Tony Munro

The two best teams in the recent European Division Two tournament, undefeated Guernsey and Jersey, fittingly met in the final round of matches to decide the title (no final having been scheduled). Guernsey needed nine from three overs with six wickets in hand, yet Stuart Le Prevost, the Guernsey captain, was dismissed at the start of the 48th over. Two late run-outs, and Jersey were jubilant. Cricinfo spoke to the Jersey coach, Peter Kirsten, and Le Prevost, about the final, and the tournament in general

	Peter Kirsten, the former South Africa batsman, and Jersey's coach © Getty Images

Peter Kirsten

How are your nerves after the way Jersey secured the win?

PK: It was a memorable match, emotions ebbing and flowing continuously. I always felt though that if we could dismiss their main batsman even with them cruising at 170 for 3 we would still be in the match as he was beginning to look lazy (already dropped twice) and the Jersey spinners were bowling well. This is exactly what happened - three run-outs ensued due to panic and the spinners were always going to be difficult for new batsmen to handle under pressure. It was still very tight though and our fast bowlers were also able to bowl magnificently at the end. Nerves there were aplenty but our disciplines, belief & work ethic won through in the end.

Which aspect of the team's performance were you especially happy with?

PK: Since my term with Jersey cricket began on April 17 2008, we have trained according to various programs. These have included fitness and preparation, but also the introduction of promising youngsters in various positions, and the mantra of playing as a team and importantly developing a sound relationship with the captain and manager. Many of these aspects we executed well to remain unbeaten in the last six matches and have lost only 1 in the last 12 matches.

In which areas would you like to see Jersey improve for the ICC World Cricket League Division Four tournament?

PK: The Tanzania tournament poses different challenges for Jersey. Firstly it is away from the Channel Islands - playing in Africa is vastly foreign to them - different wickets, climate and so on. However, they will be prepared as mentioned before and a solid, well composed team has been selected. Again some talented youngsters have been included which brings good energy to the squad. Physical fitness, strategy are key areas of our preparation during September.

	Stuart Le Prevost, Guernsey's captain © thisisguernsey.com

Stuart Le Prevost

How has Guernsey found the transition from playing against English domestic opposition such as in the Four Islands tournament, to playing the various Associates? Has it been good for the team's cricket?

SLP: Playing against the Associate members of the ICC has improved our game no end. We definitely up our game when we play better sides so it can only be good for us to keep punching at, and above, our weight rather than playing mediocre club sides on mini tours. I think we take more responsibility in tougher games which we need to transfer into every game at club and Island level.

Which aspect of your team's play during the tournament were you most pleased with?

SLP: I think our batting came good during the tournament (except for 20 minutes at the end of the last game). We had not performed well as a batting unit for the whole of the summer so we were under a bit of pressure in that department going into the tournament so it was pleasing to chase pretty well and also to set decent totals during the week.

Who would you say was your best batsman and bowler and why?

SLP: I think our best bowler was off-spinner Gary Rich. Rarely does he bowl badly and his economy rate is always good which creates pressure and in turn often ends in a decent wicket haul for him too.

Our most consistent batsman was Jeremy Frith. He is at home whether we are setting totals or chasing them down. His quick assessment of what is a good score on certain pitches often puts us exactly where we need to be.

Which player from the other teams most impressed you and why?

SLP: I think Jersey's Ryan Driver impressed me most. His allround game is very good and invariably if he plays well, Jersey play well. His century against us in the recent championship was well paced and he didn't give a chance. He also bows pretty accurately and has bucket hands.

Look out soon for our interview with the Gibraltar captain, Christian Rocca, and France coach, Dave Szumowski

Comments (0) | Jersey

September 2, 2008

Rwanda embraces Britain. And cricket

Posted 4 days, 18 hours ago in Rwanda

Rwanda may historically be a French-speaking nation, but their increasingly close ties with England has resulted in an upsurge in cricket being played. Murad Ahmed has a fascinating article in today’s Times on Rwanda’s decreasing relations with France and how cricket is just one symbol of the country’s growing affinity with Britain.

Cricket is also a powerful symbol of Rwanda’s shift towards all things English. On a day off, the Conservative volunteers take on Rwandans at the game. Francis Maude, the Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, and opener for the British team, describes Rwanda as “a success story, from a country hollowed out, to a proper functioning state.”

Mr Maude top scores in the match with 20, but his wicket leads to a batting collapse, finishing with yet another English defeat at African hands.

Cricket is taking off here. In April Rwanda made the semi-finals of an International Cricket Council tournament in South Africa, beating Lesotho and Mozambique before falling to Ghana, in its best performance yet.

“With Rwanda being a Francophone country, it used to be hard to get the Ministry of Sport to be interested in the game,” says Julius Mbaraga from the Rwandan Cricket Board. “Now, it’s not a problem.”

Comments (0) | Rwanda

September 1, 2008

East Asia – Pacific (EAP) Development Program

Posted 5 days, 18 hours ago in East Asia-Pacific

A seminar for the ICC’s East Asia – Pacific (EAP) Development Program kicked off today in Melbourne. The five-day course is “a key component in the process to achieve sustainable cricket education within the EAP region and includes an ICC Level 1 coaching Cricket Instructors Course,” the statement read.

Nine highly regarded coaches were selected from an extremely strong pool to attend. The participants are:

PNG John Ovia & Rarua Dikana

Vanuatu Richard Tatwin and Aby Joel John
Japan Jummei Hanada & Nigel Dixon
Fiji Seci Sekinini
Indonesia Melvin Ndoen
Tonga Sione Hamala

The ICC EAP have been able to gain access to world-class facilities through Cricket Australia, Cricket Victoria and the Melbourne Cricket Club.

The ICC EAP Strategic Plan has a strong focus on developing quality cricket coaches in the EAP region, and the Advanced Coaching & Development Seminar is a major part of building sustainable coach development practises.

Comments (3) | East Asia-Pacific

August 31, 2008

Coliseum of cricket

Posted 6 days, 18 hours ago in Italy

Cricket is gaining popularity in Italy, a football-mad nation, thanks to thousands of subcontinental immigrants flooding into the country.

With a few hundred thousand people from the Indian subcontinent now in Italy, there are real quality players moving up from the parks into the league and national side, said Simone Gambino, an Italian who caught the cricket bug while visiting England in the 1970s and who now heads the Italian Cricket Federation.

Local councils have begun to provide space for games, said Gambino. "There are around 100,000 people from the subcontinent in the province of Brescia, and they want to play cricket, so the council had to provide pitches to stop people being struck by cricket balls."

Tom Kington has the full story in The Guardian.

Comments (2) | Italy

China to receive Bindra's help

Posted 6 days, 18 hours ago in China

The ICC has formalised the scope of IS Bindra's role as its principal advisor. Bindra, who began his two-year tenure in the newly-created post in July, will focus on "developing the game in China, implementing the ICC vision, assisting relations between the ICC and its members, and working with host members to ensure the success of ICC events.

Read the rest of the story at Cricinfo, and leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Comments (3) | China

Portuguese Henriques added to Australia squad

Posted 6 days, 22 hours ago in Portugal

Cricket in Portugal may still be a minority sport, but they have one claim to fame: Moises Henriques, the New South Wales allrounder, has been added to the Australia squad in Darwin.

Henriques only spent his first year in Portugal, however, before moving to Australia.

Comments (0) | Portugal

Scotland stage first floodlit match

Posted 6 days, 23 hours ago in Scotland

Aberdeenshire and Stoneywood-Dyce staged Scotland's first-ever floodlit match yesterday, borrowing floodlights used by overnight workers on motorways.

"It created a decent spectacle and the evening was a fantastic success with a great crowd turning up," Neil MacRae, coach of the triumphant Aberdeenshire side, revealed to the Scotsman. Click here to read the full story.

Comments (1) | Scotland

August 29, 2008

Prague International Twenty20 Cricket Cup 2008

Posted 1 week, 1 day ago in Prague

Tony Munro

The development of cricket in eastern Europe takes another step forward this weekend when unofficial national teams from six countries compete for the Prague International Twenty20 Cricket Cup 2008.

ICC Affiliates Bulgaria (in their first tournament since gaining ICC membership last month) and the hosts, the Czech Republic, will be joined by teams from Belarus, Russia, Hungary and Romania in the two-day event, starting tomorrow.

Enthusiasts in Belarus and Russia have been thwarted in their desire for form national bodies and join the ICC by the bureaucracy and cost involved in forming official sporting bodies in countries of the former Soviet Union.

Similarly, the tournament organiser and Czech Cricket Union official, Timothy Hort, told CricInfo that it was imperative that the tournaments like these in future saw some benefit from the ICC's new financial position.

"Some countries, many due to their prospective status, have showed apprehension with committing to the tournament as they would not have financial assistance for travel and accommodation," he said. "This is set to change in 2009 with the new format of ICC funding.

"Also, the need to find sponsors for this tournament is greatly required to allow these kind of tournaments to flourish and improve facilities and cricket in the Czech Republic, and Eastern Europe."

Teams from Estonia, Poland, Slovakia and Croatia also played the the recent Euro Twenty20 in Carmel, North Wales, meaning the Slovenia, Ukraine and Latvia, are the only eastern European countries where cricket has a permanent presence not to field 'representative' teams this summer.

A club team from Slovenia, Ljubljana CC, though, does play regular matches in the Austrian Open League.

The draw:
Group A: Belarus, Romania, Russia
Group B: Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary

Saturday
9am-12pm - Czech Republic v Bulgaria, Romania v Russia; 12.15pm-3.15pm - Bulgaria v Hungary, Belarus v Russia; 3.30pm - 6.30pm - Hungary v Czech Republic, Belarus v Romania.

Sunday
Semi-Finals - 9am - 12pm - 3rd v 4th; 5th v 6th - 12.15pm - 3.15pm
Final - 3.30pm - 6.30pm

Comments (3) | Prague

August 28, 2008

Mezica United

Posted 1 week, 3 days ago in Slovenia

By Brad Eve

Mezica Cricket Club is from the mountain town of Mezica na koroskem, which is known for its skiing, mountain biking and lead/zinc mines. It is also known for being the spiritual home of cricket in Slovenia as it where the very first cricket was known to have been played in this country by a group of enthusiastic youngsters from 1974 to about 1982 after one of the local lads was introduced to the sport on a school exchange trip to Birchington, Kent.

The Mezica players were reunited a few years ago and are once again playing cricket with many of the original enthusiasts still competing. They have recently constructed a practice net and have won the first two Slovenian National Championships both held in Ljubljana. They must also be strong favourites to win the first official Slovenian Cricket League which begins next year.

On top of all of this they have recently held for the second year running a tournament in Mezica itself. This years' participants were Mezica itself, Maribor and Bela Krajina Cricket Club (also from Slovenia), Comenius CC Szekesfehervar (from Hungary), Slovak CC (Hajske Slovensko) representing Slovakia and CC Velden 91 from Austria. Also invited were Vis CC (from Croatia) and Brno CC (Czech Republic) who were unable to attend.

The tournament took place over three days from Friday 22nd to Sunday the 24th August and despite a couple of hours of torrential rain with the odd drop of hail(which didn't interrupt a single ball of cricket - they are tough up there in the mountains) was played in glorious conditions.

Eventual winners of the tournament were CC Velden 91 who retained their title from the previous year (and had by all accounts brought a fairly strong team) defeating the passionately enthusiastic Slovaks (most of whom are converted ice-hockey players). The hosts Mezica edged out Bela Krajina for third place. Maribor and Comenius tied for fifth place and are both planning for next year.

Highlights of the weekend included some spectacular big hitting from Slovene national team player Robi Jakofcic (Bela Krajina CC) who hit the 17 required to win (including a 7!) off the last over in just five balls. Recent convert from alpine skiing Primoz Pustoslemsek batted and bowled superbly for the home team Mezica and Jasa Zidar took his first big haul of wickets for Bela Krajina.

The general standard appeared to have improved overall and the future of cricket played in this corner of the world is looking rosier than ever.

Comments (2) | Slovenia

August 27, 2008

Tanzania perform well in UK

Posted 1 week, 3 days ago in Tanzania

By Tony Munro

Tanzania have won two, drawn one and lost one of the opening four games of the current tour of the United Kingdom.

The tourists scored 167 for 8 in 40 overs in their first innings on tour before an Indian Gymkhana outfit containing full-time players from Dehli replied with 168 for 3 in 36 overs.

In the second game, Birmingham Civil Service were all out for 67 before rain halted proceedings after Tanzania were 11 for 1 from two overs. The match was abandoned when no further play was possible.

The visitors secured their first win on tour when West Harrow CC was removed for 111, and Tanzania needed just 22 overs to score 112 with seven wickets remaining. It was a three wicket win in the fourth game against Watford Town CC when Tanzania overtook the home team's 146 for 8.

The pitches back home in Dar Es Salaam are normally flat and docile, making Tanzania's batting performance commendable.

Comments (0) | Tanzania

August 24, 2008

Logie slams uncommitted Bermuda

Posted 1 week, 6 days ago in Bermuda

Bermuda are their worst enemies, and unless they drastically alter their approach to the game, their future at the highest level appears limited at best. That is the damning verdict of their West Indian coach, Gus Logie, as Bermuda were swept aside in the tri-series against Canada and West Indies.

Click here to read the full story, and leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Comments (6) | Bermuda

August 23, 2008

Tanzania tour England

Posted 2 weeks ago in Tanzania

By Tony Munro

Tanzania are currently touring England for a 12-day trip to prepare for the ICC World Cricket League Division 4 tournament, which they are hosting in October. The team will play matches against Indian Gymkhana (London), Birmingham Civil Service, West Harrow CC, Watford CC, Amersham CC (all north west of London), Rajput Cricket Association, Julian Woods Academy and Birmingham West Indians possibly the MCC.

Most of the squad, captained by left-arm medium pacer Hamisi Abdallah, are under 24 and have come through the Tanzania Cricket Association's development programme.

The tour was preceded by a training camp and a lengthy domestic season, where Aga Khan Cricket Club (captained by off-spinner Riziki Kiseto) won the Mwalimu Nyerere A League.

Tanzania is among six teams will compete in Divison 4, in Dar Es Salaam, from October 4 to 11. Afghanistan, Fiji, Hong Kong, Italy and Jersey the others.

Comments (2) | Tanzania

August 22, 2008

Football boss to run Fiji cricket

Posted 2 weeks, 1 day ago in Fiji

Cricket Fiji will be headed by a football chief executive from next month. Martin Shaw, the former Football Federation Tasmania chief executive, has been recruited after three and a half years in his current role.

Cricket’s profile in Fiji is rising steadily but the game’s administrators are now hoping for a bigger increase with Shaw on board. He will help to develop the game from grass-roots level.
“It should be a challenge,” he told Fijilive. “I think a lot more of my time will be spent at grass roots level in a more relaxed culture.”

Comments (1) | Fiji

Africa tournament switched from Zambia

Posted 2 weeks, 1 day ago in Zambia

By Tony Munro

The Africa Division Two tournament which was due to start on Wednesday is likely to be moved to October and now be held in South Africa, an ICC spokesman has advised.

Teams had arrived in Lusaka, Zambia on Tuesday for the six team event when it was cancelled after a week of mourning was called following the death of Zambian President, Levy Mwanavasa, in France that day.

The nations due to compete were Botswana, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Swaziland and Zambia.

Comments (1) | Zambia

August 20, 2008

Scotland gain entry to 2009 World Twenty20

Posted 2 weeks, 3 days ago in Scotland

Scotland have replaced Zimbabwe in next year's ICC World Twenty20. During the ICC's annual conference week Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) officials had said they were willing to pull out of the event, but chairman Peter Chingoka was sent back to Dubai to discuss further details of the agreement. He met with ICC president David Morgan, vice president Sharad Pawar and chief executive Haroon Lorgat.

The decision has been taken as a one-off with ZC recognising that the UK Government would be unlikely to issue visas for the team given that they had already cancelled the planned bilateral series next May.

Read the full story at Cricinfo and post your comments below.

Comments (0) | Scotland

Namibia name debutant in 14-man squad

Posted 2 weeks, 3 days ago in Namibia

Namibia have named their squad to face Bermuda in the Intercontinental Cup on September 3.

The 14-man squad contains a mixture of experience and youth, and they draft in the debutant Bernard Scholtz, who represented his country in February's Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. Scholtz, the younger brother of Nicholaas and a slow left-arm spinner, took six wickets at 28.33.

Bermuda are propping up the ICC Intercontinental Cup on 26 points and face an in-form Namibia who are second in the competition, trailing Kenya by 14 points with a game in hand.

Comments (1) | Namibia

August 19, 2008

Tanzania in line to host junior tournament

Posted 2 weeks, 4 days ago in Tanzania

Tanzania could host the first African Under-15 tournament early next year, said the Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA). Their secretary-general Tom Mhinzi said they had been asked by the African Cricket Association (ACA) to host it, pending official confirmation.

Continue reading "Tanzania in line to host junior tournament"

Comments (0) | Tanzania

August 15, 2008

Guernsey prepares for European Championships

Posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago in European Championships

The ICC European Division 2 Championship gets underway on Monday in Guernsey. Six countries - Croatia, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Guernsey and Jersey - will compete for the title, and their finishing positions will determine their potential entry into the proposed expansion of the World Cricket League.

Click here for the full preview.

Comments (0) | European Championships

August 14, 2008

Bermuda host Namibia

Posted 3 weeks, 2 days ago in Bermuda

Bermuda are to host Namibia for their next Intercontinental Cup fixture on September 3 at their National Sports Centre (NSC). Click here for the full story.

Comments (4) | Bermuda

August 13, 2008

US Juniors begin tour of England

Posted 3 weeks, 3 days ago in USA

The itinerary for the international Tour of the Under-17 USA team to England has been finalized at last, and the tour will begin on August 14, 2008. The USA Team will be playing four 40-over and two 20-over matches during their visit.

Unfortunately, it proved to be impossible to schedule any matches with an English Under-15 team because of their already pre-arranged schedule, Hopefully, this will happen in 2009 and beyond, as the idea of U-15 cricket gets more established in world cricket circles.

The USA team contains several players who have already proved themselves in international competition. Among them are Akash Jaganathan, Jason Fox, who is an accomplished batsman, bowler, and keeper from Kansas; Pranay Suri, who captained the Western region team which won the US National championship.and who also performed extremely well in the recently concluded Americas U-15 championship in Bermuda.

Other squad members include: Vinay Suri, an opening bowler who is also a top-order batsman on the winning squad in the US U19 national tournament; Alok Mehta, a bowler who won the Man-of-the-Match award during the recently concluded US Junior National tournament in California; Adhiraj Watave, a talented all-rounder who is the youngest player on the team; Deep Sathe, a legspin bowler who has taken five wickets a few times in youth games and is also extremely strong batsman with the bat.

Chanakya Lokam is an opening batsman who played in the U15 Nationals and has been training in India. Gaurav Ambekar is a combative batsman who punishes the ball often; and Navneet Wariach is a consistent offspin bowler and a utility batsman. All in all, this is a team with all the skills and experience that has earned top honours for USA junior squads for the past three years in international matches, and it is expected to prove as much in its tour of England. The team arrives on August 14 in England, and returns to the USA on August 23.



Tour itinerary

August 15 40-over fixture v Treeton CC

August 17 20-over fixture v Treeton CC

August 19 40-over fixture v Anston CC

August 20 40-over fixture v Sheffield United

August 21 20-over fixture v Anston CC

August 22 20-over fixture v Killamarsh CC

Comments (0) | USA

Another washout in Ayr

Posted 3 weeks, 3 days ago in Scotland

As widely predicted yesterday, the miserable weather in Ayr prevented Scotland's second ODI against Kenya from taking place. So bad was the weather that it was called off some three hours before the scheduled start of play. Attention now turns to Scotland's next ODI on Monday, against England.

Comments (0) | Scotland

August 12, 2008

Scotland impress before the rain

Posted 3 weeks, 4 days ago in Scotland

The weather hasn't been kind to Associate cricket over the past week, and that drizzly trend continued at Ayr where Scotland's first ODI against Kenya was washed out.

In the play that was possible, Kenya struggled to 141 for 8 in 35 overs. Dewald Nel and John Blain each took two wickets as Kenya's fragile top-order failed to deliver, slipping to 32 for 3 when Steve Tikolo was caught behind for 2. However, Thomas Odoyo smashed four sixes in a brief 45 from 39 balls to loft Kenya's score towards something resembling respectable, before the rain fell once more.

Set 141 from a revised 35 overs, Scotland lost Gavin Hamilton for 9 but the rain again returned and the match was abandoned.

The second ODI at Ayr is scheduled for Wednesday, but the forecast is no more promising than today's.

Comments (1) | Scotland

August 11, 2008

Jersey cling on to beat Guernsey

Posted 3 weeks, 5 days ago in Jersey

Jersey retained the Inter-Insular Challenge Trophy with a three-wicket victory over Guernsey at Grainville.

Guernsey, who were elected to Associate status by the ICC in July, lost early wickets after winning the toss and struggled to 119 all out in 46 overs, with Jeremy Frith’s 38 the only innings of substance. Jersey found the going equally difficult, but Ryan driver followed his two wickets with an gritty unbeaten 45 to steer them home.

Comments (0) | Jersey

August 10, 2008

Match drawn but Ireland close gap

Posted 3 weeks, 6 days ago in ICC Intercontinental Cup

Ireland's rain-affected match against Canada was frustratingly cut short with no play possible on the fourth and final day, but Ireland have closed the gap on an already tightly packed top four in the Intercontinental Cup table

Click here for more.

Comments (0) | ICC Intercontinental Cup

Lambert captains team to Belize

Posted 3 weeks, 6 days ago in Belize

Clayton Lambert, the former West Indies batsman, will lead the Atlanta Lions Cricket Club of the USA on a tour to Belize in August 2008. The visiting team will play two matches against the national champion and the national team. While in Belize, Lambert will also coach junior cricketers on behalf of the Belize National Cricket Association.

Comments (1) | Belize

Multimar Junior Winter Cup

Posted 3 weeks, 6 days ago in Argentina

The highlight of a quiet month for Argentina was the Third Multimar Junior Winter Cup which was played on the first weekend of July. The full details are from the ICC Americas Newsflash:

Unfortunately the weather once again played a major part as the day’s play was brought to an early end. The tournament was once again kindly hosted by St. George’s College. There were four teams from Lomas A.C, Belgrano A.C, St. Alban’s and St.George’s that took part in the event, with each team playing two matches.

All matches were based on 15 overs per side. It was encouraging to note the improvement of many of the players, thanks to these Winter Cups and the coaching clinics held over the past three months. Unfortunately the rain came towards the end of another successful day with both matches still to complete their final innings. The day was completed with some drinks and food for the kids and the group watching a DVD on international cricket. Once again, another successful day and looking good for a busy three months before the 2008/09 season kicks off.

Comments (1) | Argentina

Training camp for Under-19s

Posted 3 weeks, 6 days ago in West Indies

Kelvin Williams has led an "intensive training" session for a group of 12 Under-19 cricketers from various countries. The sessions got underway at the National Cricket Complex in Trinidad on August 5 and they will last 11 days.

Comments (0) | West Indies

August 9, 2008

Canada win Under-15 Americas Cricket Championship

Posted 4 weeks ago in ICC Americas

Canada have won the Under-15 Americas Cricket Championship in Bermuda after completing the tournament with an unbeaten record.

Canada were run closest by Bermuda who reduced them to 85 for 6 chasing 168 in their penultimate match, but an unbeaten 44 from Bryan Henry ensured they squeezed home with three balls in hand.

“Grassroots development through talent identification and development programs instituted in the winter of 2007-2008, helped put together a strong team which has taken Canada to this pinnacle and promises to be an indicator of things to come for Canadian cricket,” Atul Ahuja, Cricket Canada’s chief executive, told Cricinfo.

“Cricket Canada has a stated goal to win the Under-19 World Cup that Canada will host in 2012. Many players that were part of the winning team today could well be part of that squad. Programs are being put in place to develop this talent pool to help Canada achieve this goal.”

Comments (4) | ICC Americas

August 8, 2008

Music concert leaves Ulster club homeless

Posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago in Ireland

	The destroyed outfield at Dungannon Park © Dungannon CC

A club in Ulster have had their entire season wiped out because of a music festival which left their ground at Dungannon Park unusable.

Dungannon CC use a council-owned pitch, and last weekend the local authority agreed to the staging of UTV CountryFest, attracting almost 10,000 spectators. But heavy rain had left the outfield sodden, and lorries used to construct the various stages to host the bands churned up the outfield and left it an unusable mudbath.

The concert organisers did erect fencing round the square, but for access to the stage area they drove over the outfield. “It looks like a ploughed field with an oasis of the square in the middle,” a club official told Cricinfo. “It didn’t take a lot … a car would have done considerable damage but they were using lorries.”

Dungannon now face having to forfeit their remaining home games which will almost certainly mean them being relegated from the Northern Cricket Union league. More worrying is that the outfield is in such a bad state that it needs leveling and then reseeding. Club officials fear that even if this work is undertaken now the ground might still not be ready for the start of next season.

Dungannon is a close-knit club and hope that they will not lose players because of their inability to play at home, but it has tarnished their 60th anniversary celebrations.

Dungannon Council said that all remedial work to the area was part of the contract with the organisers of CountryFest and that they would endeavour "to ensure that this work is carried out as swiftly and efficiently as possible".

Comments (4) | Ireland