Cricket, Even Though: Iran
“There’s nothing there except an incredible passion for cricket,” says ACC Development Officer Iqbal Sikander of Chabahar province in Iran. “There are children without shoes, without proper equipment and they’re still playing.”more >>>
UAE Ready To Advance At Home
Home team UAE have been preparing hard for Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 2 to be played in three of the ICC’s grounds in Dubai in April. “We’ve been working hard on fitness and fielding and gelling together,” says UAE coach Kabir Khan, “we’re ready to go all the way.”more >>>
New Territory For Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s cricketers have been on a short training camp in Perth in preparation for Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 2. “It’s been a very useful team-bonding experience, the players lived four to an apartment, cooked together, washed together and really came closer together as a group,” says national coach Charlie Burke. They worked hard too, on the field and in the gym and had constructive training sessions with Adam Gilchrist and Brad Hogg too.more >>>
English Season Opens In Abu Dhabi
For the second year in succession the English domestic season has started in March with a fixture in Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium. The English season traditionally starts in mid-April at Lord’s with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) taking on the reigning county champions. This year, as before, under a three-year agreement between the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council and MCC the opening game has been played in the Gulf, partially under lights, with a pink ball.more >>>
Malaysia On A Path To Excel
The Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA) have signed a new sponsorship agreement with Fusion Excel International worth US$49,000 (Ringgit 148,000). The three-year partnership is targeted at high-performance programs in Malaysian cricket. “We’re thrilled Fusion Excel have formalised an agreement with us, they first came on board in 2009 at the ACC Women’s Twenty20 and now with this deal we can set in place some very useful processes,” says MCA Hon.Secretary Sivanandan Chinnadurai.more >>>
Saudis Through In Yanbu
Yanbu on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia is hosting its second ‘100% Saudi Kids Cricket Tournament’ at the end of March. Yanbu Al Sinaiyah Cricket Association is hosting the 10-team tournament with the support of the Saudi Cricket Centre, for whom Chief Executive Officer Nadeem Nadwi says the event fits in with “our common objectives, the promotion of the game of cricket among the locals.” Locals in this case meaning Arab Saudis.more >>>
Bhutan's Grounds To Grow
Grassland, dry land, flat land, any land fit for cricket is a scarce resource for Bhutan’s rapidly growing numbers of cricketers. The capital Thimphu is already unable to support an area big enough for a proper-sized ground and with the game now reaching out to the other districts in the mountainous country, the need for land to support cricket has become paramount.more >>>
Uttaradit Under Way In Thailand
Cricket is being played as a medal sport at Thailand’s National Youth Games for the first time. Cricket was a demonstration sport last year at the Games when they were held at Phetchabun. This year’s event is at Uttaradit in northern Thailand, bordering Laos. The event is the first ever cricket competition sanctioned by the Sports Authority of Thailand.more >>>
Bhutan's School Strategy
Following on from their introduction to cricket last year, schoolteachers from the Punakha-Wangdue valley in Bhutan have been given a refresher course. “The main objective of the refresher course was to revitalize and revamp the technical aspects of the game to those teachers which had already taken part in the Level O coaching camp last year,” says National Coaching Coordinator and Youth Coach Damber Singh Gurung.more >>>
UAE Nationals Win Gulf Cup
UAE Nationals wrested the second Gulf Cup from Oman Nationals in a thrilling T20 encounter played under lights at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. They won in the second super over after the UAE had their scores matched twice by Oman, first after making 138 and then after making 19 in the first super over, the second super over finally proving decisive as Oman could only make 7 in reply to UAE’s 15. Defending champions Oman had earlier recovered from 58 for 7 and scored 40 off their last three overs to tie the scores.more >>>
Work Goes On In Yangon
The ACC Development Manager Bandula Warnapura has completed an inspection of Myanmar’s new cricket ground, Saw Pong. Work had started prior to his arrival, the outfield being raised and partially levelled along with the wicket square being dug and drainage systems being established. “There’s still a long way to go and it’s a race against time to plant the grass seedlings before the monsoon season but so far mostly so good,” says the Development Manager.more >>>
Hong Kong's Motivations
Riding a wave of success, Hong Kong’s men’s team have been offered another reason to do well by the Hong Kong Cricket Association: HK$300,000 (US$38,500). Half of this performance bonus will be awarded if they finish in the top four of Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 2, with the full amount being received if Hong Kong reach the final.more >>>
Singapore Surges
2500 cricketers, 104 teams, 80 umpires, 35 fixtures a week and a whole cadre of emerging young male and female cricketers, Singapore Cricket is riding an upswing of interest in the game. “It’s keeping us all very busy as we prepare for the new season, we have six divisions of cricket and a corporate league as well as school matches and friendlies which we take an interest in, as well as our international commitments,” says SCA General Manager Dharmichand Mulewa.more >>>
ICC Lifetime Service Award For UAE's Mazhar Khan
Thirty-five years as player, promoter and administrator in the UAE by Mazhar Khan have been recognized by the ICC bestowing upon him a Development Programme Lifetime Service Award. "It's a great feeling when you get recognition for your work," says Mr. Khan, "The award is a tribute to all those involved in developing cricket in the UAE."more >>>
