Googly Maidens Duck Yorkers!!!

Nov. 29, 2012 - PRLog -- If a traveller in India looks down a dusty village pathway, he may occasionally see a wandering cow or two, but he will almost always spot a group of young boys with improvised bats and wickets enjoying a never-ending game of village cricket.  

But cricket is not just a favourite game for kids in India – it is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world with thousands of players at all levels and millions of devoted fans.  Cricket has long been closely associated with countries of the former British Empire – New Zealand, South Africa, England, Australia, India and Sri Lanka – but it is rapidly becoming a popular sport in countries such as Iran, Qatar, the Maldives, China and Nepal.  It is also becoming a very popular sport for women who are challenging men on what was once seen as their exclusive and hallowed turf.  With new countries being added to the list and with the welcome participation by women and girls, cricket is really being hit for a six and clearing all boundaries.

Following successful cricket tournaments held at the oval every year since 2006, in December 2012 and January 2013 the Three-Generation Oval (http://cricket.threegeneration.org) will play host to some of the leading men’s and women’s cricket teams from South East Asia, in a series of three exciting cricket tournaments.

Although one wit cruelly commented that watching cricket was as exciting as watching paint dry … he had obviously not been to a modern 20-20 match or the limited over matches to be presented in Chiang Mai, where each team will have a maximum of fifty overs and where the pace will be exciting.

World-class facilities in Chiang Mai

The devastating floods in 2011 damaged some of Bangkok’s excellent cricket fields, forcing the Asian Cricket Council (ACC - http://www.asiancricket.org/) to look elsewhere.  Its decision to use Chiang Mai’s well-known facilities from 5 - 13 December for the Asian Men’s Trophy Challenge Tournament was one welcomed by David Buck, the Director of Cricket at the Traidhos Three-Generation Cricket Academy.  

Teams from Qatar, Myanmar, Singapore, China, Thailand, Bahrain and Iran will battle it out for honours in the Tournament.  Most games will be held at the Three-Generation Oval – considered by many players to be one of the finest cricket grounds in Asia – and groomed by Head Groundsman Pirom Chinkham.  Pirom recently returned from Sri Lanka where he assisted with the preparation of grounds for the 2012 Cricket 20-20 World Cup.  

Other matches will be held at the Royal Chiang Mai Golf and Cricket Resort where a brand-new turf wicket has been prepared, and at the 1898 Chiang Mai Gymkhana Club – the oldest sporting club in Thailand.

The Thailand National Games will follow the men’s tournament from 15 through 19 December.  This “mini-Olympics” features many different sporting events, but for cricket lovers, cricket is possibly the only one that counts.  Teams from all over the Kingdom of Thailand will compete at the Three-Generation Oval.  The local Chiang Mai team has won the cricket competition in the last three Games – and is looking forward to adding to their hat trick.  

The Three-Generation Oval will also host the ACC Women’s 20/20 Championships from 21 January through 2 February 2013.  Although originally scheduled for a middle-eastern country, Chiang Mai was chosen as a safer alternative.  Teams from Bhutan and Thailand will travel to Chiang Mai a week earlier to train with David Buck on the Prem Oval.  Spectators will enjoy top performances by ten women’s teams from all corners of South East Asia.  

A cornucopia of cricket comes to Chiang Mai!  

For information or for additional details on any of these matches please contact David Buck on davidbu@ptis.ac.th.

The Three-Generation Oval is located on the campus of the Traidhos Three-Generation Community for Learning (http://threegeneration.org) and Prem International School www.ptis.ac.th) in Mae Rim, Thailand.