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Issue 26
EDITORIAL ACT BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE! UMPIRES EYE-OPENER! INDIA IN WEST INDIES! VINTAGE CRICKET NEWSLETTER! YOUTH CRICKET DEVELOPMENT IN SWR! INTERVIEW OF RICHARD BLACKLEDGE! SCCA LEAGUE 2011! SCCA LEAGUE 2011 SCHEDULE FOR JUNE!
EDITORIAL
Good Luck to CSUF for the rest of the season but remember that talking with mouth won't help to win games in Division 1. Let your batting and bowling do the talking. Also, if you guys want to do talking then also learn to be on the receiving end. Winning Team: Some of the umpire's decisions were highlight of the game Losing Team: echo IE2 thoughts about the highlight of the game - controversial decisions The wicket was really bad. The game should have been called off due to dangerous wicket. There were bumps on the popping crease on both sides. It was bad for the bowler if they had stepped into those bumps could have had injury. Also, it was a dust bowl. It seemed like the same wicket was used for the Saturday game and given to play for Sunday game. Totally ridiculous wicket.... Dust was puffing since the 1st
ball of the game was bowled. There was couple of helmet hits and ball jagged up to the batsmen on the gloves out of the bad patches on the wicket. Good that no one got injured but there were some ugly hits on the helmet and gloves. Once we thought that we came to play BEACH VOLLEYBALL and not cricket by looking at the Strip....
Good game played on a bad wicket, not fair for both teams. Good luck Victoria for
the rest of the season. Weekend Crickets comment: One fails to understand why the winning team decides to condone the un-sportsmanship behavior of the opponents on the field by not bringing it in writing through this summary to SCCA authorities. CSUF, irrespective of the level of cricket they play, seems to have been known for sledging and using abusive language directed to the batsmen. In fact, in the previous match Vijayta mentioned about CSUFs sledging but when one looks at the summary, it was not included. Now, COSMOS, did the same. It was witnessed by the audience that at one stage, a batsman or two have to go to the umpire to protest against such a behavior from CSUF. Surely, they may be a young-side, both in terms of their players ages and their participation in the league, but they should learn to play the game in the right way. Cricket is known as a GENTLEMANS GAME and let us keep it that way. Hope SCCA takes appropriate action in this matter.
It is understood that SCCA encourages and supports youth cricket and has allowed youth to not only play for SCCA Youth team in the league but also allowed them to play for another club in the league. It appears that Youth players can play for other clubs one in each division of the league thus getting more opportunities to play and improve. This has caused problems in that SCCA Youth team (Division V) forfeiting their league games to play for other teams. Their priority should be to first play for the Youth Team and then play for other teams when the Youth team does not have a game. Additionally, most of the times the Youth team score card is incomplete. They should be taught to properly fill out the score card, abide by the rules of the game, etc. Umpires who are paid their fees should ensure that the score cards are complete prior to signing off. Hitherto, the incomplete score card has been a problem with the youth team only. But, now it seems to be spreading like a contagious disease to other clubs. In a recent match (played on 6.5.11), Division III teams score card reflected as follows: Bowling: 5. Bengals 7 0 36 1 5.14 Batting: 8. Bengals b Deepak Yadav 28
Even with the use of modern technology, one hears bickering on lbw decision in International cricket. In our game everything is left to the humans and there may be some differences in opinion. A player is taught to obey the umpires irrespective of how good or bad they are. In the past, SCCA had handled disgruntled players reaction appropriately. Despite these punishments, one still sees some bad-mouthing and gestures by players at the league matches. It is high time one re-visits the fundamentals of playing this game in a gentlemanly manner.
UMPIRES EYE-OPENER!
Courtesy Thilak Wijedasa NO WARNING IN THE FOLLOWING INSTANCES: 2.6 Fielder touches the Ball after return without permission from the Umpire Ball not to count in the Over - Report 41.2 Illegal fielding including deliberate use of the Helmet or using a Cap Ball shout not be counted - Report 41.3 Hitting the Helmet accidentally Ball will count No Report IN ALL THREE CASES - AUTOMATICALLY BALL BECOMES DEAD - 5 PENALTY RUNS. 42.3 Changing condition of the Ball 1st Time: Change the Ball 5 Penalty Runs Report 2nd Time or Further: Change the Ball 5 Penalty Runs Bowler Off Report (It is to be the bowler who delivered the immediately preceding ball, to cover the case when the change to the ball is discovered when no over is in progress) 42.5 Deliberately trying to distract Batsman Dead Ball call Run in Progress counts as completed even if not crossed 5 Penalty Runs No dismissal Ball not to count in the Over. Batsmen choose which of them faces next ball. 42.8 Deliberate Beamers No Ball Take the Bowler Off Report 42.16 Batsman stealing a Run Dead Ball Return to Ends 5 Penalty runs Report
About the Author: "Dr. V.V. Giri, a Michigan based Cricket Player, Coach & Journalist, is an avid follower and servant of the Game of Cricket. He is a highly talented off-spin bowler and an opening batsman. Dr. Giri was in the state squad for Tamil Nadu and has played Senior Division League in Chennai for a record number of years. He was the Cricket Secretary for the famous "Madras Cricket Club" in Chennai. Prior to settling down in U.S.A., he has played cricket in U.K. and Australia. He also toured several countries - U.S.A., Canada and many Far East countries with Teams from India to foster the game of cricket. Dr. Giri has a Ph. D in Pharmaceutical Technology and has been involved in Research and Development of Drugs for many years. He is also a visiting faculty in many Universities in India. Dr. Giri is a great articulator."
Vintage Cricket Newsletter, June 2011 From the Office: Great to get positive responses from people about support for the so-called minnows at the World Cup. In all the correspondence received only 2 people felt that they should be excluded and the majority felt that perhaps it should be only two Associate teams should take part and only after an elimination series to sort out who the two should be. It came as a bit of a surprise to note the ICC had decided to exclude the Associate teams from the next World Cup and then as a relief to see that the decision is to be reconsidered. Ireland and Netherlands have proven they are not too far off the pace and hopefully they will be in a position to improve further in 2015. This month we have a great article from noted cricket columnist, Lynn McConnell as he reflects on a successful (ish) World Cup and a wonderful story of an intriguing group of cricketers from Los Angeles. Their committed and enthusiastic organisers are using the great game to turn lives around. We note also that the World Vintage Cricket Carnival in Wellington in March 2012 has had a sudden influx of entries from local teams all looking for a chance to host visiting teams and players to their wonderful city. Take a look at this newsletter and maybe make a decision to be a part of what is shaping up to be an excellent international celebration of the great game of cricket. If you are over 35, love playing the game to the best of your ability and enjoy visiting great destinations with a cricketing tradition then just maybe the Wellington Carnival will suit you and your team. Peter McDermott Vintage Cricket Office Snells Beach, New Zealand
Are you interested in coaching Youth cricket or helping develop Youth cricket in our region? The South West Region of USACA is looking for persons interested in helping Youth Cricket Development locally to fill out the prescribed form and send the same to SCCA Youth Development c/o SCCASECRETARY@GMAIL.COM. We are looking for both, senior and youth players, parents and cricket lovers to get involved to help us attract more young people to take up the game of cricket. The more young people there are playing cricket, the stronger our league will become. https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=e n_US&formkey=dGVVTzctc0x0bEJTaUlIRm1QWnBkT2c 6MA#gid=0
Cricket in America is stalled. We are in a relatively golden period because of the number of ex-pat workers from cricket playing nations who have found jobs in the US but if you look at the profile of these people you find they are recreational cricketers with few being serious about developing their talents or the reach of the game in the US. Many of them will return to their home country to have a family. This means we dont get the influx of young cricketers we need to grow. At present, interest in cricket in the US is directly proportional to the number of ex-pats living here. In 45 years there has never been a concerted effort to bring the game to an audience who can sustain and grow it. When test teams have a slump in form you find their administration, and even in some cases their government, will launch a grassroots campaign they encourage more kids to play cricket. Any businessperson will tell you, you need to market to a relatively large audience to get enough orders to grow your business it is the same with cricket. We need tens of thousands, even millions of kids playing cricket so that we can have thousands of adults and hundreds of professionals and one very good national team. Everything else will develop naturally around this participation; the coaches and facilities, spectators and fans, the merchandise and sponsorship, the media coverage and advertising dollars. There are an estimated 41 million children in the US playing organized, competitive sports. Their parents spend on average $2000 per year to pay club dues, for professional coaching and for sports equipment. Those who travel spend an additional $2000 $4000 per year. Everyone talks about the American market in relation to cricket but Im not sure how many of these people realize this market is driven by youth participation. USYCA: Why do you think that, in past years, youth cricket was more of an afterthought for many in the US cricket community? What has changed? Blackledge: To be honest Im not sure we have done enough yet to say it has changed. There are definitely a few good people working very hard to maintain and expand youth cricket in the US but it is far too few people and with nowhere near enough resources. The USYCA program is by far the best initiative I have seen to develop the game out here; it is easy to implement, inexpensive and it works but there has to be much more done by the stakeholders. In my opinion, youth cricket has been an afterthought for a couple of reasons; one is there are relatively few youth cricketers. In our region, the South West Region, we have one of the highest concentrations of cricket players in the country, we have five recognized USACA cricket associations and thousands of registered players but we struggle to find enough youth players to put just one team together in each of the age groups. A lot of guys come here in their 20s and leave in their 30s. They dont settle and have kids. Another reason is I do not think that the true value of the youth players has been recognized. If you look at how the ICC assigns grants to cricket nations you will see that the ranking of the national senior side is given 40% importance and the number of juniors playing cricket is given 10% importance. You can get a lot more money from the ICC by doing well at the senior level than you can by having plenty of youth teams. USYCA: What challenges do you see for youth cricket in the South West Region?
Blackledge: There are a number of challenges, not least the fact that our region is 800 miles long and 800 miles wide and also includes the Hawaiian islands. Its a large area to cover which means high travel costs to bring players together. We also have to bridge a gap. The USYCA Schools Program is ideal as an initial introduction to cricket for our regions youth. We need volunteers lots of volunteers to help us promote it. Then we need to take these kids who have caught the cricket bug and be able to take them to the next level with various out-of-school programs. There is a real lack of cricket facilities, equipment and trained coaches and a lack of funding to be able to provide for any. USYCA: What opportunities, both short and long term, do you see? Blackledge: The challenges create the opportunities. Long term, the more people we can get playing cricket the more money for development will flow in to the game. A percentage of the youth we are able to reach will want to continue to develop their cricketing skills and play competitively. All we have to do is reach enough of them and provide a route. They will be the ones who buy the cricket equipment and insist on facilities to practice at. They will pay their annual dues to their clubs which will strengthen the leagues and the region. It is a ten-year plan. Short term, I am hoping the current national administration will see the importance of developing and promoting youth cricket and will dedicate a percentage of the funding money they have assured us will be arriving shortly. I also have faith in the South West Regions new administration. We have a unique blend of experienced administrators and visionary individuals that all share a passion for the development of youth cricket. USYCA: Richard, could you share the details of your comprehensive youth cricket development plan for the South West Region and the rationale behind each of your key objectives in this program? Blackledge: In essence it is a very simple plan. Engaged youth + quality coaches + facilities = successful program. For the school kids reach as many as resources will allow. Introduce them to cricket. Make it easy for them to join an out of school program with a trained coach then get them into a team and the team into a tournament where they can compete. The coaches need to be qualified, so a coach training program is essential, and the coaches need to be paid for their time and expenses. For the youth who are already involved in cricket, we need to increase their access to qualified coaches and reasonable training facilities so they can hopefully progress to representing our region and the national team, as some have already done. USYCA: Have you established a timeline for achieving certain benchmarks within the program? Blackledge: Ive started an outreach campaign to see how many genuinely engaged people we have to call on. I would like to see the schools program begin immediately and work towards hosting a small youth festival or festivals as soon as we are able. Ive been in touch with a number of people to help decide when the best timing would be to host these youth festivals given the school year. I would definitely expect this to happen within the next 12 months. I have outlined a coach training program which needs authorization from the ICC through
USACA. The budget for formulating and marketing the coach training program will need to be approved by the South West Region board and funds acquired. I am aiming to have the business plan for this drawn up by mid-summer so we can get started with the program in time for the 2012 season. USYCA: Richard, some teams or leagues will happily participate because they share your vision. But how do you reach out to those in the SWR that dont see youth cricket development as their concern? Blackledge: There has been a culture of administrators dictating their goals to leagues and clubs. This hasnt worked. I am in a very fortunate position as the South West Region Youth Coordinator in that every one of the five cricket associations in our region recognizes the importance of youth cricket development and has some sort of a youth program running, many of them just need additional support to help them grow. My goal is that we reach individuals at club level to help feed the league programs and the regional initiatives. There are going to be some clubs who dont have anyone who is willing to help with youth development. I think its important to stay in touch with these clubs through the leagues so they always have the opportunity to start their own program when they feel the time is right. As the youth players grow they will strengthen the clubs that have been part of their development. USYCA: Programs such as this cost money. What financial and material support will you need to accomplish your objectives and from where do you hope to receive this support? Blackledge: I am aiming to make each aspect of the youth development plan self sustaining. Where initial investment is required we will be looking to sponsors and to cricket stakeholders who will benefit from the work we do. The newly elected chairman of the South West Region, Kelly Dunagan, is working on a marketing and outreach program that will benefit the whole region and in doing so the youth program. There are also some monies available in the form of grants from USACA and ICC for youth development.
Richard Blackledge bowls to former Australian captain Steve Waugh at the Hollywood Ashes
USYCA: Who are some of the key individuals with whom youll be partnering to implement the program? Blackledge: The response so far has been very positive. There are a long list of cricket administrators, parents, qualified coaches and school officers from the region who have already expressed their willingness to get involved. I see a beneficial future in our association with USYCA. Former England Test bowler Simon Jones has expressed an interest in helping develop youth cricket in the South West Region and Gareth Batty of Surrey and England, whose father George was one of my coaches
as a young man, has been very helpful in making introductions to a couple of well-respected cricket development officers who work with the county sides in England. USYCA: Richard, lets look into the future for a moment. Five years from now, what do you expect the situation to be in regard to youth cricket in the South West Region? Blackledge: Within five years I would like to see each district within our region represented at U13, U15 and U19. It is a huge undertaking but one that I believe is very achievable with the right people involved. Courtesy of Richard Blackledge.
Ankit Parmar
In reply, Hollywood-1 was all out for 183. They lost wickets at regular intervals. Their top order batted well but the middle order and the tail enders failed miserably. Even the top order batsmen shot selection left much to be desired. Tilhan Indrasena 42, Krish Goel 38 and Anantaram Kota 35 batted well but failed to carry through. HCC-1 are not only, missing Aditya Thyagaran and Ritesh Kadu, their USA players but are unable to field the same XI in each match. Caribbeans conceded 32 extras (Wides 28). As usual, Marcus Stewart bowled extremely well for Caribbean for his 4 or 26. At the end of the day, this is what HCC-1 said: Hollywood needs to come back strong. Top order batted well but didn't have middle order to stick around. Some poor fielding display cost 30 extra runs. Thilan, Ananth, & Krish Goel batted really well. Good bowling performance from Sujesh Pulikkal & Piyush Agram. Caribbean top order batted well. Sagar played well. Good bowling by Marcus Stewart that got them back into the game. Wicket was prepared well. This was the best wicket we have played so far in this season. Hats off to groundsman. Good Luck to Caribbean for future games.
CSUF, irrespective of the level of cricket they play, seems to have been known for sledging and using abusive language directed to the batsmen. In fact, in the previous match Vijayta mentioned about CSUFs sledging but when one looks at the summary, it was not included. Now, COSMOS, did the same. It was witnessed by the audience that at one stage, a batsman or two have to go to the umpire to protest against such a behavior from CSUF. Surely, they may be a young-side, both in terms of their players ages and their participation in the league, but they should learn to play the game in the right way. Cricket is known as a GENTLEMANS GAME and let us keep it that way. Hope SCCA takes appropriate action in this matter.
energy in the field and H4 surged their way into the match. Numbers 6 thru 11 all made it to double digits, but 200 plus was going to be hard chase on a hot day and Regals finally got it together. H4 standouts: Young Sahaj Patel with 4 wickets and even a younger Arjun Patel at the tender age of 12 kept wickets and did a fantastic job. The h4 bunch is great team and in future will develop this guy to be dangerous. Always a great game with H4 and Regal, both team played with high spirits and passion! Good Luck to H4 for the rest of the season. Regal Keep it up!
Batting was difficult but this pitch did not help the bowlers much either. Shakeel in full form once again showed his class and this young talent is becoming better and better batsman by each game. His cricket shots are courageous and he is taking on all good bowlers in Div 3. Sunny at lower order batted well, but overall batting performance from Citrus has been dismal. Citrus struggled to get the total score to 202 in spite of mediocre bowling by Deccan Deccan started their innings losing early wickets, mostly to pace bowling, however, Zeshan and Sandesh built up a good partnership giving some hope to Deccan for a win, but once again Salman broke the partnership with an excellent delivery. Once Zeshan was back in the shed, here comes Experienced Ashish and young Shakeel. Both bowled one of their best spells ever and dismantled Deccan's remaining batsmen without much resistance offered. Karthick took some amazing catches behind the wickets. Citrus won the game but gave many extra runs which are very disappointing and something we will have to work on. Deccan team has many young talented players, their fielding was brilliant. They are outstanding competitive and fun to play against. Monty is a bowler who can destroy the opposition with his in swinging Yorkers. Good luck to Deccan for rest of the season.
Another all-around performance by Friends with the last game's centurion, Asif Abba Ali taking the lead with a superb knock. He took his time and built his innings and was well supported by Abdulghani who played a calm innings and the pair put together a 100+ runs partnership. A late inning blitz by Burhan and some decent showing by the tail enders ensured that Friends put up a challenging total on a flat but decent Smith Murphy pitch. Burhan once again impressed with his all-around performance hitting the longest six of the game. He pretty much hammered the bowlers with his quick 33. He also took 4 wickets in just as many overs. Westwood had a disastrous start losing early wickets but their middle order steadied the ship and looked to threaten at one point when the ever dependable and clinical Ali Qazi ruined their plans to finish the game for Friends in the 31st over with a little over 100 runs still to get for Westwood. There are still some question marks for some of Friends batsmen and bowlers as well as their fielding but the newcomers have not let that become too apparent. With a majority of their games still to be played the veteran players will be keen to prove their mettle, for sure!! For now let's enjoy the two back to back comprehensive and decisive wins by FCC who were well led by their skipper Fahmeed. Can't wait to see them in action during the rest of the season.
CENTURY-MAKERS, 5 WKT HAUL BOWLERS AND ALLROUNDERS COVERED IN THE LAST ISSUE!