Qamer Saeed's five-wicket haul and well-paced half-century helped Bahrain defeat Guernsey by three wickets in the final of the ICC World Cricket League Division 7. Saeed's all-round display allowed Bahrain to finish the tournament unbeaten. Despite the loss, Guernsey also qualified for the Division 6 tournament by virtue of qualifying for the final.

For a full report click here.

Bahrain sealed their place in the World Cricket League Division 6 in Singapore after a comfortable 196-run over Japan in Port Soif. Recovering from yet another top-order collapse at 24 for 4, when Patrick Giles-Jones picked up another five-for after the seven he took the previous day, half-centuries from Qamar Saeed (75 not out), Adil Hanif (73) and Ashraf Yaqoob (51) lifted them to 260. In reply, Japan couldn't face up to the Bahrain attack, capitulating to 64, as Naeem Amin, Qamar and Yaser Sadeq remarkably finished with the same bowling figures of 3 for 15.

Mohsin Kamal, the Bahrain coach, was delighted with the achievement. "Everybody is delighted as we have achieved the main target that we set ourselves before we had come here," Kamal said. "Our other target is to try and win the final on Sunday. We have qualified for Division 6 and everybody hopes we can continue to progress to the top."

Click here for a full report from yesterday's other matches

The opening day of the ICC World Cricket League Division 7 tournament in Guernsey was almost entirely washed out by persistent rain.

Two matches did get underway before being abandoned - Bahrain were wobbling on 52 for 4 against Gibraltar and Japan were 28 for 1 against Guernsey. The game between Suriname and Nigeria did not even get started.

Tuesday is scheduled to be a rest day and it is possible the organisers might replay today’s matches then.

Bahrain got into their stride in preparation for their Division 7 World Cup 2015 qualifiers in Guernsey, beating an Isle of Wight XI by 131 runs at Newclose, Isle of Wight, on Wednesday.

The Gulf side posted 320 for 5 in 50 overs as they took apart the home side. Isle of Wight struggled to reach a competitive score, making 189 for 9 in their 50 overs, with Tommy Barton of Lymington getting 49 and Charlie Sutton 33.

Information and scores kindly provided by Colin MacBeth

Bahrain built on Azeem-ul-Haq's 79 and some telling contributions from the lower order to amass 335, before skittling out Saudi Arabia for just 137 in their crushing 198-run win at the Selangor Turf Club. Saudi Arabia's decision to field first seemed to have worked when Bahrain collapsed to 77 for 3, but Imran Sajjad blasted 62 off 54 balls to reclaim the initiative. Bahrain kept up a good run rate, but they had lost half their side by the 27th over with 159 runs on the board. Azeem partnered Tahir Dar (35) and Akmal Malik (23) take them past 300. Saudi Arabia were completely undone in their chase, with the only resistance coming from Suhrab Kilsingatakam, who made 52. The pick of the Bahrain bowlers were Halal Abbasi and Fahad Sadeq, who took three wickets apiece.

Next week's ICC annual get-together promises to have more than its fair share of politicking, posturing and controversy. But, unless there is a major about-turn, it should also be a watershed for the Associates and Affiliates.

In 2009, income from the ICC's six-year media deal with ESPN-Star, worth over US$1 billion, kicks in, and while the game's big boys will still keep the lion's share, the rest will see substantial increases in their incomes.

Continue reading "Future bright beyond the Test world"

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

The research, carried out by the ICC's development program, was collated from 33 Associate and 58 Affiliate members. It showed that there were 338,051 male and female players in those countries in 2007, an increase of 49,158 on the previous year. Since 2002, when there were 144,047 participants, there has been a 135% rise.

Click here for the full story.

Hussain Butt is bowled not playing a shot by Franklyn Hinds © Travis Pittman

Uganda and Cayman Islands booked their places in the semi-finals of the World Cricket League Division Three as ball dominated bat on the second day of the tournament in Darwin. Both teams made short work of their opponents, comfortably winning low-scoring games in the first session.

The wins gave Uganda and Cayman Islands maximum points from two games in Group B and left Tanzania and Hong Kong winless with just one match remaining. Despite Italy's second successive win, Group B remains wide open as PNG and Argentina have one win from two games. After Tuesday's rest day, PNG will meet Italy at Nightcliff while Argentina meet Fiji at Kahlin Oval in the last group matches.

Group A

Group B

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. For the two finalists, the rewards are bountiful - a place among the big boys in the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa this September, along with $250,000. For countries used to surviving on annual handouts from the ICC of less than $200,000, that's big money.

Continue reading "A long way from home"

Two former Sri Lankan Test cricketers, Ruwan Kalpage and Champaka Ramanayake, are turning out at the Awali Oval on November 24 in Bahrain.

The two visiting stars will feature in the finals which will be an eight-a-side affair ensuring a grand finale for the tournament.

Each team will comprise of their very best players who will be specially selected, assuring an exciting day of matches for cricket enthusiasts.

More at the Gulf Daily News. A few days ago, at the same ground, a charity mini-Ashes match took place: click here for a report.

The MCC have arrived in Bahrain for a tour to help promote the game. Under the captaincy of John Emburey, the highlight of the trip will be a match to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Awali Cricket Club.