550892 © PA

Cricket Ireland has set out its strategy to bring full Test status by 2020. Targets include an increase in the number of people playing the game in Ireland to 50,000, reaching eighth in the world rankings and establishing a domestic first-class structure.

A number of commercial deals have been secured, allowing Ireland to unveil their strategic plan to 2015 and target their ultimate ambition of securing Test status. As part of that process Cricket Ireland want to have three first-class teams in place by 2015.

Warren Deutrom, Ireland's chief executive, said: "We have set ourselves a very clear long-term ambition - to become a full Test nation by 2020, nothing less. This is not a dreamy aspiration but a real ambition founded on the playing talent being developed on this island, the growing passion and profile of the game here, a sustained and proven track record of achievement on and off the field and a clear roadmap set out by us for how to get there."

Phil Simmons, the Ireland coach, has also agreed a two-year extension to his contract which will take him through to at least the end of Ireland's World Cup qualifying campaign late next year.

Cricket Ireland has offered a record 23 professional contracts to players, in three categories, for 2012, a development Simmons says is vital for their continued improvement.

"A key part of our success to date has been the move to professionalism," Simmons said. "With so many players on full or part-time contracts we now have a structure supporting the senior squad to make sure we can maintain our competitiveness on the international stage."

Initiatives to swell participation numbers to 50,000 will include the establishment of regional academies; a Get Into Cricket scheme which will seek to attract six to 12-year-olds to take up the game in clubs and schools; a Better Clubs Initiative, which will encourage clubs to improve their facilities; and the Cricket Ireland national awards which will recognise contributions ranging from players to volunteers.

"Our commitment to the game at grassroots level will hopefully make a real difference on the ground," Deutrom said. "We want to give as much attention to the domestic game as we have to the international teams in the last four years."

© AP

On Canadian website sportsnet, Nigel Reed is less than impressed with the way Canada have played so far in the Caribbean Twenty20. Despite bright starts in both their Group A games in Antigua, the momentum deserted them at crucial times resulting in heavy defeats to both the Windward and Leeward Islands.

Taking a chance is one thing. Poor choice of shot or execution is quite another. Sadly a fair few Canadian batsmen have fallen in the latter category. I lost count of the number of players who threw away their wickets because of bad shots rather than being beaten by the skill of a bowler.

It didn't have to be like this. Technically Canada does not rank among the best in the world but I would like to think there are enough decent players on duty to at least be competitive in the Caribbean. The fact is if you choose to bat and fail the game is virtually over as a contest before the run chase begins

Canada must improve or the ramifications could be costly. Ian Bishop, the former West Indies fast bowler, openly questioned Canada's participation following a second thumping defeat. At the same time Bishop recognizes Canada has to play better teams more frequently to get better. Is that a chicken or an egg I hear?

As many as 22 former and current Members of Parliament and seven senators have written letters of endorsement to induct Frederick Heather into the 2012 Canada Sports Hall of Fame. Heather, who played a major role in the growth and development of cricket in Canada, moved to the country from England in 1921 and died in Toronto in 1976. Heather is being nominated in the Builder’s category for the Sports Hall of Fame – the category recognises “outstanding contribution to Canadian sport as a leader, administrator, official, coach, business leader, and media or in other roles.”

Upon retiring as a player, Heather took to umpiring and also became an administrator, as a secretary for two clubs, a founding member and first secretary-treasurer of the Toronto District Cricket Umpire’s Association and the first secretary of the Canadian Umpire’s Control Board. He began umpiring in 1929 and was Canada’s longest-serving umpire when he retired. He was also appointed to several international assignments, including the inaugural first-class match in Canada held against the MCC. Heather also started a school for cricket umpires and started a junior cricket league in Toronto, which led to the formation of 18 junior clubs that included more than 300 players.

“The support and praise for Heather’s contributions as a builder of Canadian cricket have been overwhelming with a total of 43 written endorsements,” a press release stated. “There are Olympic medalists, CEOs, mayors, and authors who have joined the effort to have cricket recognised in Canada. Heather’s contributions to cricket can be read on the Cricket Canada website. Unfortunately, Canada does not have a cricket hall of fame, although Heather was inducted into the US Cricket Hall of Fame in 2010.

“Our Members of Parliament promote that 2012 be the year Canadians are inspired by Heather’s outstanding achievements, through his inclusion to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.”

Cricket Kenya and Supersport have agreed terms for the broadcaster to televise the East African Premier League and East Africa Cup for the next two years.

The continuation of the partnership will see Supersport broadcast coverage of the Twenty20 and 50-over competitions in 2012 and 2013. Supersport will show comprehensive live coverage of both the competitions and look to build on their additional coverage which included a weekly magazine show featuring highlights, features and player profiles in the inaugural season.

“The extension of our broadcast agreement with Supersport is testimony to how successful the first year of the East African Cricket Competitions has been,” explained Tom Sears, Cricket Kenya’s CEO. “The Supersport coverage has generated enormous interest all over Africa and the feedback we have had is incredibly encouraging. To have East African domestic cricket broadcast all over the continent gives the game wonderful exposure and presents fantastic opportunities to commercial partners.

“We are delighted with how the first year has gone, weather interfering with the finals aside, and we are currently reviewing ways we can further improve the competitions for 2012. The East African Cricket Competitions are a key part of our strategy for the future development of cricket at all levels in the region and Supersport’s endorsement of what we are striving to achieve is enormously encouraging.”

Hamid Hassan came away with mixed memories from the ICC Combined XI match, claiming two key wickets but also needing a trip to hospital

'My body is now pretty spectacular as I have some interesting coloured bruises, some of which are green, yellow and blue' © Getty Images

It has been a fairly eventful few days in Dubai for me, playing for the ICC Combined Associate and Affiliate XI against England, with the high of getting two of the best batsmen in the world out, followed by one of the biggest lows in my career, when I injured myself while fielding, which ruled me out of the rest of the game.

Day two of the match had started so well for me. I felt I was bowling quickly and accurately against England’s top order and was just trying to concentrate on not giving the batsmen any room. Hopefully the person who updates the statistics on Cricinfo will have been watching and will change my style of bowling to fast, rather than just medium-fast, on my player profile.

It was an amazing feeling to dismiss Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott and I felt I was capable of taking quite a few more wickets.

Continue reading "I could have won the game"

Netherlands cricket has received a major boost after securing a four-year sponsorship deal with the major Dutch bank ABN AMBRO. It will allow them to pump more money into central contracts as they build towards the 2015 World Cup.

As with other Associate nations, Netherlands' players have to balance their cricket careers with full-time jobs to ensure they can make a living. Some of their leading stars, like Ryan ten Doeschate and Alexei Kervezee, play county cricket - where Netherlands compete in the CB40 competition - while Tom Cooper has reached as far as the Australia A setup. Currently three players have contracts with the Netherlands board but they now expect that to increase.

"We are delighted to be able to secure this deal, which also provides us with a two-fold opportunity," Richard Cox, the Netherlands chief-executive, said. "Firstly we will be able to offer considerably more full-time playing contracts to our players and effectively turn professional for the foreseeable four years and beyond. Secondly we will be able to offer a career-path for our best young cricketers from our development programmes in to the national team. This is a sea-change for the future of Dutch cricket and is the fruit of many months of work by team manager Ed van Nierop and the KNCB."

Netherlands took part in last year's World Cup but did not manage to win any of their group matches, although they gave England a tough outing when ten Doeschate struck 119 in Nagpur. In March they will be one of 16 teams taking part in the World Twenty20 qualifiers in Dubai, from which two sides will qualify for the main event in Sri Lanka. Their attention will then turn to preparing for the next World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, in 2015.

Hamid Hassan is looking forward at another chance to impress © Getty Images

Hamid Hassan writes about his excitement in being selected for the ICC Combined XI to play England

It has been a brilliant first few days in Dubai preparing for the ICC Combined Associate and Affiliate XI match against England on Saturday. We have worked really hard in our training camp and it has been great to spend some time with some really good players from outside the Test playing world.

We were sitting in the changing rooms earlier and we were talking about how funny it is for us all to be on the same team and to make so many good friends, when we are so used to playing against each other and when usually our only interaction is to shake hands at the end of a match. Everybody is very proud to have been selected for this inaugural match and we want to do all of the countries outside of the Test playing world proud with a good performance.

Last year was a bit disappointing for Afghanistan, losing matches that we should have done better in, but hopefully winning the Asian Cricket Council Twenty20 Cup in Nepal in December is a positive sign of things to come.

Continue reading "Can't wait to bowl at No. 1 team - Hassan"

Franklyn Najjumba put the skids under the Kenyans © The Monitor

Namibia, Tanzania or hosts Uganda will go into the final day of the inaugural International Cricket Council Africa Women’s Twenty20 Championship with a chance of the title. But hosts Uganda are the favourites after their easy win over neighbours Kenya.

Opening bowlers Franklyn Najjumba (3 for 6) and Mackenzie Ayato almost settled the match in the eary overs as Kenya slid to 4 for 5, and in the evnt they did well to manage to crawl to 42. Uganda cruised to victory by seven wickets with seven overs to spare.

Uganda’s Net Run Rate is markedly better than second-placed Namibia. Uganda need a commanding win over Nigeria in the last fixture of the tournament to claim the title. If they fail then Namibia could still take the title if they thrash Kenya.

Kenya recovered from their loss to Tanzania to beat Sierra Leone by 10 wickets in the ongoing Africa Women’s tournament in Kampala, Uganda.

Sierra Leone won the toss and elected to bat and they never got going at all struggling at 8 for 5 early on but they fought hard to post 49. Mercyline Adhiambo was the pick of the bowlers picking up 3 for 4 and Man of the Match Sarah Bhakita, debutant Mako Wako and Emily Ruto picked two wickets apiece.

Kenya got off to a flying start and took only 14.5 overs to reach their target thanks to 23 runs apiece from openers Bhakita and Margaret Banja, who has been batting brilliantly since the event began last Friday.

Around the world, cricket is learned in the street, on the savannah, in schools, at clubs, on the beach. But regardless of the backdrop, the common denominator is youth. The first exposure to cricket is usually the province of the young, the pre-teens and teens.

As ever, things can be a little different in the New World.

Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club has a long history of cricket stretching back well over a century. But a different angle now emerges. As the name implies, TCSCC is more than just cricket (some would say far more), and the multi-sport backdrop has led to the “late-learning”.

For years, squash players, curlers, tennis players and rugby players have watched - often with varying degrees of bemusement - as cricket was played. There was always a passing interest. Little by little, the dormant interest was awakened. And, driven by a small group of committed organizers, an “Associates League” (read: non-cricketers) formed itself.

30-year-old nationally ranked squash players, 40 (50?) year old curlers. Golfers and rugby players. Ex-baseballers who know a thing or two about hitting ball with bat. All were welcomed. All welcomed the challenge. And all took to it, helped by one or two with accent strange enough to self-qualify as experts as well as ex-pats.

To the more trained eye, there’s often a baseball slant to things. But never mind the niceties, the ball still disappears with regularity through - and over - legside fields which were claimed to have been astutely set. Anyway, there’s always the ongoing encouragement to use all 360 degrees now available.

Running between the wickets? Judging semi-quick singles can present problems, but we all know it’s not only the inexperienced who have that particular problem. Backing up by the non-striker? “Got it. It’s like taking a lead-off at first base. Right!”

Field placing? It only takes a few games to understand one of the big differences with baseball: you’re not necessarily always in one position – the equivalent of left field, right field or shortstop. Fluidity replaces almost-static. Wicket keeping? Those with baseball catching experience adjust quickly – even if unfairly challenged by what some would consider to be too many wides. And the fitness addicts from the squash world can get their fix out on the boundary. Who ever heard of people actually wanting to run around in the outfield? And where did all that sliding stuff come from?

Keenness shows in attendance at nets – and heaven forbid that the “coaches” instill too much correctness into those with excellent eye/hand from other sporting fields. Experience at a high level in other sports means that many learn very quickly what’s needed. They readily absorb and adapt - especially after grasping what it feels like to sit for 19.2 overs watching everybody else bat!

Everything is all very social and the after-the-match scene is suitably well lubricated. Social, that is, until the play-offs come around when discussions abound about the numbers of fielders inside and outside the circle and about whether Person A’s arm is straight enough at delivery to be allowed in the cricketing context. But always the greater good wins out.

Toronto probably isn’t alone on the late-learning front. But there can’t be many other places where you can see 30, 40, 50 year-olds learning the game, generally having a ball and (yes!) improving.

And rumour has the next stop on the journey is a UK tour! Should be interesting. Steve Ferley

Tanzania women upset the formbook to go top of the Africa Cup by beating arch-rivals Kenya by nine runs at the Lugogo Cricket Oval in Kampala.

Tanzania won the toss, chose to bat and stayed on top of their opponents for much of the game. Opener Monica Pascal piled on 56 as Kenya looked ordinary in the field, and was ably assisted in the middle of the innings by Mwanaiddi Ibrahim, Hadija Hassan and Hawa Salum as they made 109 runs after 20 overs.

In reply, Kenya slumped to 17 for 3 but Margaret Banja’s firefighting 46 and Sarah Bakhita’s explosive 20 got them near the target but they fell nine runs short to hand the Tanzania’s a first win over Kenya since 2007.

A selection of the leading Associate and Affiliate players, led by Ireland captain William Porterfield, will get their chance to compete against England, the No. 1 Test team in the world, next month after it was confirmed they will form part of England's preparations for the Test series against Pakistan in the UAE.

ICC Combined AM XI William Porterfield (captain, Ireland), Saqib Ali (UAE), Kyle Coetzer (Scotland), George Dockrell (Ireland), Majid Haq (Scotland), Hamid Hassan (Afghanistan), Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan), Boyd Rankin (Ireland), Mohammad Shahzad (Afghanistan), Paul Stirling (Ireland), Christi Viljoen (Namibia) and Craig Williams (Namibia)

Click here for the full story

A charity appeal has been launched to build Rwanda their first cricket stadium. The appeal, supported by the MCC foundation, hopes to raise £400,000 to build the stadium by 2014. Rwanda currently has no adequate facilities for international cricket.

Cricket is one of the fastest-growing sports in Rwanda and the new stadium will provide training facilities for all age groups as well as to host international matches. British Prime Minister David Cameron and broadcaster Jonathan Agnew have thrown their support behind the appeal.

Continue reading "Appeal to build Rwanda a home"