Cricket in Non-Test Nations

[BoyBrumby]

I think the ICC has to put more into developing cricket nations.

Just one of the thing's i would like them to do is a bit of "buddy" system i get. Basically, they'd pair up an associate/affiliate country with a state/provincial/county team and get the two to work together to develop the national team. And i really don't think this would cost all that much.

An example of how it would work;

New South Wales is given Kenya as their associate country.
NSW would arrange to fly out 2 or 3 Kenyan international players for the 2005/06 season. They have chosen Collins Obuya, Malhar Patel and Tony Suji.
They would arrange a grade club to play for, employment and accomodation for 6 months.
They would basically develop their game through playing a season of first grade cricket (or the approriate top level below FC cricket, provided they are good enough). They would also participate in training session with the NSW team on a pretty regular basis (three to four times a month).

The 3 would then fly back to Kenya, with hopefully a far more developed game and given hopefully a bit of money in their pocket (from gaining employment in a country with a better exchange rate) to further develop their game back home.


I'm sure this would be fantastic program for the ICC to iniate and ensure that each state/province is given a country with a simliar sought of standing.

So NSW, having won the Australian FC competition would have to be considered in the top three provinces in the world, would get a country considered in the top three countries in the world outside of test cricket (Kenya).

Especially given the amount of money there is in cricket in Australia and England these two countries would have absolutely no problems financing this particular project. Other countries may have a little more trouble financing this, but that would have to be worked out.

Basically the benefits for the players involved;
1 - get to experience tough cricket on a weekly basis (something they'd never have experiened before).
2 - will get to test their skills in different conditions.
3 - will get far greater access than they've ever had to advanced training methods.
4 - they will hopefully save some money in a country with a better exchange rate (in most instances).
5 - they may even be able to further their skills outside of cricket for back in their homeland.

I've been a bit vague on the details here, but i think you get the kind of idea of what i'm hinting at.

Good idea or bad??

Excellent idea.

There's all too much self-interest in cricket just now (& probably always has been I'd guess). IIRC the Scottish Sabres who play in our OD National League with the counties have had what little funding they get from the ECB slashed. Luckily one of the Baxter clan (they of the soup) has stumped up sponsorship so some of the players can go full-time.

It would be nice to see (say) Surrey take Holland under their wing & Lancs take on Ireland. Loads of foreign football fans support an English Prem team; with such a scheme in place it might even have the knock-on effect of young Dutch or Irish cricket fans following the county that buddies their national side. This could even generate money from TV & replica kits in the (very) long term.

It'd be nice to see some of the bigger cricketing nations help spreading the good word.

 

[Kweek]

Excellent idea.

There's all too much self-interest in cricket just now (& probably always has been I'd guess). IIRC the Scottish Sabres who play in our OD National League with the counties have had what little funding they get from the ECB slashed. Luckily one of the Baxter clan (they of the soup) has stumped up sponsorship so some of the players can go full-time.

It would be nice to see (say) Surrey take Holland under their wing & Lancs take on Ireland. Loads of foreign football fans support an English Prem team; with such a scheme in place it might even have the knock-on effect of young Dutch or Irish cricket fans following the county that buddies their national side. This could even generate money from TV & replica kits in the (very) long term.

It'd be nice to see some of the bigger cricketing nations help spreading the good word.

Holland and Surry..wouldnt that be great?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Holland and Surry..wouldnt that be great?

Doesn't have to be Surrey! Just an example!

 

[Kweek]

i know..but the idea itself... although id rather have Lancs(me=fan )

 

[sledger]

I sincerely hope your sarcastic...

hmm sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.....
but yes in this instance there is absolutely no way that i am being sincere, W Bush is an eejit.

 

[swede]

Hey swede.. If your from Denmark, why is your nickname swede??
Also, how were you first drawn to the sport of cricket?

With respect to the C&G cup, does any average person from Denmark know about it? Is it given TV/print media coverage? What are the crowds like ??

Do you play cricket?

I have swedish connections and some people dont know that danes are not just dogs...

You can be pretty sure that next to no one in Denmark would know about the cup outside the small cricket community. Cricket is never mentioned in papers beyond the results section. Results are given as 2-0, I think, reflecting points to each teams because the journalists cannot understand giving a proper result.
"cricket" was once the correct answer to the medium level question in "who wants to be a millionaire" of which sport does not involve a horse...
the difference between Denmark and most other european nations is the presence of this small cricket community of a few thousands, but its a completly isolated community.

I doubt this will change much as the danish cricket association unfortunately shares the belief of all the major boards, that cricket is a very poor game not worthy of being promoted.

I got to know cricket through english football, as I wrote.
What attracted me to the game was seeing highlights from tests on english tv and realising that the batter was under real pressure to not get out and noticing the wild celebration when someone was out. Watched on as I wanted to see the next one out as it seemed so valuable, basically as a goal in football.
I think most people subconsciously look at cricket the wrong way if they dont know the game: If the ball is not hit far away its poor for batter and good for "thrower" and at some point they stop to see who hit most away. Long slow and boring and not true. At some level I think I realised that day that the people with the ball were attackers and I wanted to see them get the next one.
The actual cricket I watched was england falling apart in the 94-95 ashes.

I have decided not to take-up the game as it is very time-consuming, impractical with the danish climate, would take forever to be able to play properly and I already do other sports at a good level, sports that I have always played.