Delegates from Chile’s cricket playing schools, along with development staff, met in Santiago on December 28, 2007 to review the year’s activities and plan ahead for the next 12 months. Eight delegates representing a total of twelve schools attended the meeting – the first of its kind in Chile. High on the agenda was a review of the inaugural Homework Club School Cricket League, which was launched last September in an attempt to encourage more children to take the step up from softball to hardball cricket. The initiative was applauded by the nine participating schools, with plans to increase the number of fixtures next year and the possibility of starting in August 2008. Several other hardball tournaments were scheduled for March to May as Chile prepares to send Under-19, Under-15 and Under-13 sides on international tours over the coming months. However, the most important detail to come from the meeting was the delegation’s decision to make 2008 the year to focus on the Spirit of Cricket and ensuring that all children have fun playing cricket and want to keep coming back. With over 2,000 children involved in Chile’s development program and an excellent development staff headed by NDO David Mauro, 2008 promises to be another good year for Chilean cricket.

From ICC Americas’ regional newsletter