Rashid Khan’s appointment as coach for the China U-15 team to play in Bangkok in December has been to focus of all attention in the run up to the tournament so far, however two of the other participating teams, namely, hosts Thailand, and Bhutan have also been preparing hard for the tournament where the top two teams will play in the Elite division next year.
Sixteen players from all around Thailand (mainly Bangkok, Khon Khaen, and Chiang Mai) were selected to participate in a seven day training camp at the Prem Tinsulanonda School Cricket Academy at the start of October. To my knowledge, the boys have been going through nets sessions, fitness, and fielding drills, and a couple of practice matches against a CMSCA (Chiang Mai Schools Cricket Alliance) Select XI. The squad will be trimmed down to fourteen before the start of the tournament which starts on the 14th of December. I will be back in Bangkok from the 19th of November and will be helping with the squad….so I should have more comprehensive updates closer to the start…i will also be a liason officer..during the tournament..for one of the teams..which should be interesting..can provide detailed updates each day..
That said, Thailand as the only ICC associate in the tournament needs to stamp its authority and win it comprehensively. Its good to see the association putting effort into preparing the squad for the tournament. I know its a talented squad with about 7-9 ethnic boys (to my knowledge), so it would be good if we came out on top..especially against Oman, Saudi, and Qatar.
Bhutan have selected 45 schoolboys from a recent school boy tournament to undergo selection trials for their U-15 squad. Bhutan are developing extremely fast, and even have their own full cricket ground with a few artificial center wickets and nets. According to the site, www.bhutancricket.org, the squad are training weekly, and a shortlist of 14 will be selected for the tournament. Apparently there are 2 or 3 national team players who are 14 or 15, who will be playing the tournament. Should be interesting to see how they perform against Qatar, Oman, and Maldives. I happen to think they will give these sides a fight if not more.
Filed under: General Cricket
Bhutan cricket is developing very rapidly because of participation numbers…… particiaption numbers have grown rapidly in the last 3-4 years because of free cricket on tv…… Bhutan has been getting the same feed as the sub continental test countries for the last few years, and like Nepal, their numbers have grown dramatically…… Maldives is the same reason……..
Afghanistan, the last subcontinent country, had repatriation of 3-4 million people from Pakistan after 9/11….. so their cricketing numbers are up due to that reason…… they dont have the infrastrucutre for the media to penetrate….. but if they did, they would have become cricket fans by now as well…… well, they are already, but they would have become cricket fans irrespective of repatriation…….
ICC needs to rethink this free tv on air business…… it is a must if they want more countries to become interested quickly……….. at least they should start off with the neighbouring countries of the test countries, becuase they can at least identify with some of the matches going on…..
I mentioned it as one of the 4 points once about what is a must do in the HPP countries for the ICC….. give them free feed of global cricket……… help them penetrate their markets more to raise the bar for the professional transition…..
Yeah very true..Bhutan and Maldives are in that South Asian sphere of influence..which is certainly helping their cricket alot..just a question of money, facilities, and a proper domestic structure for both of them..Bhutan is a picture perfect copy of Nepal in its cricketing pathway..and will be upthere soon..provided ACC and ICC take a little more interest in them..Maldives ofcourse have the fundamental problem of open space for grounds, academies etc…
Hey guys…can i jion you guys…well yeap..Bhutan is doing well in cricket…and it is the fastest growing sports in Bhutan compared to other sports body, though the ground is just good enough for two sizeable Tiger 5 playable ground, Bhutan Cricket is growing up fast, recently concluded u-15 schol tournament has increase the kids playing and… though the matches are hard to conduct due to the sizeable ground yet Bhutan Cricket is trying it’s best to conduct matches, we are far more lucky to be with great cricketing countries neighbour us like India, Bangladesh which influence lot of intrest among the people and kids. We are hoping for a favourable under-15 ACC tournament in Thailand and hope our boys does well.
Ugyen,
Are you based in Bhutan?
yea i am
I was searching for somewhere to make this post and finaly found something about Thai cricket.
Umpired a 50 over (modified rules)match as D/D match yesterday between a local school First XI and a school First XI from an Auckland school. Apart from the match being played with a lime green coloured ball which was quite brilliant to see with the lights on one of the Auckland players was a Thai U19 representative called Ajay Saraff. He looked very stylish with the bat until run out.
Apparently because he is schooling in NZ he fails to qualify under the residency rules for Thailand at present.
ajay saraff is very good offspiner,aswel as outstandig inercircal filder u dont have any coment for that ?
now he is in india and try his luck,if nz need him he might go and play for
thanks
What’s he doing in india?
he is in this cricket academy i tihnk.i am from NZ as well.now in australia.a very good friend of ajay.went to same school.du i know Rob Morris?