Cricket on a divided island

The Cyprus cricket league begins today in the first round match between WSBA and Sri Lanka CC at the Happy Valley grounds in Episkopi.

It won't get many column inches in the mainstream cricket press, but the World Cricket League, which started in Nairobi yesterday and continues into next week, features the best of the rest, the six sides just under the ten Test-playing countries

An MCC team, led by Mike Gatting, narrowly beat Cyprus by four runs last week

Denmark have won the 2008 European Indoor Championship in Finland, beating old foes Portugal in a thrilling encounter

The number of people actively participating in cricket outside the Test-playing countries increased 17% in 2007, according to the ICC.

Next week's ICC annual get-together promises to have more than its fair share of politicking, posturing and controversy

Cyprus have won the European Division 4 Championship on net run rate from Switzerland and Austria in Happy Valley

Twenty eight of Europe's most promising young cricketers will travel to La Manga Club, Spain in April next year to take part in the tenth annual ICC European Centre of Excellence

Guernsey secured their first ever title when they beat Jersey in the final of the European Under-15 Division 2 Championship in La Manga, Spain on Saturday.