The new ground is prepared © ACC

The Hong Kong Cricket Association has announced it has finally found a new home after several years of negotiations.

The location is at Kai Tak, site of the former airport in Kowloon, and the ground is being leased from the government. The Asian Cricket Council will provide most of the funding, estimated at US$210,000, and it is expected to be finished around September 2010.

Continue reading "Hong Kong get a new home"

There were smiles all around the Hong Kong camp at the Maple Leaf North-West Ground despite ending up on the losing side. Hong Kong managed to qualify for the ICC Under-19 World Cup on the basis of a superior net run-rate and in the process managed to edge out Netherlands and Uganda - who were all tied on points before this game - with one qualifying spot at stake. They lost narrowly by one wicket on Friday against USA - a thrilling last-ball finish - but that was enough to see them through to the World Cup finals.

Click here for the full final-day report

The most talented young players in Associate and Affiliate cricket gather in Toronto this week in an attempt to qualify for the 2010 Under-19 World Cup, staged in New Zealand.

While the opportunity of competing against the best young squads from larger nations, such as Australia and India, is at the forefront of the players' ambitions, the tournament gives them a chance to impress and perhaps even press for a place in the senior team. Ireland's Paul Stirling, a highly regarded left-hander, turns 19 September 3 and displayed his potential during his senior side's three-run defeat to England on Thursday, cracking 30 from 26.

Click here for the full story.

Hong Kong beat Thailand to win the inaugural Asian Cricket Council’s women’s Twenty20 in Kuala Lumpar.

Hong Kong posted 106 for 4, thanks to a late charge engineered by Connie Wong, who made 23 off 21 balls. In reply, Thailand were always slightly behind the asking rate, and were left needing 17 off the final two overs and six off the last ball. Ishitaa Gidwani kept things interesting by bowling a wide, but she followed with a dot ball to secure the win.

Nepal thrashed China by 73 runs, bowling them out for 30, to win the third-place play-off.

	Man-of-the-Match Aimal Wafa is lifted from the field after Afghanistan's win © ACC

Nepal batted on winning the toss, but while the first two overs produced 23 runs, two wickets fell and thereafter the innings struggled for any momentum. Only Prithu Baskota looked to take the attack to the bowlers, hammering three sixes on his way to 81. Some late hitting helped Nepal to 186 for 8, with 73 coming off the last ten overs after they had been 113 for 6.

Afghanistan also wobbled early on, and at 54 for 3 in the 16th over, Nepal appeared to be back on track. But Man of the Match Aimal Wafa (61*) and Asgher Hotak (478) came together at 84 for 4 and not only consolidated but also kept up with the required rate, adding an unbeaten 106 for the fifth wicket to see their side home.

There was less drama in the other semi-final where Hong Kong beat Qatar by 23 runs, despite only making 161 themselves.

Nepal, the odds-on favourites who have dominated recent Asian Cricket Council Under-19 tournaments, were brought down to earth with a bump by Hong Kong who sent them crashing to a 36-run defeat. The result means both teams go through to the semi-finals.

Irfan Ahmed was the star of the show for Hong Kong, thumping 103 off 101 balls in a score of 193 for 7. Nepal struggled from the off and were bowled out for 157, Irfan Ahmed making the Man-of-the-Match adjudication a formality with 3 for 72 while Shakeel Haq took 4 for 17.
In the other Group A match, Singapore beat Saudi Arabia by 39 runs.

With Afghanistan already through from Group B, the other place was between UAE and Qatar, and it was Qatar who went through, bowling Bhutan out for 69 and coasting to a nine-wicket win - UAE’s 130-run defeat of Oman wasn’t enough.

Afghanistan will play a shell-shocked Nepal, while Hong Kong meet Qatar

Nepal, the odds-on favourites who have dominated recent Asian Cricket Council Under-19 tournaments, were brought down to earth with a bump by Hong Kong who sent them crashing to a 36-run defeat. The result means both teams go through to the semi-finals.

Irfan Ahmed was the star of the show for Hong Kong, thumping 103 off 101 balls in a score of 193 for 7. Nepal struggled from the off and were bowled out for 157, Irfan Ahmed making the Man-of-the-Match adjudication a formality with 3 for 72 while Shakeel Haq took 4 for 17.
In the other Group A match, Singapore beat Saudi Arabia by 39 runs.

With Afghanistan already through from Group B, the other place was between UAE and Qatar, and it was Qatar who went through, bowling Bhutan out for 69 and coasting to a nine-wicket win - UAE’s 130-run defeat of Oman wasn’t enough.

Afghanistan will play a shell-shocked Nepal, while Hong Kong meet Qatar

Saudi Arabia pulled off a massive upset with a five-wicket win over Hong Kong on the third day of the ACC Under-19 Elite Cup in Kuwait. There were also wins for Qatar and UAE.

Hong Kong crashed to 89 for 7 after winning the toss, but an eighth-wicket stand of 137 between Waqas Barkat (84) and Aizaz Khan (66) appeared to have got them out of jail and they finished on 241. The Saudis lost early wickets but then Abdul Salam (68) and Hasan Bukhari (57*) added 118 for the fifth wicket before Salam was run out. While Bukhari kept his end up, Waqas Khalid thumped 40 from 29 balls to the Saudi Arabia home with 25 balls to spare.

UAE bounced back from their opening-day loss to beat Bhutan, but again they were well below par as they squeezed to a three-wicket win. Qatar had no problems seeing off Oman, bowling them out for 107 and then easing to a seven-wicket victory with almost 20 overs in hand.

Nepal and Afghanistan made it two wins out of two on the second day of the ACC Under-19 Elite Cup in Kuwait.

Nepal’s win was against Malaysia, one of the pre-tournament favourites, and it extended their winning run against them to seven matches. Malaysia batted on winning the toss and scored 203, built around 90 from Keithan. Gyanendra Malla, Nepal’s captain, made 86 not out as they passed the target with six wickets in hand.

Afghanistan dismissed Oman for 188 (their last five wickets fell for 20) and then cruised to an eight-wicket win as Iqbal Maliki (86)and Noor ul Haq (79) put on 157 for the first wicket.

Hong Kong opened their account with a four-wicket win over Singapore who they bowled out for 124, aided by no fewer than five run-outs. Jamie Atkinson, who made his first-class debut for Durham UCCE earlier this month, hit 61 to spearhead the chase.

The Hong Kong Cricket Association has dropped plans to hire a chief executive and downgraded the post to senior sports administrator after board members baulked at the cost.

Continue reading "Hong Kong scale back on CEO plans"

Plans by the Hong Kong Cricket Association (HKCA) to borrow more than US$125,000 to help build a more professional organisation by hiring a full-time chief executive may proceed despite the international economic crisis.

Although several members of the HKCA board have expressed concerns at taking on such a liability at the present time, chairman Darren Tucker has said he is keen to press ahead.

Continue reading "Hong Kong face tough decisions on loan"

The schedule for the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 which takes place in Argentina next month has been announced. The two finalists will progress to the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in South Africa in April.

Click here for the complete schedule

Shivnarine Chanderpaul has signed up for this year's Hong Kong Sixes. Click here for the full article.

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 continued success of the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes is a key focus for Darren Tucker as he takes up his new role as chairman of the Hong Kong Cricket Association.

"Obviously, the Sixes is an important revenue stream for the HKCA - but it amounts to much more than that," he said. "The tournament also gives Hong Kong cricket global coverage and provides a huge boost to the Hong Kong cricket community.

Continue reading "Sixes success the focus for new Hong Kong chairman"

Cricinfo has learned that the Afro-Asia Cup, which was reported to have been quietly sidelined after the 2007 event in Bangalore, has been revived.

Plans had been discussed whereby the existing Asia Cup, which takes place in Pakistan next month, would be supplemented with an African Cup. The winners of the two tournaments would then play off in an Afro-Asia final.

However, the packed international schedule meant that it was too difficult to find room for the African competition in 2008 and so a competition using the old three-ODI format will be held in Kenya during 2009.

Although the event has raised valuable funds for the African Cricket Association and the Asian Cricket Council, it has been less than a hit with audiences and has struggled to find a niche in the calendar. Despite the best intentions of the two associations, the weight of cricket means that it is still by no means certain to proceed.

Damien Martyn and Stephen Fleming will both play in November's annual Hong Kong Sixes.

"I'm thrilled to be taking part," said Martyn. "Hong Kong is a wonderful city to visit and the Kowloon Cricket Club is a fantastic venue for such an exciting tournament. I'm looking forward to teaming up with Stephen and the other members of the All-Stars for what promises to be two days of fast and furious action.

"The Hong Kong event is, without doubt, the best-run and most high-profile sixes tournament in the world and, hopefully, we can put on a great show for the fans."

Click here for the full story.

Confusion surrounds the sudden resignation of Clive Howard, the chairman of the Hong Kong Cricket Association (HKCA).

Howard quit with immediate effect in the middle of the week, but the brief statement from the board cited “family and work commitments”. However, a report in the South China Morning Press stated that he owed the HKCA around HK$210,000 (US$27,000)

"During his time as chairman, cricket developed significantly, with the introduction of the "Challenge League" for players not able to find places in teams competing in the regular Saturday and Sunday League competitions run by the HKCA and the setting up of a women's league competition,” Terry Smith, the board president, said. "He also played a significant part in developing the International Cricket Sixes into an event of true international stature.

"Given the scale of the activities now being undertaken by the Association, we are now considering the appointment of a CEO to support the chairman and executive committee and implement all aspects of association policy.”

Shane Warne and Anil Kumble will take part in a lucrative new six-a-side tournament, the iSixes World Series, which will take place in Singapore, Shanghai and Dubai. All nine Test playing nations will be involved, plus one wild-card team, with US$1m for the winners.

Singapore will host the first leg from July 4-6 at Singapore Cricket Club's Padang ground with further stops expected in Shanghai, Dubai, and one other yet-to-be announced country. Among other players confirmed for the All Stars are former Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak, New Zealander Craig McMillan, and Sri Lanka's Romesh Kaluwitharan.

Click here for the full story.

Bangladesh Women recorded a clean 4-0 sweep of Hong Kong who crashed to another humiliating defeat in Mirpur. Bangladesh have completely outplayed Hong Kong all series and their 211 for 9 was always going to be more than sufficient, even if they did lose their last five wickets for 36. Salma Khatun top-scored with 63. Hong Kong got off to a reasonably competent start, with their captain – the New Zealand-born Neisha Pratt – again standing out with 61. That was Hong Kong’s only peak, however: the next highest scores were 14 and 6 while the rest – including Nos. 5-11 - all registered ducks. The match was wrapped up in the 41st over with Jahanara Alam, bowling her first over, removing the last three to claim a hat-trick and dismiss Hong Kong for 96.

Match scorecard

Bangladesh’s women romped to another thumping win over Hong Kong in the third match of four in Chittagong. Betty Chan took 5 for 28 to restrict Bangladesh to a relatively modest 158, but it proved to be well out of reach of Hong Kong who were bowled out for just 87. Connie Wong (36) and Neisha Pratt (24) continued their good form, contributing 69 percent of the team’s total. Bangladesh won by 71 runs and lead the series 3-0.

	Salma Khatun and Panna Ghosh take a run during their 156-run stand © tigercricket.com

Bangladesh’s top order did little but a fourth-wicket stand of 156 between Panna Ghosh and Salma Khutan guided them to 249 for 5, always enough against a side who had been bowled out for 38 three days earlier.

Hong Kong started well, Connie Wong and Keenu Gill putting on 89 for the first wicket but once Gill had gone for 62 the innings disintegrated and the last eight wickets added only 41.

Click here for the full scorecard

Hong Kong’s women lost the opening game in their four-match series against Bangladesh by eight wickets after they were skittled for 38. Neisha Pratt, who has experience in her native New Zealand, made 16 but otherwise it was a pretty poor display. Salma Khatun, Bangladesh’s captain, grabbed a hat-trick on her way to 4 for 2 off six overs and then her side eased to victory inside 14 overs.

The Hong Kong Sixes for 2008 will be held on November 8 and 9 at Kowloon Cricket Club, it was announced today. For further information, check www.hksixes.com.

Associate Member Bermuda picked up two prizes in the ICC Development Program Annual awards, making them the winners in this year’s competition. They were awarded the Best Overall Cricket Development Program and the Photo of the year titled “It’s a Catch”.

Continue reading "Bermuda's development recognised by the ICC"

The Hong Kong women's team will tour Bangladesh from March 20 to 29 to play four one-day matches against Bangladesh. The four matches will be played on March 23, 25, 27 and 29.

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.

As revealed by Cricinfo last month, the 2011 World Cup will be shortened and the main victims of the change will be the Associate countries who will have their numbers cut from six to four.

"It is a move we both feared and expected and it's not great news for the Associates," Warren Deutrom, the chief executive of the Irish Cricket Union, told Cricinfo. "Neither is it a great vote of confidence in the ICC's own High Performance Programme.

Click here to tell us what you think of this? Is it the start of the gradual elimination of smaller countries from the World Cup or a necessary and welcome move?

	Singapore's captain Rezza Gaznavi receives the ACC Under-15 Elite Cup © ACC

The Asian Cricket Council had taken drastic action on Saturday and kicked out hosts and defending champions Nepal as well as Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Thailand after its medical board reported that all the squads from those countries contained players over the stipulated age limit. Sunday's semi-finals - Nepal v Singapore and Afghanistan v Hong Kong - were scrapped.

Click here for the full story.

Teams and supporters from all around the world will descend on Po Kong Village Road, Kowloon for the final time from 30 November at the annual Hong Kong invitational festival.

The lease will shortly expire on the picturesque grounds, turned into one of the largest sports fields in Hong Kong by the Hong Kong Cricket Association in 2001, and the government will take back the land for redevelopment on December 13.

Continue reading "Last hurrah for Po Kong Village Road"

Cricket teams and supporters from all parts of the world as well as Hong Kong will descend on the cricket grounds at Po Kong Village Road, Kowloon for the final time for the annual Ichor International Hong Kong Invitational Cricket Festival 2007. The three-day event starts on November 30.

The lease will shortly expire on the picturesque cricket grounds, turned into one of the largest sports fields in Hong Kong by the Hong Kong Cricket Association in 2001, and the government will take back the land for redevelopment on December 13.

"It's a 'last hurrah' for Po Kong Village Road," said festival director Brad Tarr, "PKVR has been the home of the festival since 2004 so unfortunately we'll have to find a new venue for the tournament next year."

The festival features up to 34 men's and women's cricket teams competing in five divisions using the popular cricket sixes format.

For further information see the tournament website www.hkcricketfestival.com or contact Brad Tarr on mobile 9422 5907 or brad@cricketsixes.com

Will Luke

Aftab Habib, the former England batsman, has been appointed as Hong Kong’s coach on a three-year contract.

Habib, 35, was selected from a field of 25 candidates according to the website of the Hong Kong Cricket Association (HKCA).

"We did a very extensive search and narrowed it down to a shortlist of four,” Clive Howard, the HKCA chairman said. “Aftab was our final choice. “We have offered him a three-year contract. One of the main conditions for the job was that the new coach be based in Hong Kong."

Habib's first assignment is in Kuwait for the inaugural ACC Twenty20 tournament which got underway yesterday.

The 2007 ACC Twenty20 Cup gets underway on October 27, a ten-team tournament held in Kuwait.

Hong Kong Cricket's website, which Cricinfo hosts, will have more once the tournament gets underway.

Hong Kong are seeking a new national coach. This is a three-year appointment, subject to satisfactory performance.

Sameer Dighe is the current temporary coach, who took over from Robin Singh before the World Cricket League Division Three tournament in Darwin. His appointment was just for that competition and the preparatory tour to Chennai.

The HKCA has also tossed in the requirement that the coach must be Hong Kong based which would rule out the previous arrangement offered to Robin Singh, and may well count out Dighe this time.

More details on the HKCA website.

If you’re a women’s team looking for a fixture or two abroad, it’s unlikely that you have considered touring Hong Kong. Yet it would be worth thinking about, particularly as the Hong Kong Cricket Association would love to host any teams who would be keen.

Continue reading "Women's teams wanted for Hong Kong"

The Hong Kong women's team scored an emphatic ten-wicket victory over China in an historic match played at the Shenzhen University Stadium. While records of matches between teams from Hong Kong and Chinese clubs date back to the 19th century, this match was the first full international played between teams from Hong Kong and China.

Click here for the full report

Eight of cricket’s emerging nations will be hoping to take one step towards qualification for the 2011 World Cup when the World Cricket League Division 3 gets underway this Sunday (May 27) in Darwin.

The top two teams from this event will join UAE, Namibia, Denmark and Oman
in Windhoek, Namibia at the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 November. The top four teams from the event in Namibia will automatically qualify for the ICC World Cup Qualifier in the UAE in 2009, while the two remaining teams will have a second chance to qualify for the UAE tournament at the World Cricket League Division 3 in early 2009.

Click here for the full team-by-team preview.

Seven bowlers each from Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nepal and the UAE will be sent to the MRF Pace Foundation, run by Dennis Lillee, ahead of the 2007 and 2008 World Cricket League.

"It is the ACC's intention that these teams do well in the World Cricket League and the MRF camp in Chennai is to prepare the five qualifiers for World Cup qualification. An invitation was extended to the Malaysian Under-19 squad to train at MRF as they have pre-qualified for the 2008 U-19 World Cup next February and can benefit from the opportunity to train from this year," says ACC Development Manager Sultan Rana.

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"

An MCC touring team, managed by J.A.F. Vallance – who will be accompanying Tony Lewis, the MCC president, on his last official engagement – and captained by Min Patel (Kent and England), will leave Lord’s on September 25 for a 16-day tour of China and Hong Kong. The strong side – which also includes Dougie Brown (Warwickshire, Scotland and England), Simon Smith (Scotland) and Craig Wright (Scotland) – will play six matches on the tour, including a game against Hong Kong CC, one of MCC’s reciprocal clubs. This will be the first tour which the club has undertaken to China, and it is intended that as many coaching sessions as possible will be held in order to foster the game in the region.

On September 26, a separate touring team will visit Botswana and Zambia for a 14-day visit to play five matches. The side will be managed by R.W. Ibbotson and captained by Stuart Barnes (Gloucestershire).

Hong Kong have announced a squad of 14 for the women's tour of Pakistan next month. Read the full story at Cricinfo

UAE 175 for 5 (Khan 61*) beat Hong Kong 174 for 8 (Ali 3-35) by 5 wickets

The United Arab Emirates beat Hong Kong by five wickets today, at the Kinrara Oval, to take the 2006 ACC Trophy.

Choosing to bat, Hong Kong could only muster 174 for 8 in their 50 overs with the captain and wicketkeeper, Tim Smart, top-scoring in his 55. Arshad Ali bowled very tidily, picking up 3 for 37 and the Man-of-the-Match award. UAE then raced to victory in 35 overs, Khan taking them home with an unbeaten 61.