Tony Munro

Israel easily won their Europe Division 2 play-off game against Croatia by six wickets in Zagreb on Sunday. The win means Israel will play in the Division 2 tournament in 2011, after winning this year's Division 3 tournament in Spain.

The visitors won the toss and a two-hour rain delay saw the match reduced to 36 overs per side. Israel elected to field and their opening bowlers, Eliezer Samson and David Massil restricted Croatia to 19 for 1 after 15 overs. Offspinner Steven Shein capitalised on Croatian attempts to accelerate, routing the middle order by taking 5 for 27 in eight overs. Eventually Croatia stuttered to 96 for 7 in their allotted 36 overs.

Israel started their run-chase positively, taking nine off the first over, but lost two wickets for 30. Herschel Gutman came in and scored 47 not out off 35 balls as Israel sealed the win by six wickets with 16 overs remaining.

Scores:

Croatia 96 for 7 (36 overs) (Steven Shein 5-27)

Israel 97 for 4 (19.3 overs) (Herschel Gutman 47*)

Tony Munro

Israel will be looking for a return from its development programme when its European Division Three campaign kicks off today against Belgium in La Manga, Spain. Demoted from Division Two in 2007 after losing a play-off to Croatia, Israel has made major changes to ensure its stay in the third tier of European non-Test countries is a short one.

"More than half the squad consists of players that have come through the Youth Development Program and I feel that this is the right time to change things around," Herschel Gutman, Israel’s captain-coach said. Gutman has spent time with South Western Districts in South Africa.

Among those promoted is Gabi Schachat, who recently hit the first century by an Israeli on foreign soil at the European Under-19 Division Two titles.

Opener Sabania Nagavkar, who emigrated to Israel as a 10-year-old, got involved in cricket as part of the adjustment to his new country, which he has represented in cricket at all age groups, including the adult level at the recent Maccabi Games.

Nagavbar is in the Israeli Air Force, and like many of his team-mates, cannot get to practice very often due to national service commitments. It is this lack of opportunity to train together which Gutman, who was also a nets coach at the MCC, cites as one of the main obstacles in the team's preparations for this tournament.

The side did at least get five games together in winning the Bronze Medal at the Maccabi Games and 11 of the players which played in that tournament will be in Spain.

In the other games today, Portugal play Isle of Man while the hosts and 2006 runners-up, Spain take on Malta.

The tournament winner meets Croatia in a play-off for a place in next year Division Two event.

Israel squad: Herschel Gutman (capt), Shailesh Bangera, Safania Nagavkar, Gabi Schachat, Nir Dokarkar, Eliezer Samson, Isaac Talkar, Eshkol Solomon, Yaniv Razpurker, Dovi Myers, Adrian Vard, Raymond Aston, David Massil, Steven Shein

Further information regarding the tournament can be found on its website
http://www.icc-europe.org/EURODIV3/index.shtml

ICC Europe has announced the tournament fixture schedule for the upcoming ICC European Under-19 Division 2 Championship to be held in Antwerp and Brussels, Belgium.

This will be the third time that a Division 2 tournament has been staged at this age group and will see the Under-19 national squads from Belgium, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Israel, Italy and Isle of Man contest the Championship title over a series of 50-over and Twenty20 matches.

“The competition is of particular importance to national development programmes and player pathways as it gives young cricketers a taste of international cricket before they play
for their country's senior side,” said, ICC Europe regional development manager
Richard Holdsworth. "With seven teams participating, this event is one of the larger tournaments in Europe this summer. There is nothing greater than representing your country in any sport and to be able to do so prior to senior level will hopefully inspire continued growth and development of cricketers in our junior age groups."

At the moment the row is limited to tennis, but Dubai's refusal to allow Israeli player Shahar Peer a visa to play in the Dubai WTA event should serve as a warning to the ICC, who moved its headquarters to the UAE in 2005. The UAE refuses to recognise Israel and blocks entry to any passport holders from that country.

While Israel are not a major force in the cricket world, they are Associate members. What's more, the ICC and the local authorities have invested huge sums in building state-of-the-art cricket grounds at the Dubai Sports City, and these are due to come into use later this year. The venue will also host the global cricket academy.

It seems likely that the ICC will look to play its more high-profile events at its base, and these would probably include the important Associate events. That would mean that it may face having to relocate tournaments if Israel qualified for them, leading to some serious logistical headaches.

The WTA, which governs women's tennis, are likely to cancel the Dubai event, and the state's aggressive bid to attract major sporting events could stall unless there is some change of policy.

There is a loophole. Israelis with a second passport can enter the country , and for several years Stanley Perlman, Israel's representative to the ICC and a member of its executive board, was able to attend meetings by virtue of his possessing a South African passport as well.

Now in Israel as part of a unique Israel team with several Jewish cricketers, Jonty Rhodes says he's excited by the talent in a country with no cricket culture. In an interview with the Jerusalem Post, he says the book Exodus by Leon Uris really drew him to the country.

"My knowledge of Israel comes from the 'Exodus' and how tenacious and determined the people here are to have transformed the desert into this thriving economy. It's genius, and the people here are tenacious to be able to make a living in a really harsh environment."

Samir Inamdar, the chairman of Cricket Kenya, was elected as the chairman of the Associate and Affiliate members of the ICC at the annual conference in Dubai.

Inamdar, who was already one of the three representatives of the non Test-playing countries on the ICC executive board, replaces H.H. Tunku Imran who stood down because of his commitments with the IOC.

Inamdar, who polled 26 votes, is joined on the ICC executive board, by Imran Khwaja (Singapore, 22 votes) and Neil Speight (Bermuda, 21). Rene van Iashort from the Netherlands received 18 votes while Israel’s Stanley Pearman, who was a sitting representative, finished bottom of the pile with 16 votes.

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 Israel Cricket Association has announced that India A will play three one-day matches in Israel as part of the country’s 60th anniversary celebrations.

The ICA confirmed that the Indian board had agreed to the tour during which what was described as a “full-strength A side” will play against an Invitational XI featuring players from a number of countries, including Adam Bacher.

Seven overseas cricketers are reported to have accepted the invitations and the squad will be supplemented by local players.

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?

Israel will have their first ever cricketer present at an International Cricket Council (ICC) Academy following the call-up of Solomon Varsulkar, reports the Totally Jewish website. Click here for the full story.

Croatia defeated Israel by five runs in a play-off in Tel Aviv on Sunday to secure promotion to European Division Two.

In the first cricket international to be held in Israel, Croatia batted first and made 152 for 7, the innings underpinned by 51 from their captain, John Vujnovich.

In reply, Israel slumped to 7 for 3 before Isaac Massil and Herschel Gutman added 62 for the fourth wicket, but as they pushed for quick runs wickets fell. They were still up with an asking rate that kept below six an over, and with two overs remaining they needed 12 - and six off one - with their final pair at the wicket. But Croatia took that wicket to secure promotion.

“The significance for Israeli cricket is amazing,” said Stanley Perlman, President of the Israel Cricket Association and captain for the historic match. “It was the first time that any country has come to play an international game of cricket in Israel and it was a great occasion. Our visitors from Croatia followed in the footsteps of their football and basketball teams who are regular visitors.

“The event was a huge success and we hope it is the start of more teams coming to play here in Israel."

Richard Holdsworth, the ICC regional development manager, who was also match referee, said: "The following and publicity this match has received is great news for the promotion of the game in Israel. Several hundred boys and girls watched the match live at the stadium, and many participated in a lunchtime cricket demonstration match.

"The future of the game is about these young people, and they were thrilled with their experience of being part of the first ever international match played in Israel".

Croatia now head to Guernsey in July 2008 for the Division Two event while Israel head back to Division Three.

Israel have announced their squad for the World Cricket League match against Croatia. As the Haaretz website reports:

Israel will be captained by Stanley Perlman. The side also includes plenty of other experienced players. All rounders Isaac Massil and Sanjay Gupta will both be key players in the middle order, and there will be big expectations from Herschel Gutman to perform with bat and ball.

The ICC Europe Cricket Committee (ECC) have confirmed Ireland as the host for next year's European Division One Championship.

They lasted hosted the tournament in 2002 when 12 teams participated. In the past five years, however, six more countries have joined including Europe's four High Performance Program countries: Denmark, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands. Norway - who won Division Two in 2006 - also join Italy.

The previous championship, hosted by Scotland in 2006, crowned Ireland as the European Champions and 2008's event will also feature three official one-dayers.

Meanwhile it was also confirmed that Guernsey will host the Division Two Championship in August, a six-team tournament which includes France, Germany, Gibraltar and Jersey. The sixth place will be decided later this year when Croatia meet Israel on November 18.

Israel will host Croatia in November for a play-off game to gain entry into the second division of the ICC’s World League tournament in 2008.

The match, to be played on either Sunday November 11 or 18, with the Monday set aside as a rain day, is being embraced by the Israel Cricket Association, with chairman Stanley Perlman delighted at the opportunity to host an international match.

"We have been trying to host international cricket in Israel for many years now, and hope that the visit of the Croatian team will pave the way for other countries to tour in the future," Perlman said. "We will invite the Croatians to play a couple of friendly matches before the game against our national team as well."

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"

Ramle shocked Lions Lod yesterday with a 35-run win:

Ramle pulled off a surprise 35-run win over Lions Lod, although the result should have little impact on the league title. A half century from opener Asher Penkar, and middle-order contributions from Isaac Talkar (22) and Shimon Penkar (24) gave Ramle a first innings score of 158 after they had won the toss. Janet DeSilva was the best of the Lions bowlers, taking four for 12 in his eight overs. Isaac Massil took two for 14.

Lions Lod lost wickets on a regular basis, and although David Massil (36) played well down the order, his effort was too little too late. Most of the damage had already been done by Samuel Borgawker (4 for 27), as Lions limped to 123 all out.

In Division 2, Beersheba A defeated Dimona C by 3 wickets, Eilat beat Ra'anana 2, and in Division 3 Negev Academy defeated Rishon Lezion 3.

Read more at The Jerusalem Post

srael's cricketers have become victims of the escalating crisis in the Middle East after they were forced to cancel their European Championship game with Jersey, which was due to played at Glasgow Academicals CC today, after they were targetted by the local Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS).

A rather vague press release issued by the European Cricket Council on Wednesday claimed that he match was off because the ground was unavailable.

But in The Jerusalem Post, Stanley Perlman, the president of the Israel Cricket Association, said that Cricket Scotland officials had received anonymous calls on Wednesday warning that the safety of the Israel players could not be guaranteed. He added that Glasgow police had approved a Muslim demonstration at "a Glasgow cricket club field" for approximately 2,000 demonstrators.

Click here for the full story on Cricinfo.

The European Cricket Council's European Cricket Championships, which are being held in Scotland, are the first to be organised under the auspices of the International Cricket Council’s World Cricket League.

The tournament will feature 13 countries in two divisions playing 30 matches in seven days at 12 west of Scotland grounds, starting on Thursday (August 3).

The Division 1 sides - Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark and Italy - will play a round-robin tournament, from which there is no relegation. The three matches involving the first three named teams are deemed by the International Cricket Council as official One-Day Internationals, and will be played at Ayr Cricket Club, where ground facilities have been upgraded with support from South Ayrshire Council.

Scotland’s other two matches will be played at New Anniesland (against Denmark) and Hamilton Crescent (against Italy).

Division 2 consists of eight teams - France, Germany, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Hellas (Greece), Israel, Jersey and Norway - who will play in two initial pools of four, followed by crossover semi-finals and four ranking finals - and one team will be promoted to the first division in two years’ time. The facilities at all grounds have been equipped with additional weather protection and other enhancements, thanks to a range of local authority grants and commercial support.

A huge bonus is available for the Division 2 teams, with the winners not only promoted to the European Division 1 in 2008, but also a place in the new ICC World Cricket League Division 5 in 2007-08. This team will receive $20,000 towards preparation of that event, the venue of which is still to be decided.