12 July 2012
MEDIA RELEASE: IMMEDIATE
The Club Cricket Conference are hoping to build on an initiative from Hertfordshire to encourage 'twinning' with clubs in Africa.
Totteridge Millhillians CC, has developed a link with Arusha CC in Tanzania, and the CCC would like to promote a project encouraging more member clubs to build similar relationships in Africa generally. Using close ties with the Tanzanian Cricket Authority and their ICC-affiliated neighbours, the CCC have compiled a list of potential African clubs and hope to attract the support for what will initially be donation of kit from the UK such as used bats, pads, clothing and stumps.
The twinning concept could be broadened into coaching, club tours to Africa and hosting African players for experience during the English summer.
Robbie Book, CCC board member, said that the Totteridge Millhillians initiative would be monitored and feedback assessed. "We see this as the beginning of a long-term project helping cricketers of all ages in the poorest regions of the world to become part of the cricket family," he said. "We fully expect our membership to embrace this venture and, although we are starting on the African continent, there are many countries across the globe that could benefit."
The CCC look forward to allying with existing bodies that already provide such services and would welcome contact from member clubs who would consider becoming part of the Cricket Aid project.
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Notes for Editors:
The Club Cricket Conference (CCC) was established in 1915 and is the oldest and largest organisation representing the interests of club cricket in the country.
The modern-day organisation is helping the ECB to further the cause of recreational cricket and, above all, to increase the number of adult players and to embrace the wider cricket family.
It is also continuing to provide a structure offering opportunities to players to participate at the highest standards short of the professional game. This is achieved by a programme of new and traditional summer fixtures against strong opposition for men’s, women’s and U21 XIs and by mounting and hosting a series of tour to and from ICC affiliate countries. Recent fixture and tours have included Tanzania, Argentina, Denmark and Oman.
In 2011 a panel headed by Alf Langley (Shepherd's Bush CC) produced an exhaustive report analysing how the CCC could champion club cricket to maximum effect. The CCC has been working on initiatives to heighten interest in club cricket and maximise ground usage - from parks to Focus Clubs. The traditional work on behalf 1,000 member clubs and leagues remains the fixture bureau, the handbook, organising two tiers of inter-league competition, setting up tours and arranging high-quality representative matches, including a chance to play at Lord's against MCC.
The Conference is now looking beyond its established heartlands in the South of England and is working closely with the ECB and the Midlands Club Cricket and League Cricket conferences to establish a wider range of support measures for clubs and park teams to create a stronger and more representative body in support of the recreational game.
A new knockout competition for southern clubs was started in 2009 to fill the void caused by the demise of the Evening Standard Challenge Trophy, the London area cup. A new T20 Challenge competition is being trialled for 2012 to promote Sunday cricket between local clubs.
Further information about the CCC can be found at http://www.club-cricket.co.uk/about
Any questions about this Media Release should be addressed to: Robbie Book on 07813 813908
Peter Browne
Tel: 07802 444977
Email: editor@club-cricket.co.uk
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