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.

The 2011 Women's World Cup Qualifier will feature 10 teams and be played at four venues in Dhaka, the ICC has said. The tournament is scheduled between November 14 and 25.

The four venues will be the Sher-e-Bangla stadium, Narayanganj Osmani Stadium, Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan (Bangladesh Institute of Sports) 1 and BKSP 2. Hosts Bangladesh will be joined by South Africa, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Zimbabwe, USA, West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and Japan to battle it out for the four remaining spots at the 2013 Women's World Cup in India. England, Australia, India and New Zealand already qualified for the event because they were the top four teams in the 2009 Women's World Cup.

The teams for the qualifiers will be split into two groups. Bangladesh play Pakistan in the first game of the tournament on November 14 at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.

Group A
South Africa, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Zimbabwe, USA

Group B
West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland, Japan, Bangladesh

In a hard-fought and generally low-scoring Twenty20 competition on the European Women’s Championship opening day all three teams finished with a win and a defeat, but it was the Dutch hosts who came out on top on net run rate, thanks to a comfortable victory over Scotland.

Scotland had caused an initial upset by beating Ireland in the first game of the day, after Irish skipper Isobel Joyce had elected to bat after winning the toss. Ireland’s batters found the conditions difficult against a steady Scottish attack, and battled their way to 72 before they were dismissed in exactly 18 overs, only Joyce herself, with an enterprising 28-ball 29, gaining any real measure of control. Keeper Mary Waldron (16) was the only other Irishwoman to reach double figures, while Kari Anderson with three for 20 was the most successful of the Scottish bowlers. There were two wickets apiece for Kathryn White, Leigh Kasperek (whose four overs cost just six runs) and Lois Wilkinson.

Scotland found scoring equally difficult, with Kim Garth taking 1 for 4 for Ireland in her four overs and Amy Kenealy claiming two for 12. White top-scored with 23, but when she became Joyce’s third victim (for just 7 runs) the Scots faced an uphill battle.

Nine were still needed from the last two overs, but Fiona Urquhart took some of the pressure off with some calculated strokeplay, and in the end Scotland managed to take the winning single off the very last ball of the game, with two wickets in hand.

Ireland 72, 18 overs (I Joyce 29; K Anderson 3-20)
Scotland 73-8, 20 overs (I Joyce 3-7)
Scotland won by two wickets

The Netherlands became the only side to pass the hundred mark in the second match, Esther Lanser’s 35-ball 32 enabling them to reach 104 for 9 from their 20 overs. White, Anderson and Wilkinson claimed two more wickets each, but the batting quickly crumbled against the Dutch bowlers. It was the running between the wickets which was the real root of the Scots’ problems, however, and the Dutch fielders took full advantage, producing no fewer than five run-outs as Scotland were all out for 49 in 16.2 overs.

Two direct hits by Helmien Rambaldo removed openers Dianne Pedgrift and Catherine Smaill, and with Lanser, Laura Brouwers and Jolet Hartenhof making scoring difficult – Hartenhof having the remarkable figures of one for 1 from two overs – the running became increasingly desperate. Rambaldo took two for 13 from three overs of spin as Scotland subsided to a 55-run defeat.

Netherlands 104-9, 20 overs (E Lanser 32)
Scotland 49, 16.2 overs
Netherlands won by 55 runs

That set up the final match between Ireland and the hosts, and Rambaldo again elected to bat on winning the toss. But Ireland’s attack was much more effective this time, restricting the Netherlands to 89 for 8, Rambaldo herself leading the way with 31 from 40 deliveries. Thirteen-year-old leg spinner Elena Tice showed great promise in taking 3 for 22, and by removing both Rambaldo and Violet Wattenberg, who had put on 31 for the third wicket, she gave her side a great chance.

Garth (22) and Joyce (33) then seized the initiative with a 51-run opening stand – the only half-century partnership of the day – but once they were both run out the run rate slowed, and once again the chase extended into the final over. With plenty of wickets in hand, however, Laura Delany and Kenealy were able to pace their chase fairly comfortably, and the Dutch fielders were unable to stem the flow of runs which eventually saw Ireland home with two balls to spare.

Netherlands 89-8, 20 overs (H Rambaldo 31; E Tice 3-22)
Ireland 90-3, 19.4 overs (I Joyce 33, L Delany 17*, A Kenealy 11*)
Ireland won by 7 wickets

But with two very close finishes Ireland’s net run rate was unable to compete with the Netherlands’, and it was the home side which took the honours, with the Irish second and Scotland, despite their opening win over Ireland, having to settle for third place.

Netherlands captain Peter Borren and allrounder Wesley Barresi have been given full-time contracts by the Dutch board for 2011. Another 16 players are on incremental deals as Netherlands prepare for a busy year which has started with the current World Cup and includes qualifying for the next global T20 event.

Borren, 27, is set to lead Netherlands against England in their opening World Cup match on Tuesday while Barresi is a highly-rated top-order batsman. Netherlands' professional players - Ryan ten Doeschate, Tom Cooper and Alexi Kervezee - have been offered joint-professional contracts alongside their county and state deals.

Tim Gruijters, the 19-year-old allrounder, will be added to the incremental list once he completes his recovery from a back injury while seam bowler Ruud Nijman, another injured player, has decided to take time away from international cricket to recover.

"On the eve of such a big series of matches in the World Cup and the forthcoming summer season we are delighted that all of the players are secured for the 2011programme of World Cup, CB40 matches and other international cricket," Richard Cox, the Dutch CEO, said. "There is a lot of ongoing speculation at present as to the future format of cricket for the Associate members and the number of incremental contracts represents our commitment to the programme in this interim period."

The ICC World Cricket League Division 1 tournament began in Netherlands with Ireland aiming to defend their title, but Afghanistan sensing another trophy.

Scotland prevailed in a nerve-wracking contest against hosts Netherlands, winning off the penultimate ball with one wicket in hand in Amstelveen. Their chase of 235 had been dealt a serious blow when the first six wickets fell for 121, but the lower order set about pulling things back.

Afghanistan put in an admirable batting display to overcome a challenging target of 258 set by Canada in Voorburg. Captain Nawroz Mangal led the charge with an unbeaten 70, off just 58 balls, and the innings was also supported by half-centuries from opener Noor Ali and Mohammad Shahzad. Noor and Shahzad were involved in a 87-run stand, though both fell in quick succession. Afghanistan recovered quickly from those jolts, thanks to an attacking knock from their captain, who ensured victory was achieved with eight balls to spare.

A collective bowling effort and a solid opening performance from Paul Stirling kicked off defending champions Ireland's campaign on a successful note against Kenya in Rotterdam.

While the debate over eligibility of players rumbles on, the Netherlands have gone abroad to boost their chances in the coming year and recruited two players with Dutch passports and first-class experience in Australia and New Zealand.

Tom Cooper, a 23-year-old batsman who played for Australia at Under-19 level, and 24-year-old Otago wicketkeeper-batsman Derek de Boorder will both play for the country this coming season. Neither will be deemed to be an overseas player by the ECB so can compete the English 40-over competition. They will also be allowed to take part in ODIs and the ICC’s World Cricket League but not the ICC’s first-class Intercontinental Cup.

“There are still a few formalities to be finalised,” Jeroen Smits, the high performance advisor to the Dutch board told Cricket Europe. “We are confident that both players will be available for our first matches.

“I’m delighted that the selectors, who make the final decisions, will have the possibility of including these players in our squad and, looking further forward, I see them as potentially playing a significant role in our plans for next year’s World Cup.”

Netherlands 132 for 6 (Kervezee 39, Nabi 3-23) beat Afghanistan128 for 9 (Ahmadzai 23, Jonkman 2-23) by four wickets

Afghanistan's dream of a place at the World Twenty20 was placed on standby after their defeat to Netherlands at Dubai International stadium. Put in to bat in an electric atmosphere in front of a crowd of well over 2,500, Afghanistan were restricted to 128 for 9, with several batsmen making starts but none able to push on for a big total. In reply, Alexei Kervezee and Eric Szwarczynski got the chase off to a flier, and Netherlands weathered a late fightback from Mohammad Nabi and Hamid Hassan to register a tense four-wicket win.

Afghanistan had to be on top of their game in the field after posting such a modest total, but they let themselves down with several fielding and bowling lapses to allow Netherlands to take control. Mohammad Shahzad, the wicketkeeper, put down a chance in the first over of Netherlands' chase, and the 18 extras given away did nothing to help Afghanistan's attempts to restrict the scoring. In the tense closing moments of the game, Shapoor Zadran's casual attempt at a catch let Ryan ten Doeschate, the last recognised batsman at the crease, off the hook and he lofted Hassan over mid on three balls later to seal the win.

Zadran's economical opening spells have been one of the vital ingredients in Afghanistan's success in this tournament so far. He leaked runs against Ireland, but gave away just 21 runs in eight overs against Scotland and USA. Admittedly, he would have been frustrated by the missed chance off his third ball today, but he was unforgivably wayward thereafter, giving away four boundaries in his opening spell.

Kervezee provided most of the momentum as Netherlands raced to 64 in under nine overs, but when he was bowled around his legs sweeping at Nabi, Afghanistan sniffed a chance for an unlikely comeback. Nabi held on to a stinging return catch to get rid of Szwarczynski in his next over, and when Bas Zuiderent was trapped in front by Samiullah Shenwari for two, Netherlands had slipped to 74 for 3. Daan van Bunge eased the pressure with a towering six over long off, but when he was dismissed attempting to repeat the shot, the nerves set in.

Hassan has been a talisman for Afghanistan bowling at the death in this format, but without the weight of runs to put pressure on the opposition's batsmen, his effectiveness was limited in this game. As a proven wicket-taker he was also introduced a little too late, when only 39 runs were required off 48 balls. After Peter Borren's senseless run out, Hassan rattled Atse Buurman's stumps with a searing yorker second ball, but ten Doeschate drew on his experience – and took advantage of a dropped catch – to guide Netherlands home with seven balls to spare.

ten Doeschate was named Man of the Match for his efforts, which included Nabi's wicket when Afghanistan batted. That dismissal was the third of the innings, after a double strike by Mark Jonkman, as Afghanistan slipped from 30 without loss to 32 for 3. Jonkman has built up a reputation as one of the quickest bowlers outside the Test arena, but he also exhibited a well-disguised slower ball to bowl Nowroz Mangal for 10.

Confused calling then led to Mohammad Shahzad's run out to reduce Afghanistan to 51 for 4. Raees Ahmadzai collected two fours in his 23 – the highest score of the innings – but after his dismissal wickets fell at regular intervals as Afghanistan slipped to 92 for 7. Ashraf aimed two massive strikes over long on to lift the score in the closing overs, but it was probably 20 runs short of the total Afghanistan needed.

Netherlands will be buoyed by this result, which gives them two valuable points ahead of their second encounter against Ireland tomorrow. Afghanistan carried two points into this round courtesy of their win over Ireland in the group stage, but after today's loss will be hoping for a strong victory in their game against UAE tomorrow to enhance their chances of making it to the West Indies.

Netherlands 146 for 4 (Zuiderent 43*, Kervezee 39) beat Canada 142 for 7 (Billcliff 37, Seelaar 2-18) by six wickets

Scorecard

Netherlands began their campaign at the World Twenty20 Qualifiers with a six-wicket win over Canada at the Dubai International stadium. Netherland's batting echoed their strong allround bowling performance, as Bas Zuiderent built on a solid 57-run opening partnership to guide his side home in the 20th over with an unbeaten 43.

Canada soon had reason to rue their decision to bat first this afternoon, as John Davison drove Edgar Schiferli uppishly and into the hands of a diving Tom de Grooth at cover in the first over. Rizwan Cheema then edged Mudassar Bukhari onto his own helmet attempting a pull and was forced to retire injured.

After these early setbacks, Hiral Patel - the 18-year-old batsman whose unbeaten 88 powered Canada's win over Ireland in the Associates T20 Series prior to this tournament - combined well with Geoff Barnett, adding 60 in quick time to steady the Canadian innings. Barnett, who was particularly strong off the front foot today, opened his innings with three fours off Schiferli and dominated the partnership with some aggressive strokeplay.

Barnett was unafraid to loft anything pitched up to him over the off side, but ultimately paid the price for his confidence as he picked out de Grooth on the cover boundary off the left-arm spin of Pieter Seelaar. Patel fell in the very next over to a stunning catch by Daan van Bunge off his own bowling, but Ian Billcliff carried on the momentum with a belligerent 37 on Twenty20 debut. Canada's innings fizzled out after his dismissal, and they will have been disappointed to have scored only 142 after an enterprising effort from their middle order.

Alexei Kervezee and Eric Szwarczynski smashed six boundaries between them in the first 13 balls of Netherlands' chase, and had raced to 50 in the first five overs before Khurram Chohan clung on to a chance at mid off to get rid of Szwarczynski. Kervezee then failed to pick up John Davison's doosra and was neatly stumped by Bagai, but with the required run rate under a run-a-ball, Zuiderent and Peter Borren had time to play themselves in.

After Borren's run out, Ryan ten Doeschate gave Zuiderent admirable support with a breezy 17, and though he fell off the final ball of the penultimate over, Zuiderent sealed the win by lofting a full toss from Chohan to the long off boundary. After a day of upsets in which USA and UAE prevailed in their games against more experienced opposition, the result here was the expected one and Netherlands will take some confidence into their fixture tomorrow.

The squads for the World Twenty20 Qualifier tournament in Dubai and Abu Dubai between February 9 and 15 have been announced.

The tournament will see 17 matches take place in the five days, played Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium and the Dubai International Cricket Stadium at Dubai Sports City, where the final will be staged.

At stake are two places in the World Twenty20 which takes places in the West Indies from April 30 to May16. The winner of the UAE event will join South Africa and India in Group C while the losing finalist will join Group D which includes the West Indies and England.

All eyes will be on Afghanistan, who's stellar performances over the last ten months have reverberated around the cricketing world and beyond. While they narrowly missed qualification for the 50-over World Cup 2011 in April, they have been in good form at the Intercontinental Cup. Most recently they displayed flair and resilience to defeat defending champions Ireland, and also recorded a come-from-behind, one-wicket victory over the Netherlands in August 2009.

Ireland, who have been pushing for full-member status, remain one of the strongest associate sides and their squad includes 13 players from the 2009 World Twenty20 in England, where they defeated Bangladesh by six wickets and qualified for the Super Eights.

The Netherlands, who caused the major upset of the 2009 tournament when they defeated England in the opening match, will be without captain Jeroen Smith's this time round but will still be looking to impress.

Afghanistan Dawlat Ahmadzai, Hameed Hasan, Karim Khan Sadiq, Mohammad Asghar Stanikzai, Mohamamd Shahzad Mohammadi, Mohammad Nabi Eisakhil, Merwais Ashraf, Nawroz Khan Mangal, Noor Ali Noori, Obaidullah Konary, Raees Ahmadzai, Shafiqullah Shafaq, Shahpoor Zardan and Samiullah Shinwari.

Canada Harvir Baidwan, Ashish Bagai, Geoff Barnett, Umar Bhatti, Ian Billcliff, Rizwan Cheema, Khurram Chohan, John Davison, Sunil Dhaniram, Shaheed Keshvani, Usman Limbada, Henry Osinde, Abdool Samad and Saad Bin Zafar.

Ireland Andre Botha, Alex Cusack, Peter Connell, George Dockrell, Trent Johnston, Gary Kidd, John Mooney, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien, William Porterfield, Boyd Rankin, Paul Striling, Andrew White and Gary Wilson.

Kenya James Kamande, Lameck Ngoche, Nehemiah Ngoche, Shem Ngoche, Alex Obanda, Collins Obuya, David Obuya, Nelson Odhiambo, Otieno Ondik, Elijah Otieno, Maurice Ouma, Rakep Patel, Steve Tikolo and Hiren Varaiya.

Netherlands Peter Borren, Mudassar Bukhari, Daan van Bunge, Ryan ten Doeschate, Tom de Grooth, Mark Jonkman, Muhammad Kashif, Alexei Kervezee, Atse Buurman, Timothy Gruijters, Edgar Schiferli, Pieter Seelaar, Eric Szwarczynski and Bas Zuiderent.

Scotland Richie Berrington,, Kyle Coezter, Gordon Drummond, Gordon Goudie, Gavin Hamilton, Majid Haq, Ross Lyons, Neil McCallum, Dewald Nel, Navdeep Poonia, Simon Smith, Jan Stander, Ryan Watson and Fraser Watts.

UAE Fayyaz Ahmed, Saqib Ali, Arfan Haider, Mohamed Iqbal, Amjad Javed, Khurram Khan, Mois Shahid Malik, Naeemuddin, Qadar Nawaz, Ahmed Raza, Abdul Rehman, Shoaib Sarwar, Mohammad Tauqir and Qassim Zubair.

USA Timroy Allen, Imran Awan, Orlando Baker, Lennox Cush, Kevin Darlington, Sudesh Dhaniram, Glenmore Hall, Rashard Marshall, Steve Massiah, Sushil Nadkarni, Usman Shuja, Aditya Thyagarajan and Saurabh Verma Carl Wright.

Jeroen Smits, Netherlands' 37-year-old captain, has announced his retirement from international cricket.

An old-style wicketkeeper who could bat a little, he was one of the most dependable members of the 2003 and 2007 World Cup side. In a career which started in 1992, he made 140 appearances for his national side, including 38 full ODIs.

"Of course it's tempting to stay on a little longer," he said, but admitted that with 18 months before the next World Cup, he wanted to give his replacement a chance to find his feet. "It's better that I make room for a new captain and a new keeper, and that the team gets a chance to adjust as it prepares for that challenge."

"He's been a terrific servant of Dutch cricket and an incredible support to me since I came into this role," coach Peter Drinnen told Cricket Europe. "That he's stepping down now is typically unselfish, evidence of the way in which he considers the bigger picture, and a mark of the quality of the guy."

The ICC has confirmed the groups for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Canada and Kenya will play in Group A where they will face Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, while Ireland and Netherlands are drawn alongside India, South Africa, England, West Indies and Bangladesh in what on current rankings has to be the easier group.

The ongoing failure of the Netherlands board (KNBC) to appoint a chief executive rumbles on, with the issue spilling over into the public domain following the decision not to offer the post to Jan Zwart who has been fulfilling the post on an interim basis.

Andre van Troost was appointed to the role in September last year but quit five months later. Zwart stepped in pending another permanent choice being made, but according to a report on Cricket Europe the whole affair has opened a rift inside the board.

The latest conflict stemmed from suggestions that a CEO would be brought in from abroad, possibly England, with Zwart implying that was as a result of pressure being put on the KNBC by the ICC.

Those suggestions brought an immediate denial from board chairman Marc Asselbergs. He insisted that the selection process had been fair, while pointing out that as the ICC provides about 80% of the KNBC’s income, it had a right to have its views taken seriously. There are existing ICC regulations on appointments which apply to all Associates.

But the KNBC has hardly helped its own cause in this whole affair, with few media releases and an advertisement in July which was so absurd it was forced to withdraw it. It opened with the line that it was “required by ICC regulations to advertise this position once again. Hence the following advertisement” and went downhill from there, but in case anyone was still interested, the description concluded: “Attention is drawn to the fact that there is already an established candidate.”

An appointment is expected within the next week, hence the decision not to extend Zwart’s tenure. Cricket Europe reported that Zwart had expected to be made permanent, hence his unfortunate remarks when he found out he was not.

What is needed now is for a strong and credible appointment to be made. Whoever it is needs to be able and willing to work outside the boundaries of the country. The higher profiles of Warren Deutrom (Ireland), Samir Inamdar (Kenya) and Roddy Smith (Scotland) have helped boost the profiles of their countries within the ICC and among the cricket world in general.

For too long the Netherlands have been an almost anonymous Associate as far as the rest of the world is concerned, surfacing for the occasional foray at global events. The new CEO needs to embrace the ICC and the media as much as he addresses the problems facing cricket in the country.

The Netherlands board (KNCB) has confirmed that it will be entering the ECB’s new 40-over competition, sparing the England board more embarrassment after Ireland yesterday turned down the invitation.

“We’re greatly looking forward to profiling Dutch cricket in this challenging competition,’ Jan Zwart, the KNCB’s interim chief executive, said. “We welcome the opportunity it gives to renew our bond with English cricket.”

The Irish declined to take part citing player workloads and the desire to concentrate on the 50-over game. The KNCB had no such reservations, although after much-publicised unhappiness when it was shut out of the English game it would have been bizarre had it not accepted.

There are two big problems now facing the board. One is the cost of participating in the tournament, which some estimate could run into a seven-figure sum. The ECB is happy to invite the Netherlands to the party, but it won’t pay for the privilege. However, the increased exposure should make it easier to attract a sponsor.

The second is the workload of the players, With 12 games in the competition as well as their existing international commitments, there will be a bigger demand on as limited number of cricketers. As Ireland have already found out, not all are prepared to give up as much time as is required and it remains to be seen how many may decide to make themselves unavailable.

There remains uncertainty about which three sides will make up the numbers in the ECB’s new-old40-over tournament in 2010. While Scotland are sure to be there, pending a formal announcement from the rather secretive England board, and rumours abound the Netherlands have also been offered a place, it seems increasingly likely that Ireland will turn down the chance.

While there is no certainty the Netherlands would accept either – although for them not to do so after so many years of pushing for a place would be rather odd – Ireland are increasingly uneasy with entry to a 40-over tournament when the bulk of their cricket – at least their cricket that matters – is over 50 overs. Their other worry is the increasingly packed international schedule and how another 12 matches would fit in with that. With games at weekends, it would mean ODIs and Intercontinental Cup matches, for example, would be shoved to midweek slots.

Any answer is likely in the next few weeks. If Ireland say no, it makes the Netherlands’ participation even more important for the ECB. It is already facing the need to find an extra team – a Minor Counties XI or a British Universities XI are the favourites – but to find two fillers would leave the competition looking rather desperate before it had even got off the drawing board.

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.

The decision by the England board to dump 50-over cricket and return to the original 40-over format first introduced 40 years ago has left Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands waiting on the ECB to clarify if they are going to be invited to join the party.

Assuming they are invited to participate in the new, primarily Sunday, competition – and with 21 teams in the mix and only 18 counties, it seems likely that two if not all three of them will be - then it will be a mixed blessing. All three are aware that while the exposure to top-level domestic cricket can only be good, all their international one-day games are 50-over matches and so in terms of preparing them for that the new structure falls short of expectations.

The decision to scrap the 50-over Friends Provident Trophy was largely driven by the counties who have always found it easier to market the shorter format.

Scotland, however, appear to have jumped the gun. While there has been no announcement from the ECB, Roddy Smith, Cricket Scotland’s CEO, told reporters that he was “delighted to be invited to take part,” adding: “I think we have a lot of 50-over cricket planned for next year
anyway.”

Ireland, however, have yet to be formally invited, and Warren Deutrom, Cricket Ireland’s chief executive, gave the changes a guarded reception. "It would be a big thing to be asked to take part in the ECB's 40-over competition, and one that we'd have to take very seriously," he told Cricinfo. "But currently, 50-over cricket is our bread and butter, and the standard by which we are judged internationally."

Scotland – are Ireland and Netherlands assuming they join in – will play a minimum of 12 matches in a seven-team group stage.

As advertisements go, the one for the post of CEO of the Netherlands cricket board (KNBC) is hardly designed to whet the appetites of candidates. In fact, it all but screams out ‘don’t bother to apply’. The Dutch have had two CEOs in the last few months, with the most recent, Andre van Troost, barely having time to pick his office furniture before he quit.

The latest advert from the board starts with the gung-ho comment that it was “required by ICC regulations to advertise this position once again. Hence the following advertisement”. It’s downhill from there, but in case anyone was still interested, the description concludes: “Attention is drawn to the fact that there is already an established candidate.”

Cricket Europe has reported that the Netherlands’ attempts to introduce a two-day competition appear to be all but dead in the water as a result of a marked lack of enthusiasm and a problem finding suitable dates.

The announcement of matches at home to Canada in July may well be the final nail in the coffin as far as this season is concerned, and there is a growing feeling that it might not be resurrected in 2010.

“So inadequate has been the KNCB’s promotion of the proposed new competition that there were already rumours that many players were going to decline to take part anyway,” wrote Rod Lyall. “But the truth is that this experiment has not been given a fair chance, and it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the will to make it work simply did not exist.”

The Dutch board hardly helped their own project, and one of the most controversial ideas was to have compulsory declarations after 65 overs in the first innings, something critics claimed made the two-day games effectively two one-day matches.

	The celebrations inside the pavilion continued long after everyone else had gone home © Getty Images

Every Associate is entitled to their day in the sun, and for Netherlands it came in the opening match of the ICC World Twenty20, albeit it in the Stygian gloom of a chilly Lord’s. Much has already been written about the game, and more will follow. To check out our full coverage, click on the links.

Bulletin - de Grooth leads Netherlands to famous win
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If the rest of the ICC World Twenty20 is going to be as eventful as the warm-up game between Ireland and Netherlands it will be a thrilling tournament. The handful of fans who turned up at Lord's, and there weren't many, were witness to a tie and then a one-over eliminator after which Ireland finally clinched victory by four runs.

Click here for the full report of Ireland and Netherlands' warm-up match.

Canterbury will be staging the Twenty20 World Cup warm-up match between Bangladesh and Netherlands on May 28.

Admission is £10 for adults and £5 for juniors with members admitted free. The gates will open at 1.00pm with the game itself getting underway at 3.00pm.

The preparations for the ICC World Cup Qualifiers continued in South Africa at the weekend.

Ryan Watson led from the front in Scotland’s win over Westerns in Pretoria, his 73 guiding them home after being set a modest target of 170. “It was a good result and important to get our first go out in the middle,” coach Pete Steindl said. “There are one or two areas that need to be worked on but we also had some good individual performances."

Ireland’s batsmen were in good form as they piled up 309 for 8 against Eastern Province, William Porterfield’s 97 the main innings, but a weakened bowling attack was in less inspired mood as the hosts squeezed to a one-wicket win with two balls in hand.

On Friday, Netherlands beat Boland Academy by 29 runs, but it took a superb sixth-wicket stand of 174 between Mudassar Bukhari and Peter Borren to dig them out of a hole. Bukhari finished on 128 not out from 100 balls, Borren with 74 from 79.

Netherlands’ preparations for the ICC World Cup Qualifiers got underway with a 23-run defeat against Hampshire in Cape Town.

Hampshire recovered from 147 for 6 to post 225 for 8 in their 50 overs, Chris Benham’s 78 not out, which included three sixes, leading the fightback.

Netherlands started well, and at 95 for 2 in the 19th over appeared well set. But two quick wickets stalled the momentum and from then on in they were always behind the required rate.

Andre van Troost, the recently-appointed chief executive of the Netherlands board, has spoken to Cricket Europe about his vision for the future and the problems he faces in the coming year.

Aside from the obvious goal of qualifying for the 2011 World Cup, van Troost singled out the need to get more people playing a game which has seen numbers of participants falling off.

"We have to reverse the decline," he said. "We need new clubs, more clubs with youth sections and women's teams, just more players. The more players you have, the larger the pool of talent from which you'll find the future stars. But we can't do it alone, even with a full-time development officer. We need help from the clubs."

Attracting sponsors has been an issue and one that will prove more so given the global downturn. "We're a small sport, and the economy's in trouble. It's not an ideal climate to be looking for a new main sponsor. But there are some possibilities on the table, and in the meantime there are other things you can do."

Turning to criticism of the board, which has been a constant theme in recent years, van Troost argued that expectations needed to be managed. "It's a small outfit and we have to be realistic about what can be achieved."

A little more than a week after the postponement of the Champions Trophy, Cricinfo can reveal that the ICC will have to either move or postpone its next high-profile event, the World Cup Qualifiers.

The tournament, which involves the leading Associates, is due to be staged in the UAE next April, with the top four countries winning a place at the 2011 World Cup. The event will also be used to establish which six Associates will be granted one-day status for the next four years.

Read the full story here and leave your comments below.

Netherlands have beaten Kenya in the first match of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in Belfast.

Netherlands won the first match of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier tournament with a good victory over Kenya by 19 runs. Their star performer was the South African-born Ryan ten Doeschate, the Man of the Match with a top score of 56 and impressive bowling figures of 3 for 27.

Click here for the full report.

The World Twenty20 Qualifers get underway at Belfast tomorrow. Have a read of our preview of this important event.

The ICC has announced a revised schedule for the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in Belfast next month.

The tournament, involving the six leading Associate teams - Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the Netherlands and Scotland - will now take place from August 2 to 5, with a fourth day included to allow room for a third and fourth-place play-off.

Click here for the full story

France finished their short tour of Holland with an encouraging six-wicket win over a Netherlands side containing three players who recently took part in the Intercontinental Cup.

In the first game, shortened to 35-overs a side because of rain, Netherlands A won by 20 runs after posting 158 for 8. But the result meant they strengthened their side for the second match

After a steady but slow start Netherlands were 112 for 0 after 30 overs. France came back through Jon Houghton (3 for 49) and Tahir Mohammed (4 for 23, including three wickets in an over) and Netherlands were bowled out for 178 with four overs to go.

A couple of steady partnerships and a solid 62 from opener Arun Ayyavooraju, aided by some lusty blows from Shahid Malik (35) and captain Waseem Bhatti (32*), saw France home with 10 overs to spare.

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.

Although the ICC draws considerable flak on many fronts, it is quietly committed to promoting the game in as many countries as possible, and it does that by means of a myriad of competitions and initiatives. Most do not warrant much media attention, but they are there and they work.

Until now, the gripe of the smaller countries, and especially those bubbling just underneath the top flight, has been about the inequality of the way in which the game is financed. That was never more apparent than when it came to earnings from last year's World Cup.

Ireland got a flat fee of US$125,000 a year for four years for taking part, and on top of that they received another $50,000 for reaching the Super Eights. However, because of the extra costs involved in their progression, not least because their players are not professional cricketers and their absences from their full-time jobs had to be underwritten, Ireland's success actually left the board out of pocket.

Zimbabwe, on the other hand, turned up, tied with Ireland and never threatened to progress after being thumped by Pakistan and West Indies. For those three matches, Zimbabwe Cricket received US$11 million, their share of the pot as a Full Member.

The top six Associates receive no more than US$500,000 a year - some substantially less - to fund their entire operations. Out of that they have to pay all their cricketing and administration costs. Only those with a low cost of living, such as Kenya, can hope to maintain a professional squad on that kind of money.

The gulf between the haves and have-nots is further widened by the limited sums Associates can earn from sponsorship and media contracts. Zimbabwe can exploit home series against, say, India to carve out lucrative TV deals worth millions, and on the back of that, attract shirt- and other corporate sponsorship. As highlighted by Scotland's failure to secure any TV deal for their forthcoming ODI against England, the Associates struggle to get such income streams.

The new deals will provide a substantial increase for Associates, especially for the countries who are pressing for space at the top table. Until now the share has been roughly equal, rewarding Netherlands and Kenya on par with Thailand and Fiji. The new system will see more demarcation between the top Associates and the rest.

The leading ten could earn as much as US$1.5 million a year from 2009. There will then be an onus on them to professionalise their administrations, but several of them are already well down that route. They will also be more accountable - the ICC does not want a repeat of the mess that came following a spike in Kenya's funding earlier in the decade.

The second-string Associates will also get more - around US$160,000 as a base figure - but then again the demands on them are less. Even Affiliates will receive US$15,000, with the opportunity for more should they make a good enough case. There will also be more cash in the pot for participating and hosting competitions.

There have never been more opportunities for development outside the Full Member countries, but there remain some nagging worries.

The main one is how to bridge the gap between semi and full-blown professionalism. Almost all the Associates rely on dedicated amateurs, both on and off the field. As the number of ICC competitions has increased - and they have to be welcomed - the pressure has begun to tell. Scotland and Ireland particularly have already found players cannot meet all their commitments, and even the increased income will not allow them to employ a full-time squad.

"So much of putting players on full-time retainers depends on how many fixtures we can command," Warren Deutrom, Cricket Ireland's chief executive, said. "At the moment, all we can promise the squad in 2009 is a World Cup qualifying campaign, eight FP Trophy matches, an England game, and probably some Intercontinental Cup matches. Of course, we hope to have more, but can't be sure at the moment.

"Our top players are already plying their trade in county cricket, while others have full-time jobs which they may not wish to give up. The actual number of players that the coach will want to put on a full-time contract, or else the number that even want to have one, may not be that many."

The other quandary is how to get them fixtures. Kenya, widely regarded as the leading Associate, have found it almost impossible to get Full Member countries to visit or host them. As a result they invariably play other Associates. Good for the win-loss ratio, not so clever in providing the kind of experience that no amount of money can buy.

These issues will need to be addressed, but for now the future has never looked so promising beyond the Test world.

Netherlands have announced a squad of twelve for their Intercontinental Cup match against Ireland in Rotterdam on July 9.

They miss the services of Eric Szwarczynski, whose broken toe has yet to recover but, more crucially, Ryan ten Doeschate who is committed to Essex. There was a recall for Nick Statham, however, who was part of the Netherlands team who lost to Scotland last year.

Netherlands only have an outside chance of reaching the final of the competition, unless they secure maximum points against Ireland and Kenya.

Squad
Jeroen Smits (capt, wk), Peter Borren, Mudassar Bukhari, Daan van Bunge, Tom de Grooth, Maurits Jonkman, Alexei Kervezee, Geert-Maarten Mol, Edgar Schiferli, Pieter Seelaar, Nick Statham, Bas Zuiderent

Ireland will host the inaugural World Twenty20 Qualifiers between August 2 and 4, with the top six Associates vying for the two places available to them in next year's ICC World Twenty20 in England.

Click here for more and the itinerary.

Netherlands won Friday’s back-to-back Twenty20 internationals against Denmark. The games, which replaced a planned ODI, were agreed to assist the Dutch in their preparations for August’s Associates Twenty20 competition in Ireland.

In the first game, Denmark made a reasonable 153 but Netherlands eased home by six wickets.

Netherlands batted first in the second match and exploited a weak Danish attack to plunder 239, Peter Borren leading the charge with 88, with stout support from Tim de Groot (60). Michael Pedersen held Denmark’s reply together with an unbeaten 94 but they managed only 182 for 2, losing by 57 runs.

Denmark beat Netherlands by eight runs in a one-day international in Brøndby.

Denmark’s opening pair - Freddie Klokker and Michael Pedersen – put on 212 for the first wicket as they made 264. Klokker finished with 119 and Pederson 81, but once they had been separated the innings fell apart, Tim de Grooth ripping through the middle order with 5 for 43.

Netherlands maintained a steady pace in their chase, but Lars Hedegaard put the skids under the lower order with 5 for 40. Even so, they needed a very gettable 12 off the final over.

Much is spoken about the expansion of the international game, and if, as expected, proposals for a significant increase in funding for the Associates is approved when the ICC meets in June, then their progress should be further boosted.

But cash and goodwill can only go so far. What is widely agreed is that to improve, the leading Associates need to play more, and against the elite top ten Full Member countries. And that is where the problems come.

A casual glance at the international schedule will show that the major countries are on an almost constant global tour. In part this is because of the requirements of the Future Tours Programme, but more often than not the large gaps in that schedule are filled with lucrative one-day tours or tournaments.

In an ideal world, there would be time for India or England to undertake ambassadorial tours to Kenya or the Netherlands. But given the choice between a lucrative three-match series against commercially attractive opposition containing star names or a trip to a cricketing outpost in Africa or Europe, it's not a contest.

Click here for the full article

Bangladesh romped to a nine-wicket win over Malaysia in the third-place play-off in the CLICO International Under-15 tournament in Trinidad. Ireland defeated ICC Americas by two wickets to secure fifth place, while Netherlands thumped Kenya to take seventh.

Click here for the full report

There were big wins for West Indies, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Malaysia on the second day of the CLICO International U-15 Championship in the Caribbean. Of the three, only Bangladesh are not guaranteed a semi-final place, meaning the winner of their match against Ireland will progress to the last four.

Click here for the full round-up

John Campbell struck 112 for West Indies Under-15s in the CLICO International Under-15 Championship. Click here for the full report. Scorelines and cards for the other matches can be found below.

West Indies 237 (Campbell 112) beat Bangladesh 200 (Nelson 3-43) by 37 runs
Scorecard

Ireland 111 for 3 (Getkate 31*) beat Kenya 110 (Karim 46, Getkate 4-17) by seven wickets
Scorecard

Pakistan 332 for 5 (Naeem 90) beat Netherlands 102 (Worries 20, Gohar 3-32) by 230 runs
Scorecard

Malaysia 157 for 8 (Goonasagaran 33, Hazim 19*) beat Americas 156 (Joshi 64, Zahid 3-36) by two wickets
Scorecard

An unbeaten 122 from Kraigg Brathwaite was the highlight of the opening matches in the Clico International Under-15 Championships. His innings steered West Indies to 240 for 6 and they then bowled out Malaysia for 94 to record a 146-run victory. Click here for a full report.

The match between Bangladesh and Netherlands turned out to be a one-sided affair with the Dutch being bundled out for 94 after being put in to bat. Netherlands, who were 58 for 9 at one stage, only saved face with a last-wicket stand of 36. Khaza Khairuddin was the most successful bowler for Bangladesh taking 3 for 24. Bangladesh cruised to 95 for 1 with the captain, Nazeef Ahmed, scoring 32 and Ahamedul Kabir 43 not out.

Bangladesh now meet the winner of the game between Pakistan and Ireland, which is scheduled for Sunday April 20, 2008.

The suspension of Adeel Raja, the Netherlands offspinner, has been reduced to eight months following an appeal from his board.

On 9 September last year, after the Hoofdklasse final, Raja tested positive for the banned substance finasteride, which he had been taking as a measure against hair loss. He had received a dispensation from the KNCB, but when this expired on 1 July 2007 he had omitted to apply for an extension.

Finasteride is banned because it can be used as a masking agent to disguise the use of steroids. There was no suggestion that Raja had employed any other banned agent, or that he had derived any advantage from his use of finasteride.

The KNCB Disciplinary Committee had imposed a two year suspension, with the second year suspended, meaning that Raja would have been unable to take any part in the 2008 domestic season.

CricketEurope has the full story.

As widely expected, the ICC executive board approved proposals to reduce the number of Associates participating at the 2011 World Cup from six to four.

This was done, so the ICC claimed, to reduce the length of an event which many considered to be too bloated in 2007 from 47 days to 38.

The ICC's 10 Full Members automatically qualify and they will be joined by the top four teams from next years World Cup Qualifiers in Dubai. As thing stands, this means that Ireland have to qualify for a tournament they reached the Super Sixes at last time, while Zimbabwe, who are below them in the official ICC One-Day Rankings, do not.

Alternative proposals, including one which would have involved a pre-qualifying tournament featuring the top six Associates as well as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, were earlier rejected by the ICC's chief executives committee.

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”.

A happy Reginald Pearman, president of the Bermuda Cricket Board, said: “I am excited and proud that Bermuda cricket has won these distinguished awards, which confirm that we are making progress in the right direction when it comes to our strategic goals. I am particularly pleased with the growth in our junior membership and the fact that our women’s team participated in the Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Stellenbosch and our youngsters appeared in the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia makes me even more proud.”

Jos Heggleman won the Volunteer of the Year Award for his outstanding contribution to the game in the Netherlands, while the Hong Kong Cricket Association won the Best Cricket Promotion and Marketing Award for the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes.

Cricket Indonesia’s Tetrapak U-19 Development Program was declared the Best Junior Cricket Initiative program. Deutscher Cricket Bund did well in the Global Awards, picking up the Best Women’s Cricket Initiative prize for their U-19 Women’s Tournament in Oldenburg, Germany. The best Spirit of Cricket Initiative in Partnership with UNAIDS was won by the Mozambique Cricket Federation’s National Commission for School Cricket.

John Wright of Ireland and Laurie Pieters of Namibia won Lifetime Service Awards for their long and dedicated service to cricket development not only in their home countries, but also internationally, given both have served on several ICC committees.

Wright, the honorary secretary of the Irish Cricket Union for 10 years until stepping down this year, said: “I am extremely delighted to receive this award. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in cricket and I must admit that it is very pleasing to be acknowledged and honoured for your services. It’s been a privilege to be part of the ICC Development Program and I wish it best of luck in the future”

Ray Mali, the ICC president, who served as one of the four global judges alongside former ICC presidents Ehsan Mani and Malcolm Gray and MCC chief executive Keith Bradshaw, said: “This whole process has shown once again the outstanding work being done in the development of cricket around the world. It was immensely difficult to select the winners but those lucky enough to be chosen reflect the contributions they have made to our wonderful worldwide sport. Everyone involved, winners and those not chosen, deserve immense credit for their efforts.”
Best Overall Cricket Development Program Bermuda Cricket Board

Best Women's Cricket Initiative Oldenburg U-19 Women’s Tournament (Germany)

Best Junior Cricket Initiative Tetrapak U-19 Development program (Indonesia)

Best Cricket Promotional and Marketing Award – Hong Kong Cricket Sixes (Hong Kong)

Best Spirit of Cricket Award in Partnership with UNAIDS – National Commission for School Cricket (Mozambique)

Photo of the Year Award “It’s a Catch” (Bermuda)

Volunteer of the Year Jos Heggleman (The Netherlands)

Lifetime Service Award John Wright (Ireland) and Laurie Pieters (Namibia)

Each Global award category is allocated US$2000 of equipment to be received by the winning national cricket body.

ICC Europe has announced the schedule and venues for the ICC European Division 1 Championship to be held in Ireland from the July 25 to 31, 2008.

The 50-over round-robin tournament will see Europe's top six Associate and Affiliate countries - Denmark, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Scotland - fight it out for Europe's top spot. Six cricket grounds will be used to host a total of 15 matches that will see each country come face to face over five days.

Click here for the full story

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?

Daan van Bunge, who announced his retirement after the World Cup, has made himself available for the forthcoming season. van Bunge, 24, explained that he had rediscovered his appetite for the game.

Netherlands have appointed Peter Drinnen as their coach, replacing Peter Cantrell, who stepped down following last year's World Cup.

Drinnen, the former Scotland coach who resigned in July, has signed a contract until April 2009 subject to meeting the requirements of Dutch immigration law.

"This is an important step towards the professionalisation of the Dutch national side," Marc Asselbergs, the KNCB chairman, told Cricket Europe. "We won't be letting a single day go unused on our way to the qualifying tournament in spring 2009."

Drinnen, whose time at Scotland ended in controversy, is looking forward to the new challenge. "I'm a positive man who is able to motivate himself and who is keen both to set goals and to achieve them," he said. "There is an energy and optimism within the team and board about the future and I am excited to be joining the KNCB at this time.

"As with most smaller nations the remit is broader than just the national team and I am certainly looking forward to working across all ages."

Peter Drinnen will be appointed as the new Netherlands coach at a meeting of the Dutch board on December 13, according to the Cricket Netherland website.

Drinnen was coach of Scotland until July this year when he stepped down in unhappy circumstances after senior players were reported to have instigated a whispering campaign against him. He has continued to work with the A and Under-23 teams.

While many senior clubs outside the main cricket countries play on artificial wickets, few play on artificial outfields, but that might happen in the Netherlands.

A report on Cricket Europe suggests that Hoofdklasse club HBS Den Haag may be forced to do just that as a result of the local authorities wanting to lay artificial football pitches over the main cricket ground. If the work goes ahead, it is likely to be completed in time for the 2008 season. The club maintains that every step has been taken to ensure the outfield is not too bouncy and is not to hard on diving fielders.

Such outfields are allowed in lower leagues in the country, but it seems likely that there will be opposition to HBS Den Haag's proposal, although there are signs that the national board will back the scheme.

Such a situation occurred in England in the 1990s after artificial hockey pitches were laid on the outfield of a Surrey club. But it was deeply unpopular with players, mainly because even the best surface is hard on feet and bodies, and the club actually folded after a couple of years because members left to join sides with grass outfields.

Cricket Europe have reported that there are growing problems inside Dutch cricket with the mass resignation of the youth committee a sign that the Dutch board (KNCB) could face major opposition oat next month’s AGM.

The Umpires’ Committee has been dissolved and re-formed after splits within the existing group made its functioning problematic, and there have been further difficulties between the Board and its Accommodation Committee.

With continuing financial problems, little sign so far of increased sponsorship income, and a very restricted international programme which sees the national side idle between August 2007 and the next Intercontinental Cup matches in April 2008, the voices of criticism are mounting into a chorus.

Click here for the full story

Tony Cozier is, rightly, one of the most respected journalists in the game. His work to cover and promote cricket in the Caribbean has been unstinting for almost four decades. And yet even the best writers have off days, and his attack on the way that the ICC funds the Intercontinental Cup, the first-class competition for the Associates, is one of those.

Cozier's outburst in his Caribbean-syndicated column at the weekend in effect concluded that rather than waste money on Associate tournaments it would be better spent on aiding West Indies, a “well-established member with a great tradition presently fallen on hard times”.

Cozier attacked the ICC for doling out "heaven knows how much cash every year" to run the Intercontinental Cup. The overall annual cost of the tournament is actually around $400,000 on top of which the participants contribute another $120,000 between them. For that, the leading eight Associate countries get to play in a prestigious (for them) competition, to meet a variety of opponents across the world and to improve.

Yes, it has its faults and there are mismatches, but the same could be said for any competition or series involving the Full Members. When was the last time Bangladesh or Zimbabwe or, dare it be said, West Indies played in a gripping contest as opposed to occasional one-off successes. As seen at the World Cup, the gulf between the have and have-nots on the field may be large but it is nothing like as vast as the chasm between their respective funding.

The leading Associates survive on grants of under half a million dollars a year; some, such as Kenya and Scotland, earn more through winning tournaments such as the World Cricket League which entitles them to ICC World Twenty20 participation money. The Full Members receive twenty times more. Zimbabwe, for example, coined in almost $11 million from the World Cup, and yet they struggle to hold their own with several Associates. What is more, the Full Members almost all have bloated payrolls; the Associates rely almost entirely on goodwill of hard-working administrators who often end up digging deep into their own pockets to keep things ticking over.

What Cozier seems to overlook is that the ICC should not be about looking after the big boys and forget the rest, although as the major boards become more money-obsessed by the month it may go that way. It has a responsibility to nurture and support the game in areas away from the traditional bedrocks. That is done through a myriad of tournaments, coaching clinics and advice. The total sum spent on Associates is under 25% of the ICC's overall budget. To scrap that would be akin to pulling up the drawbridge, hoping that the game survives among the existing ten Full Members, and hang the rest. No other sport would consider such a short-sighted policy, and neither should cricket.

Then there is the additional income that Full Members can earn through the very fact they play each other so often. Sponsorship and TV deals bring in tens of millions on top of the ICC funding. Although the WICB has never revealed the value of the original deal with Digicel, it is believed to be worth more than $20 million for five years. The England board's four-year TV deal with BSkyB was worth in excess of $400 million, the Indian board's own deals even more. They should be awash with cash.

Associates cannot attract funding worth even 5% of that as they play precious few big matches, a fact not helped by the continuing reluctance of most Full Members to play them. The big boys prefer to pack their schedules with ever longer one-day series against the same old - more lucrative - opposition. Television and sponsorship deals for Associates, if they ever get them, are for peanuts.

Cozier also argues that the Intercontinental Cup is not worthwhile as sides cannot always field their full sides as players cannot get time off work. It is a problem, and one everyone is aware of. But that ignores the fact that the bulk of players are prepared to make remarkable sacrifices to represent their countries. With more funding, and not with less, those players can be rewarded for their cricket skills and so availability will improve. As an aside, it is worth remembering West Indies couldn't find 15 players to represent their A team in Zimbabwe last July.

To argue that the woes of the West Indies could be cured by diverting cash from Associates to the Caribbean simply doesn't add up. Those who have witnessed the antics of a succession of West Indies boards might counter that to pour money into the region would be akin to chucking it onto a bonfire. In the last decade the WICB has run up debts running into tens of millions of dollars. It has failed to handle sponsors or players remotely adequately and needed the income from a (poorly run) World Cup to bail it out. That the game in the Caribbean is in need of help is beyond question. But it is in even more need of some broad-minded and competent leadership. Julian Hunte, the new WICB chairman, might be such a man but he has a daunting job ahead of him.

This is not a call for more money to be poured into Associate cricket, but there has to be some kind of reality check before those looking to establish and build the game are asked to tighten their belts even more because a Full Member is down to its last few dozen administrators.

Tony Cozier, the veteran Caribbean journalist and broadcaster, has launched a scathing attack on the way the ICC funds global cricket outside the Test-playing countries.

Writing in his column which is syndicated throughout the Caribbean, Cozier was angry at the way that established regions, such as West Indies, were not allocated more money instead of so much being spent by the ICC on Associate competitions.

“Certainly there is no ICC venture more illogical or costly than the one dubbed the Inter-Continental Cup,” he wrote. “It is an annual tournament, described by the ICC as its ‘flagship first-class competition’, comprising round-robin, four-day matches between its second tier members, those one below Test status. These are countries where the game has always been based on amateur, weekend, one-day club cricket. They play no four-day domestic matches and almost certainly never will.

“Yet the ICC doles out heaven knows how much cash every year to fly them, and their own entourage of officials, across the world and to house and feed them at venues as scattered as Aberdeen, Dublin, Namibia, Toronto, Sharjah and Windhoek.

“Canada were unable to raise their strongest team for the African tour because many of their best players simply could not get time off from their jobs. The same problem affects others, rendering the tournament even less relevant.”

The ICC maintains that the competition enables players from Associate countries to gain more experience in the longer form of the game.

With an outstanding century by coach Ryan Maron – his third of the season – and a totally committed effort in the field, VRA Amsterdam took their third successive Hoofdklasse title on Saturday, beating Voorburg by 20 runs in the final.

Click here for a full report from Cricket Europe.

A strong Dutch squad will fly to India next weekend to play four Twenty20 matches and three fifty-over games.

The side will be led by Peter Borren, and is largely made up of players who have represented their country over the summer. Only four of them, however – Borren, Ryan ten Doeschate, Adeel Raja, and Darron Reekers – were in the World Cup squad.

Click here for the full report from Cricket Europe.

Squad Peter Borren (capt, VRA), Atse Buurman (Voorburg), Jeroen Brand (Quick Haag), Mudassar Bukhari (VVV), Ryan ten Doeschate (Essex), Tom de Grooth (HCC), Maurits Jonkman (HCC), Somesh Kohli (Quick Haag), Geert Maarten Mol (Quick Haag), Adeel Raja (VRA), Pieter Seelaar (Hermes-DVS), Darron Reekers (Quick Haag), Maurits van Nierop (VRA), and Jelte Schoonheim (VOC).

Kenya have two players in the running for the ICC Associate ODI Player of the Year award. Steve Tikolo and Thomas Odoyo have been shortlisted for the new category. Canada's Ashish Bagai and Ryan ten Doeschate, of Netherlands, are the other players vying for the prize.

The talented Tikolo was in consistent form – his highlight a fifty against England in the World Cup - while Odoyo delivered with both bat and ball.
 
Ten Doeschate hit an unbeaten century in the World Cricket League, and added a hatful of wickets. At the World Cup which followed he struck two fifties in three matches including one against South Africa.

Bagai was a member of Canada's World Cup teams in 2003 and 2007. He came to prominence this winter with two centuries at the World Cricket League, where he was named Player of the Tournament, ahead of the World Cup.

The first ICC Awards were held four years ago, but this is the first time there will be an Associate Player of the Year. The winner will be named in Johannesburg, South Africa, on September 10 as teams gather for the initial ICC World Twenty20 championship.

Click here for the shortlists for all of the awards.

At long last, Netherlands have advertised for a new coach. Paul Jan-Bakker has been in charge since Peter Cantrell's resignation after the 2007 World Cup, and the ICC have the full advertisement at their site.

An exciting opportunity exists to join the Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB), one of the six ICC High Performance Program Associate Members. The Netherlands have qualified for the last two ICC Cricket World Cup tournaments.

The KNCB is seeking a highly qualified National Coach initially to develop and prepare their National Team to qualify in 2009 for the next World Cup. The National Coach will be responsible for the overall management of the international program which includes planning, development, implementation and evaluation of specialised cricket training and competition programs, and development of younger talent for the future.

A programme of international fixtures is in place including the Intercontinental Cup (First Class), World Cricket League and regional events, and plans are being explored for further ODI’s against Full and Associate ICC member countries outside of ICC feature tournaments.

The successful candidate will be in position to assist to establish a strategic direction for the national program that is in keeping with KNCB's overall vision for the future.

Final applications will close on Sunday 16th September 2007

Quick Haag won the first-ever Nachenius Tjeenk Twenty20 Cup final in Schiedam on Saturday evening, beating hosts Hermes-DVS by 32 runs in front of a crowd of several hundred.

Chasing 139 to win, Hermes were torn apart by spells from Darron Reekers and Henk-Jan Mol, who took six wickets in the space of eight overs to turn a promising position of 31 for 0 into 57 for 6. Pankaj Joshi and Lou Borrani had given their side a good platform, but once the wickets started to fall Quick kept the pressure up and never gave the hosts a chance of getting back into the game.

Check out Cricket Europe for Rod Lyall's full report

Bermuda's confidence has been hit by the absence of their leading batsman, David Hemp © Getty Images

Their squad is severely depleted and inexperienced and they have just been humiliated in two warm-up one-dayers against Denmark. But according to Gus Logie, the Bermuda coach, his side are embarking on a new era with confidence.

Logie's men take on Netherlands in their Intercontinental Cup match on Monday with only four surviving players from their disastrous World Cup campaign in the Caribbean earlier this year: Irvine Romaine, Stephen Outerbridge, Dwayne Leverock, the crowds' favourite, and Lionel Cann.

"Some of the younger players have an opportunity to prove themselves and I am looking forward to seeing them progress more than anything else," Logie said. "It is always important to start on a winning note. We have to be realistic of the situation. We are looking forward to seeing some good individual performances and trust that it will be enough to benefit the whole team.

"To emulate any past achievements, we need a similar commitment level of the players and a good start in the competition."

Jekon Edness takes over the wicket-keeping duties from Dean Minors, and a number of youngsters such as Jacobi Robinson, Arthur Pitcher and Ryan Steede are also set to feature.

In stark contrast, the Netherlands are almost at full strength after the return of the captain Jeroen Smits, Bas Zuiderent, Edgar Schiferli and Adeel Raja. The quartet missed the trip to Aberdeen last week where they lost to Scotland by an innings and 59 runs.

"I know Bermuda is missing some good players and I feel sorry for them but when we step on the field, I want my team to be ruthless and play as hard as it can," Paul-Jan Bakker, Netherlands' coach, said. "No disrespect to Bermuda but if we produce a clinical performance and win comprehensively, it will do a world of good to our confidence for the next game against Ireland. It [the game against Ireland] will be a very important match for our progress in the competition because Ireland is certainly one of the top sides in the tournament.

"It is good for the balance of the team that the four players are back. It gives the team a fresher look and, most importantly, it gives us the firepower and aggression we missed in Aberdeen last week."

Offspinner Muhammad Kashif has withdrawn from the Netherlands side for the tour to Canada because of a family bereavement. 33-year-old legspinner Mangesh Panchal has been drafted into the squad.

The European Cricket Council has announced a deal with ICC Europe, ECB and Premium TV to make ECBtv available on subscription throughout Europe.

In many areas of Europe there is no access to TV highlights of matches, and this move looks to make coverage accessible to everyone.

"ECB is pleased and excited to be able to offer Europe’s cricket fans access to ECBtv and it is hoped that it will take the game to previously uncharted areas, inspiring people to get involved in this great sport,” Richard Holdsworth, the ICC’s regional development manager, said. "Delivering live video coverage via broadband to European territories has brought people closer to the game than ever before.”

ECBtv shows Test and one-day international matches live to certain territories, as well as match highlights, exclusive interviews, press conferences, coaching master classes and many other features to a global audience. Live streams start at £2.99. Click here for full details.

The inaugural ICC European Twenty20 Challenge competition has been cancelled because three of the countries due to take part have announced they are playing ODIs in Belfast at the same time.

Europe's four ICC Associate Member High-Performance countries - Scotland, Ireland, Netherlands and Denmark - were set to compete in the championship, which was a new addition to the European tournament program for 2007. But Scotland, Ireland and Netherlands have taken on other commitments and that made the tournament impractical.

Richard Holdsworth, the ICC's regional development manager for Europe, said: "The recent announcement of an ODI series between India and South Africa in Belfast is fantastic news for the further promotion of the game in Ireland. It will provide additional world class cricket for the many followers in Ireland, but most importantly both of these ICC Full Members have agreed to play against Ireland.

"With additional ODIs soon to be announced for Scotland, Ireland and Netherlands against some Full Members, this exposure and experience is more important at this stage than Twenty20 cricket."

There was no chance of rearranging the event and so the ICC Europe was left with no choice but to cancel it. A spokesman said that it would "review the tournament schedule with a possibility of the competition being held in 2008 or 2009".

Holdsworth added: "We are deeply sorry to any supporters who may have already made arrangements to attend the Twenty20 event in Belfast, but hope they are able to reschedule plans and perhaps support their countries in key ODIs later in the summer."

The fixtures for the first half of the 2007-08 Intercontinental Cup have been released by the ICC.

The tournament undergoes a change of format once again, with the group stages scrapped and a round-robin system introduced. This will mean that the eight participants play seven matches after the two-year span of the competition.

The event kicks off on June 28 when Canada, who meet Ireland in the final of the 2006-07 tournament at Leicester between May 22 and 25, meet Netherlands in Toronto.

Scotland play back-to-back matches against Ireland and Netherlands at the start of August, while Bermuda will be in Europe to take on the same opponents at the end of the month.

The schedule shows that Bermuda are the busiest country in 2007 with four matches, all away from home. In addition to their European trip, they play Kenya in Nairobi at the start of November and from there go straight to the meet UAE.

Namibia, on the other hand, have only one game inked in, while Kenya have two.

Martin Williamson has written an article which highlights the pressures players for Associate countries face as they compete with the budgets of the Full Members.

In expanding the game, the ICC has, rightly, offered more matches to the Associates. On top of any ODIs they can persuade Full Member countries to give them, as well as tournaments they arrange among themselves, they participate in the Intercontinental Cup, the World Cricket League and the four-yearly ICC Trophy. But that expansion has not taken into account that the players remain amateur.

The flaw in the ICC's plan is that the increased demands have not been backed by additional funding. In the year ending April 30, 2007, Scotland were scheduled to play 46 days of cricket (including warm-ups for tournaments) as a national side; the numbers for the other Associates are similar - Bermuda 45, Canada 43, Ireland 42, Kenya 37, Netherlands 24. That does include time spent preparing, travelling and acclimatising.

The direct funding they receive for that from the ICC amounts to US$215,000, of which $125,000 is not actually handed over to the boards but is retained by the ICC and used to offset other costs, such as paying for coaches and hosting training camps. Compare that with the lowest-ranked Full Member, Zimbabwe, who will receive around US$10 million with no requirement to account for how it is spent. In the same period, they had 37 days cricket scheduled. That really puts into perspective Ireland's achievement in Jamaica.

Daan van Bunge, the Netherlands spinner who achieved unwelcome fame during the World Cup when he was hit for six sixes in an over by Hershcelle Gibbs, has announced that he will be unavailable for international matches for the foreseeable future. He will continue to play for his club.

van Bunge, 24, said that he was unable to balance the demands of pursuing a career in sports management with the demands of representing his country. “The time has come when I have to choose,” van Bunge told cricketeurope.com. “I've considered alternatives, such as only being available for home matches, but I have to give priority to my studies, and it wouldn't be fair to players who are fully committed to training and playing if I were to take a place in the side.”

	Going easy on the minnows? © Getty Images

TV viewers might have noticed that commentators have been very chartable to the so-called minnows during this World Cup so far. For example, when Zimbabwe were in the Caribbean in May, the experts made no attempt to hide their feelings that they were not fit to play international cricket. But even when they tied with Ireland on Saturday, there was hardly a critical word. And even when Bermuda and Netherlands, for example, have been slaughtered, the men in the box have been remarkably jolly about them.

Robert Craddock, writing in The Australian, thinks he knows why.

It is understood commentators have been told by Global Cricket Corp producers that it frowns on them denigrating the minnows. However, it is deemed acceptable for commentators to call an event a mismatch but not to say some of the nations do not deserve to be in the tournament.

Some commentators who agree with the directive and feel the minnows are a necessary part of global expansion are happy to abide by it. Others, who feel the tournament has been devalued by their presence, would rather speak their mind.

And Craddock concluded by saying that some of the players themselves are aware of the real picture.

The widespread feeling that the minnows are enjoying every moment of their matches against the big boys is wide of the mark. Several Dutch players privately conceded they feel embarrassed by their team's efforts.

Keep your eyes and ears open and see if what you are watching tallies with what you are being told.

Scotland have underlined their position at the top of the ICC Associate ODI rankings after good performances in the World Cricket League in Nairobi. Kenya, who beat Scotland in the final, are not included as they are part of the main rankings until 2009.

Scotland beta Netherlands, Canada and Ireland in the tournament, giving them a 69% win rate against other Associates, well clear of Netherlands in second place. Ireland ate third after a disappointing event, Canada are fourth and Bermuda fifth.

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.

With the exception of Bermuda, cricket is not a mainstream sport in any of the participants. And yet it survives, and in some instances thrives, despite the lack of attention and a relatively small number of enthusiasts.

The ICC, who do sterling work in supporting the game's second and third tiers, will rightly use the event to highlight that cricket is not just about the Indians and Australias of the world.

But there remains a nagging worry. The ICC boasts that the game is spreading across the world. But is that right? Is it taking root or is it surviving because more people from its hotbed - south-east Asia - are emigrating and keeping it alive for the duration of their careers?

In last year's Wisden Almanack, Matthew Engel raised this very issue. "Overwhelmingly, the game in non-traditional countries is played by expatriates, mostly South Asian. Journalists were kidded into believing that cricket was about to burst on China, on the basis of some warm comments by civil servants and a couple of coaching courses. I have seen not one shred of evidence to back this up. Are the kids playing with tapeballs on the streets of Shanghai? Are they heck!"

Take Canada. Of the squad in Nairobi at the moment, only three were born in the country, and two of those are over 35. Of the rest, five come from the Caribbean, four from India and each from Pakistan and Uganda. Whereas other Associates have a smattering of expats, Canada are utterly reliant on them.

Engel's comment attracted fierce criticism from those who either argued that England had more than their share of "imports" or that the game only spread in Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Caribbean through expats playing it in the first place.

The worry in some countries is that rather the game is not being continued by the second and third generations but is only being maintained by a steady flow of new immigrants

With regards to England, yes there have been quite a few non English-born players who have been picked for the side, but the game still has a massive stronghold in the country. The selection has been more about improving a solid side. And as for the ex-pats argument? Well, yes, but that's the crucial point. In the regions flagged the game was brought in but it was then embraced by the indigenous population and taken on as their own. This is exemplified no better than in CLR James's seminal work, Beyond A Boundary.

The worry in some countries - and again I come back to Canada - is that rather the game is not being continued by the second and third generations but is only being maintained by a steady flow of new immigrants. Canada's cricket heritage is rich but there is little sign that it has been built on. This is best underlined by the selection of former West Indies international Anderson Cummins. Forty years old and without a major match to his name since 1995-96, he made his debut in Mombasa last week. What message does that send out about the strength in depth of cricket in Canada?

It's not just Canada. Look at the USA, whose 2004 Champions Trophy side was a collection of ageing expats whose performances verged on the disgraceful. And the UAE, which is almost entirely dependant on its ex-pat workforce to keep the game alive.

Cricket's expansion should not be about filling teams with expats and expecting the locals to get excited about it. The only way cricket can gain a foothold in emerging countries is by actually getting the indigenous population to embrace the game, and two excellent examples where this is happening are Nepal and Uganda.

Anderson Cummins of Barbados, West Inbies ... and now Canada © Eddie Norfolk

Does it matter? Yes, because as the ICC looks to develop the game in as many places as possible, that means the financial cake has to be cut in ever thinner slices. The ICC needs to concentrate on a smaller number of countries where the chances of the game taking off. It is invidious that Uganda gets the same basic allowance as Belgium.

Cricket is in trouble in its traditional homes in Africa - Zimbabwe are hell-bent on destruction and South Africa seems to be falling out of love with the game. So efforts should be made in Uganda . And in Asia, which everyone accepts is the game's stronghold, a side like Nepal should really be given the leg up. It's about targeting rather than a scattergun approach.

In fairness to the ICC, they have a tough time and a lot of countries scrambling for a share of the spoils. It's about weeding out the weak and really looking to grow the game in areas where it has the best chance of taking root. It's an almost impossible ask. Look at the repeated failure of American Football to crack Europe ... and if football itself still battles for acceptance outside expats and schools in the USA, then the size of the ICC's task becomes clear.

Of course expats have a key role to play in expansion. But if the game is basically played by them, is it the game spreading or is it more about diehards clinging to the traditions of their homelands? In the UK there are baseball and American football sides, but they are almost all expat Americans and so few would seriously claim the games have taken hold. However, basketball and ice hockey are widely played by locals, boosted by some imported players and expats, and, crucially, the national side can stand on its own two feet. That's the difference.

Martin Williamson looks at what message is being sent to the Associates by the ICC deciding to appoint Darrell Hair to officiate in their tournament ... and do the ICC even know where they stand.

So Darrell Hair has been appointed to stand in the triangular one-day series in Mombasa next week, the first time he will don the white coat since that gloomy Sunday afternoon at The Oval in August when his world turned on its head.

The announcement - which caught the ICC on the hop as it only intended to release the news on Sunday - caused, inevitably, a flurry of media comment. Some were surprised that Hair was still an umpire, so intense was the criticism of him between the Oval Test and the ICC's decision to bar him from standing in major matches which followed in November.

There are two sides to this. The first is that this is actually a really good move. Hair, for all his stubbornness, was, up to four months ago, one of the top officials in the game, a fact underlined by the ICC's own internal rankings which placed him second only to Simon Taufel. There is no doubt that in Kenya his presence will benefit sides who will for the first time play in a game with such a senior official.

Hair himself will receive a warm welcome. Mombasa Sports Club, which is the home ground of Samir Inamdar, Cricket Kenya's chairman, is a delightful venue and the people there go out of their way to make all visitors feel at home. A few overseas reporters may make their way to the coastal town, but by and large he should enjoy his trip.

But there have to be questions asked of senior ICC officials as to what has changed in the last two months? In November, Percy Sonn, the ICC's president who has a habit of speaking before necessarily thinking, said that the ICC executive board had "come to the conclusion that they've lost confidence in Mr Hair". While Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, has always said he hoped to find a way to keep Hair in the game, he too admitted that the decision was right. Most of those close to the decision-making process left Dubai believing that Hair would not stand in any international match again.

As an umpire, Hair clearly is good enough. So why can he stand here and not in more important matches?
If Hair was not deemed fit by the ICC to umpire then - and the key here is that nobody questioned his decision-making ability - what has changed? The ICC have spent today vociferously stressing that the ban was for Full Member matches only. But surely, either he is fit or he is not.

Perhaps even they don't actually know what they agreed or the best way forward. When Sonn was asked at the November meeting to clarify details regarding Hair's future, he refused, and when pressed snapped at reporters: "You are free to leave if you want. We are not giving any more details." Perhaps Percy was not exactly on message, or perhaps he was as confused as the rest of us.

The Mombasa tournament involves three of the six leading Associates, all of whom will be playing in the World Cup. These are among the best of the rest, and the matches are accorded full ODI status by the ICC. In effect, there is a danger that people will interpret this as the ICC saying that they have no faith in Hair but that the Associates aren't really that important.

This is a unique situation. The ICC could argue with any other official - including Hair's two colleagues also standing in Mombasa - that they were not quite good enough to make the transition from this level to the Elite. But that's not an issue or an excuse here. As an umpire, Hair clearly is good enough. So why can he stand here and not in more important matches? As with every aspect of this sorry episode, the ICC has failed to be clear or transparent in its handling and once more we can expect more smokescreens and sidestepping.

And so, while the Associates ponder just how important they are to the ICC, Hair, who arrives in Mombasa on Monday, is left yet again to face the media on his own. It's something he has become used to in recent months.

The announcement that the ICC is to expand the World Cricket League (WCL) to five divisions is great news for European Cricket.

The expansion will see a total of seven Associates and Affiliates from the Europe Region compete in the WCL. New additions Norway and Jersey are set to join the European top five teams who already compete in the competition.

Ireland, Netherlands and Scotland will participate in Division 1 in Kenya in January next year, and Denmark compete in Division 2 which is planned for Namibia in November 2007.

A change in venue for Division 3 moves the competition from the USA to Darwin, Australia in May/June 2007. Italy is grouped in Group B of this league alongside Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Hong Kong, whilst Group A is made up of USA, Uganda, Cayman Islands and Tanzania.

Elsewhere Norway and Jersey have been announced in the final three teams to be added into Division 5 alongside Singapore. Norway fall into Group A and will face Afghanistan, Nepal and Argentina. Jersey, granted entry into the league after finishing runners-up to Norway in the European Division 2 Championship in Glasgow this year, will compete in Group B against Singapore, Botswana and a country from the East Asia Pacific region.

The host nation is yet to be announced, but will be from amongst the participants and exact dates and venues will be released by the ICC in due course.

The news is great for the Jersey Cricket Board, whose senior cricketers thought their next chance of international competition would be in the European Championships in 2008.

Cricket Jersey’s Director of Cricket, Chris Minty, says that it will give his players something to focus on and work hard towards. “We have no idea what to expect, just as was the case when we competed in the European Division 2 in Glasgow in August this year. The team can only hope to play as well as they can and see what happens.”

The League expansion also gives the Division 5 countries a glimmer of hope in qualifying for the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. The top two teams from Division 5 will gain promotion to Division 4, to be held later in 2008, and the top two from that competition then progress to Division 3 in 2009. The winner and runner-up of Division 3 then qualify for the ICC World Cup Qualifier, which could result in qualification into the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

This provides Affiliate and Associate countries with a pathway through from competing in the lowest division of the World Cricket League right the way up to the dizzy heights of playing in the World Cup.

Susan Lowrey European Cricket Council

he 2007 season will be one of Netherlands' busiest with international fixtures against Canada, Ireland and Scotland as well as the World Cup in March.

In the light of this, the country's domestic competition has been revamped, although changes have fallen short of what some had been hoping for.

There had been those who had asked for as much as six weeks' breaks during international competitions when national players will be absent, but when that was done during the ICC Trophy in 2005 it proved unpopular.

The main change to the Hoofdklasse is that the title will, for the first time, be decided by play-offs between the top four rather than a straight league, and it is hoped this will reduce the impact of top players missing some rounds of the competition.

The other main change is that rain-affected matches will use the Duckworth/Lewis system which applies in almost every major domestic league across the world. As a result, the minimum number of overs which need to be completed for a game to be finished reduces from 35 to 20. Rescheduling abandoned matches has been an issue and this will no longer be necessary - any games which do not manage to be completed will be left out of the points calculations..

Further changes in this direction, such as the use of white balls and black sightscreens, are still under discussion but no decision has been made yet. There are also serious discussions about abandoning the use of coconut matting, with the board advocating the acceptance of astroturf pitches where grass is not available.

For the first time there will also be a Twenty20 competition, following successful regional experiments. The tournament, which will be staged in August, will feature the winners of the regional events.