*Official* WCL - Global Div 3, Hong Kong & China 2011

[laksh_01]

Table:
Oman (21)
Denmark (22)
Papua New Guinea (23)
Hong Kong (24)
USA (25)
Italy (26)

Squads:
Denmark: Michael Pedersen (captain), Aftab Ahmed, Rizwan Mahmood, Raja Javed, Martin Pedersen, Jacob Larsen, Bashir Shah, Troels Thøgersen, Bobby Chawla, Yasir Iqbal, Frederik Klokker, Carsten Pedersen, David Borchersen, Naveed Mugfal.

Hong Kong: Najeeb Amar (captain), Nadeem Ahmed, Irfan Ahmed, Waqas Barkat, Tabarak Dar, Khalid Butt, Asif Khan, Courtney Kruger, Roy Lansam, Mark Chapman, Nizakat Mohammad, Moner Muhammad, Adil Mehmood, Mohammad Aizaz Khan.

Italy: Alessandro Bonora (captain), Roshendra Abewickrama, Din Alaud, Damian Crowley, Gayashan Munasinghe, Dilan Fernando, Thushara Kurukulasuriya, Damian Fernando, Andrew Northcote, Hayden Patrizi, Peter Petricola, Michael Raso, Hemantha Jayasena, Vincenzo Pennazza.

Oman: Hemal Mehta (captain), Qais bin Khalid al Said, Sufyan Mehmood, Sultan Ahmed, Hemin Pratap Desai, Vaibhav Wategaonkar, Jatinder Singh, Deep Trivedi, Rajeshkumar Ranpura, Awal Khan, Syed Amir Ali, Adnan Ilyas, Zeeshan Siddiqui,Khalid Rasheed.

PNG: Rarua Dikana Boge (captain), Chris Amini, Assadollah Vala, Kila Pala, Loa Nou, Pipi Raho, Mahuru Dai, Raymond Haoda Jnr, Chris Kent, Jack Vare-Kevera, Tony Ura, Kapena Arua, Hitolo Areni, Jason Kila

USA: Steve Massiah (captain), Muhammed Ghous, Lennox Cush, Usman Shuja, Rashard Marshall, Sushil Nadkarni, Ritesh Kadu, Orlando Baker, Carl Wright, Aditya Thyagarajan, Kevin Darlington, Durale Forrest, Asif Mehmood Khan, Ryan Corns.

Fixtures:
Jan 22nd:
Match 01: USA v Hong Kong, Kowloon Cricket Club
Match 02: Denmark v Italy, Hong Kong Cricket Club
Match 03: Oman v Papua New Guinea, Mission Road

Jan 23rd:
Match 04: Oman v Hong Kong, Kowloon Cricket Club
Match 05: Italy v Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong Cricket Club
Match 06: USA v Denmark, Mission Road

Jan 24th:
Rest Day

Jan 25th:
Match 07: Oman v Italy, Kowloon Cricket Club
Match 08: USA v Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong Cricket Club
Match 09: Hong Kong v Denmark, Mission Road

Jan 26th:
Match 10: Papua New Guinea v Denmark, Kowloon Cricket Club
Match 11: Oman v USA, Hong Kong Cricket Club
Match 12: Hong Kong v Italy, Mission Road

Jan 27th:
Rest Day

Jan 28th:
Match 13: Denmark v Oman, Kowloon Cricket Club
Match 14: Papua New Guinea v Hong Kong, Hong Kong Cricket Club
Match 15: USA v Italy, Mission Road

Jan 29th:
Match 16: 5th Place Playoff - TBC v TBC, Mission Road
Match 17: 3rd Place Playoff - TBC v TBC, Hong Kong Cricket Club
Match 18: Final - TBC v TBC, Kowloon Cricket Club

(Both finalists qualify for WCL - Global Div 2, UAE 2011)

 

[marc71178]

2 official threads - which one to follow?

 

[laksh_01]

2 official threads - which one to follow?

Is there one already? Sorry didn't knw that.

 

[jashan83]

Moderators they revolve around the same point started almost at same time. Can you merge both of them

 

[turnstyle]

Really wish Denmark were as strong as they were 10 or so years ago. USA clearly going to take this though. Actually played a bit of cricket against the Italian keeper and once against the Viking's top bat.

 

[jashan83]

Besides USA, the teams of PNG, HK & Oman have also got a great chance. In my personal support I am tied. As teams I want USA & PNG to qualify. But I also want an Asian Team to go through. So I have divided support for this tournament. Lets hope the best team goes ahead

 

[juro]

I think USA may run out of steam. They had a few things go their way in winning Div 4 in Italy last year (playing during their season, on artificial pitches, in a competition probably weaker than Div 5). I think they will probably finish 3rd this time.

My picks are Hong Kong thanks to home ground advantage plus PNG who have previously been competitive at this level and have made a few advances in the last couple years (Andy Bichel as coach, new facilities).

 

[jashan83]

Just 3 of the players of Hong Kong are born in Hong Kong out of a squad of 14. The rest 11 are born in Pakistan. It is virtually a Pakistan B team. Similar for Oman, most of their players are born in India or Pakistan.
But now I ponder upon another question. I was watching AFC Asian Cup (Soccer) yesterday. The Arab teams in that are primarily composed to players from mainly Africa in similar numbers. Even many European teams have naturalized players who became citizens primarily because of football. Hence if football does it, and people support their teams, we can definitely do so for Cricket too.

 

[juro]

Out of interest, how many of the American squad are born in America?

Considering how long international cricket has been played by associate countries, I have no problem with where the players are born. The ICC has its eligibility criteria, just like any other sport does. So long as the players meet the criteria, fair enough.

Likewise, look at other sports. Were people complaining when Monica Seles or Martina Navratalova represented the USA? Or Tatiana Grigorieva competed in the pole vault for Australia? Or Kostya Tszyu boxed as an Australian?

These people have moved from their countries of birth for various reasons. It is a pretty safe bet that the cricketers playing in WCL Div 3 did not move just so they could play international cricket. And the countries have selected their best eligible teams. I hope they also work on developing the next generation of players but it would take many years for associate countries to produce top class players.

 

[jashan83]

Out of interest, how many of the American squad are born in America?

Out of a Squad of 14
4 Born in India
3 Born in Pakistan
5 Born in West Indies
1 Born in SA
1 Born in USA

Hence only 1 US born player

 

[jashan83]

Out of a Squad of 14
4 Born in India
3 Born in Pakistan
5 Born in West Indies
1 Born in SA
1 Born in USA

Hence only 1 US born player

But 3 players emigrated as Children to US and developed their cricket skills in USA, hence can be called home grown players

 

[jashan83]

Out of interest, how many of the American squad are born in America?

Considering how long international cricket has been played by associate countries, I have no problem with where the players are born. The ICC has its eligibility criteria, just like any other sport does. So long as the players meet the criteria, fair enough.

Likewise, look at other sports. Were people complaining when Monica Seles or Martina Navratalova represented the USA? Or Tatiana Grigorieva competed in the pole vault for Australia? Or Kostya Tszyu boxed as an Australian?

These people have moved from their countries of birth for various reasons. It is a pretty safe bet that the cricketers playing in WCL Div 3 did not move just so they could play international cricket. And the countries have selected their best eligible teams. I hope they also work on developing the next generation of players but it would take many years for associate countries to produce top class players.

Juro, in Football people actually play in the local league of a nation and in process become naturalized citizens. They go to that country just because of football and nothing else. Nigeria, Ivory Coast could have been the world champions, if they would not have been loosing their talent. In football it is easy to do because you can play for local league and then qualify.

Cricket the rules are simple for team composition
9 players in a playing XI must be classified as “nationals” – born in the country, citizens of the country, or permanent residents who have lived in the country for a minimum of 183 days in the seven years preceding a tournament.
A maximum of two players are allowed to play under “deemed national” classification – a resident in the country for a minimum of 183 days in the four years preceding a tournament.

As football local league's allow you to earn and play football while waiting for the national team, in Cricket rules are more strict and emigrating for cricket is simply not possible. Question is if UAE for example can pay players well from say Pakistan or Bangladesh and make them play for UAE, and UAE performs very nicely, defeating teams like BD or Zim regularly, then what is the harm. Soon seeing the success of their team, local talent will also join in

 

[juro]

Well I guess that football makes it a lot easier since there are so many professional players around the world. Much harder to find places to play cricket for money...

 

[juro]

I thought the series was supposed to be played in both HK and China. It looks like all the games are now to be played in HK only. Does anyone know what happened?

 

[marc71178]

Common sense in terms of logistics and keeping costs down?

 

[juro]

But was there an ICC announcement or did they just expect people to not remember or care?

 

[laksh_01]

So Italy & USA won their warm-ups against Hong Kong XI. Close matches there. No update yet on PNG's warm up.

 

[jashan83]

But was there an ICC announcement or did they just expect people to not remember or care?

Juro, it was actually scheduled that way, but the tournament needs to be finished in a short time 10 days. Also generally 3 matches are played simultaneously. Hence that meant loads of traveling between Hong Kong to Guanzhou (Or watever it is spelled). Hence now the matches are just happening in Hong Kong

 

[jashan83]

PNG have been practicing for a long time. They had a proffesional coach Andy Bichel. I think and Hope they will win this tournament. Last time they missed to qualify by whisker. They had one 4 games and lost just one. However the same was the case with Afghanistan and Uganda. PNG Def Uganda, Uganda Def Afg and Afg def PNG. They lost out on Run Rate.

Also I want USA to qualify. Why because of a simple reason. I want USA team to knowk the doors along with HPP members. This will change the attitude of ICC with a huge market lurking. Afghanistan, Kenya, Ireland, Scotland, Netherlands or Canada doesn't seem like good markets for them. Hence with USA doing good, it will benefit overall the associate Cricket.

As an Asian I also wanted HK and Oman to do well. Maybe not this time but Div 3 will be played once before the 2015 WC. Then maybe Nepal and any one of HK or Oman qualifies

 

[jashan83]

Hong Kong XI win final warm-up against PNG XI

Hosts, Hong Kong XI won its final warm-up game against Papua New Guinea XI by three wickets on Thursday, before the start of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 3 tournament.

PNG XI batted first and were bowled out for 167 in 42.5 overs with opening batsman Assad Vala top scoring with 60. In reply, Hong Kong XI chased down the target thanks to Mark Chapman (41), Nizakat Khan (20), Waqas Barkat (17 not out) and Najeeb Amar (29 not out).

Earlier, PNG XI reached 90 for two in 17 overs as Vala and Mahura Dai (28) were leading the side to a respectable total. But a middle-order collapse ensued. Vala was out thanks to a direct hit by Chapman. PNG XI slumped to 119 for 6. It was only thanks to some late-order knocks by Chris Kent (20) and Rarua Dikana (19 not out) that PNG XI reached a total of 167. For the hosts Aizaz Khan, Tanwir Afzal and Nadeem Ahmed picked up two wickets each.

In its chase the home team lost early wickets as it slipped to 31 for three. Chapman revived the innings, but fell with the target still 40 runs away. Hong Kong XI's lower middle-order saw it through to the target. Rarua Dikana was the best of the PNG XI bowlers with 2-28 from six overs while Loa Nou claimed 1-16 from nine overs. Jason Kila also picked up 1-10 from four overs of off-spin.