, who said that the campaign would target "individuals and middle-sized companies who are interested in the development of cricket in Indonesia. The idea is to prove to those involved in cricket development that this program is a serious and long-term one.”

Board secretary Prakash Vijaykumar said that the association was planning to publicise the game across the country. “We are starting to introduce the sport in new areas in cooperation with National Sports Council provincial chapters in places such as Banten, Riau, East Kalimantan, Yogyakarta and Surabaya. We want to transform cricket into a popular sport for Indonesian people.”