Canadian 2008 Inter-Provincial Tournament Announced
At last, Canada will have an annual national championship, which will pit the best players in the country against one another.
Kenya Cricket
Recent news and developments in Kenyan cricket
Canada Cricket
Recent news and developments in Canadian cricket.
Associate Statistics: 2008 Under-19 World Cup
Here are the batting and bowling statistics for all six associate nations.
New ICC Associate and Affiliate Participation Figures
The ICC have released their annual development research participation figures for 2007. Read more »
ACC Chats With Nepal Star Paras Khadka
The Asian Cricket Council recently interviewed star Nepal all-rounder and current Under-19 captain Paras Khadka. Read more »
Leading Associate Under-19 World Cup Averages (Half-Way Stage)
Leading associate batting and bowling averages at the half way stage of the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
Editorial: Full Member Greed, CEO Conflict of Interest
Decent hearted cricket fans around the world are deeply disappointed that the ICC 2011 Cricket World Cup will be contested by only 14 nations instead of 16 as previously promised.
Sickeningly but not surprisingly, the ICC Chief Executives Committee have voted to cut two associate nations from the 2011 World Cup that will be co-hosted by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Cricket is the only sport in the world that is openly discouraging countries from competing at it’s premier international event.
Soccer, baseball, rugby union, rugby league, basketball, field hockey and even ice hockey are expanding rapidly. It is the policy of these sporting organizations to showcase it’s newest members and to embrace the cultural diversity that different countries can bring to a major sporting event.
Meanwhile, cricket shoos away new countries like flies at a barbecue.
An Interview With PNG Cricket General Manager Andrew Knott
Papua New Guinea is perhaps one of cricket’s most exotic outposts. At the height of the season, thousands of cricketers, in villages and towns play the game in various shapes and forms. Some organized, some less formal.
In many areas cricket is the number one sport. Currently there are more players than facilities.
PNG probably has more hurdles to overcome than most associate nations if it is to become a top ten cricketing nation. Equipment needs to found. Facilities constructed. The issue of getting from one cricketing location to another is not to be underestimated in a country not noted for it’s highways and modern transportation systems. Sometimes the air is the best route between one town and another.
But PNG also has some fantastic advantages such as having a cricketing powerhouse on it’s doorstep.
PNG U/19 v India U/19: 50 Minute Video Highlights
For those of you who haven’t seen the PNG boys in action before or you want to see why India are one of the favourites for the 2008 Under-19 World Cup, check out this highlights package. Read more »
ICC Womens World Cup Qualifying Tournament
The tournament has begun in South Africa today. Scores, Discussion and Feedback here. Read more »
UAE Cricket
Recent happenings and news coming out of the UAE.
An Interview With Afghanistan’s Taj Malik Alam
Taj Malik Alam is the Secretary General of the Afghanistan Cricket Federation and national team coach. A passionate and proud man, he is not afraid to talk up his country’s cricket stocks and with good reason, for it is due in no small part to his efforts that Afghanistan is perhaps the most exciting and talked about emerging cricketing nation.
Taj Malik Alam lives and breathes cricket. In an interview with the Asian Cricket Council he stated that he dreams of the day when his country, God willing, will beat one of the full members. Maybe that day isn’t so far away. Cricket is growing at a rapid pace in Afghanistan. People of all ages are taking an interest in the game, facilities are being upgraded and international results are very encouraging.
Sadly, Afghanistan is famous for war, bombs, fighters and peace keepers. Taj Malik Alam believes that his country can be more famous for it’s cricketing prowess.
2008 Under-19 World Cup: Discussion, Predictions & Scores
The qualifiers are done and dusted and the warm-ups have come and gone. Now at last, the real action is upon us.
What can we expect from the associates? Which players will reveal themselves as world class prospects? Can an associate nation make it through to the top eight?
Scotland Intercontinental Cup Squad Named
Scotland have named their 16 man squad for Intercontinental Cup fixture against Namibia in Windhoek, this April. Read more »
Netherlands & Ireland Name Intercontinental Cup Squads
The Netherlands and Ireland have both named near full strength squads for their forthcoming Intercontinental Cup matches. Read more »
U-19 World Cup Individual Highlights 2000/06
With the 2008 Under-19 World Cup upon us, I thought I would have a look back at some of the best individual performances by associate nation players. Read more »
Uganda Name Squads For MCC Tour
Uganda have named separate national and national “A” squads for the forthcoming MCC visit. Read more »
Americas WCL Division 3 2008
The Americas WCL Division 3 2008 tournament in Buenos Aires is underway. Read more »
Editorial: The top 25 Associate or Affiliate Cricketers
At the risk of being roundly criticized by supporters from all over the world, I have compiled a list of 25 associate and affiliate cricketers, who in my opinion, are the best and most valuable players currently. Read more »
IOC Sports Director Christophe Dubi on Cricket’s Olympic Bid
In this interview with the ICC, Christophe Dubi of The IOC gives his views on cricket. Read More
Uganda: What to Look Out For in 2008
Reporter Robert Madoi makes some predictions for Ugandan cricket in 2008. Read more »
Canada Names 2008 Training Squad
Canadian selectors have named the 2008 training squad.
For the first time in many years a large contingent of players have been selected from Provinces other than Ontario.
Uganda Votes in New Cricket Chairman
Dr Kato Ssebbale has been elected as the new Chairman of the Uganda Cricket Association.
ICC Development Program Regional Award Winners
The ICC has announced the regional award winners for the 2007 development program. Read more »
Cricket Gains Momentum in Nigeria
It has been a busy last few months for cricket in Nigeria.
Driven by their passionate Chairman Dr Kwesi Sagoe and the development organization, The Howzat Foundation For Cricket, the game continues to experience solid growth and a more prominent public profile.
Cricket Develops in The Philippines (at last)
It seems to have taken a while but at last cricket seems to be on the march in the Philippines.
Of all the East-Asia Pacific members, the Philippines seems to have taken the longest to launch a junior development plan aimed at growing the game beyond the expatriate community.
The East-Asia Pacific region accounts for just 10 ICC member countries but in most of those cricket is either fully entrenched or prolific at junior level.
Cricket is a mainstream sport in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Cook Islands. PNG and Vanuatu also have very large junior development programs in place although the PNG initiative was somewhat stifled by a school teachers strike in 2007. In Samoa and Tonga, cricket comes in second to the all conquering rugby union code but is nevertheless an established part of the sporting culture. Indonesia, like PNG and Vanuatu, is in the midst of a massive junior push. Japan too now, has an ever expanding junior presence to compliment a popular university competition while South Korea appears to be also taking the university route.
Until recently, the same could not be said of The Philippines but all that is changing.
Editorial: ICC Must Reject Proposed World Cup Format Changes
The International Cricket Council must insist that there is no reduction in teams for the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
The tournament’s hosts India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have proposed that the number of teams that should compete at the 2011 event be reduced to just 14, with four associate countries “allowed” entry instead of six.
In other sports, such a proposal would be laughed at and shown the door without hesitation. Cricket, however, is a game that pays little attention to the spirit of competing and the cultural diversity that should automatically constitute a “World” Cup event.
Subsequently, this narrow minded and ill conceived proposal is actually being considered by the game’s governing body. Cricket World Cups are owned by the ICC and allocated to grateful and supposedly gracious hosts but such is the financial clout wielded by India (BCCI) these days, it is feared that the game’s keepers will cave in to BCCI pressure.
Japanese Coach Richard Laidler
Japan’s national coach Richard Laidler was recently interviewed for Overview Online. Read more »
Global Cricket
I thought it was about time I started my own blog. I have followed associate and affiliate cricket since 1998. Tony Munro’s BTTW column was a great inspiration. Global Cricket will specifically focus on the non-test playing cricket nations of the world. At present there are 91 countries that have associate or affiliate membership of The International Cricket Council. Most of these nations aspire to play at the highest level. How are they bridging the gap in standards? Do they have good facilities, strong development programs and sound administrative practices in place? There is a need for cricket to embrace a more diverse cultural outlook if it is to prosper in the future. The ICC’s global development program was first initiated in 1997 and began to really take shape after the 2001 ICC Trophy in Toronto, Canada. Although a new cricketing powerhouse is yet to emerge, it is clear that standards are improving dramatically and in time more nations will be able to compete with the 10 full members. I will be featuring newspaper articles of interest, opinion pieces and articles written by myself and some ideas about expanding the game. Please feel free to comment.-Ben Stinga
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