Saturday, Oct 05, 2013

Sharjah: Tim Anderson, the International Cricket Council (ICC) Global Development Manager, is a happy man after Afghanistan qualified for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

With Ireland also qualifying for the showpiece event in Australia and New Zealand through the ICC World Cricket League, two of the best teams from among the associate nations have made their mark.

Anderson, who has charted the progress of all associate and affiliate members around the world, is delighted with the improving standards and increasing participation for the game. 
In an exclusive interview with Gulf News after Friday’s crucial Afghanistan-Kenya match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Anderson talked about the impact cricket is having on nations outside the full member countries and the factors needed to lift the standard of the game.

GN: You must be extremely pleased with Afghanistan’s rise to the World Cup having closely watched their progress over the years?

TA: Given that where they were in 2008 playing in the World Cricket League Division Five, the progress that Afghanistan have made, not only on the pitch but also off the pitch, is huge. Their administration, coaching staff, the set-up around the team and the level of relationship they now have as a group has all improved dramatically. And all those things together have seen them become a world class unit.

GN: What do you think is the key factor that has helped them clinch a place in the World Cup despite all the obstacles they have face as a nation? Is it their dedication or love for the game?

TA: Dedication and love for the game is right, but more than anything they have absolutely fantastic natural ability. All of them have fantastic talent. They also understand how to handle the pressures on and off the cricket pitch. Some of the associate nations are talented but they struggle when the pressure gets high. They are unable to sustain their level of performance against the full member nations or on the big stage. Afghanistan’s players have lived in very difficult and challenging circumstances and hence a big crowd or a big game of cricket is not a big deal for them and they handle the pressures really well.

GN: How happy are you with the progress of other associate and affiliate nations?

TA: Ireland and Afghanistan probably set themselves out a little bit from the rest. If you look at their results for the past four to five years in Intercontinental Cup, World Twenty20 qualifiers — and also by getting to play in the World Twenty20 and now in the World Cup — they probably jumped out a little bit from the rest. UAE has been a fantastic story as part of this competition. They have performed better than any of us could have imagined. That is a great thing for cricket here in the UAE. I am sure they will take in a lot of confidence out of their performances in the WCL.
GN: Why have some teams like Kenya, who had played in the World Cup, trailing? Is it because the standard of other teams have improved or have they slipped in their standards?

TA: It is a bit of both. Kenya had a good small base of players in the early 2000s. When you have a small base you may not have the volume and it becomes difficult to sustain their level of performance. Fortunately they have better junior development programmes now, but it may take some time for them to build back up again.

GN: You have also seen the progress of the UAE, who are able to compete well despite a lack of professional players. What is your observation on their performances?

TA: It is going to be a challenge in the future for UAE if other countries are able to professionalise their playing and coaching systems. The Emirates Cricket Board together with the local community may need to find a way in time to get some of the players fully professional. At least if they can get some semi-professionals then they can get some time after work to train and play. If that does not happen, then teams like Afghanistan and Ireland might just move away from them.

GN: Which country has made the biggest progress in terms of setting up the infrastructure for the game?

TA: UAE has the one of the best infrastructures with three world-class venues. Ireland has made a great start with a new venue in Dublin, where England played Ireland in a One Day International in September and 10,000 people turned up for the game. It was a great demonstration of the cricketing public of Ireland. It was the biggest crowd for any cricket match in Ireland by far.

GN: Do you think cricket is spreading around the world at a fast pace?

TA: In terms of participation, the number is approximately a million outside the full member nations. That number has doubled in the past four years and that reflects the growth of the game outside the major cricket-playing countries. Add to that the level of fans’ interaction in countries like Afghanistan, which is encouraging. Here itself we have seen thousands of people turn up at the stadium to cheer for Afghanistan. Similarly in Ireland, 10,000 people coming out to watch a game of cricket game is a great story in terms of engagement in our sport. We are excited about the fact that these numbers are keeping on growing. We now have 96 associate and affiliate nations.

By K.R. Nayar Chief Cricket Writer

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